Timely Tips July 2007: Two More Killer Keystroke Combos

July 2007
In this issue

"Windows"+D Keystroke Combo
Windows+E Keystroke Combo
An Addendum to "Alt-TAB"
Taming E-mail Beast Book Update

Dear Timely Tips Reader,

Well hello everybody! After a nice little mid-summer break and self-imposed writing retreat, I'm back with this month's Timely Tip. This month's Timely Tip features a couple new keystroke combinations: one that I've known about for some time, and one that I've just learned about from one of my Timely Tips subscribers. Both of these are for PC users as they utilize the "Windows" key on most standard PC keyboards (the key looks like the Microsoft Windows logo). Both of these keystroke combos allow me to save time/increase productivity: one with finding programs, files, and documents, and the other with jumping between different programs.


"Windows"+D Keystroke Combo

Lets talk about the first combo: the "Windows" key and the "D" key. Windows+D is a pretty useful little keystroke combo because it allows you to immediately minimize any program that you are currently actively working on or have selected. Thus, if you are in an active program - let's say you are multitasking between an Excel spreadsheet and Word document, sharing data back and forth - then you can do use the Windows+D combo to very quickly minimize whichever program you're working in so you can transfer data from the spreadsheet to the Word document or vice versa without having to "mouse over" to hit the minimize button.
Practice it a couple times. It's very useful AND quick. It allows for quick minimization of any open window/program that you have currently selected. (And a quick thanks to faithful Timely Tips reader Rob Chabot from Ohio State for this great tip!)


Windows+E Keystroke Combo

Now, Windows+E is the keystroke combo I've been using for a number of years now. What Windows+E does is automatically launch your Windows Explorer program (not Internet Explorer) from wherever you're at in your PC. Use the "Windows" key and "E" key in simultaneous combination. Windows Explorer will launch and give you the opportunity to search for files, folders, and documents within Windows Explorer - very handy for any situation where you might need to locate a file or a program on your hard drive, share drive, or any affiliated drives.
So practice these two new keystroke combos - Windows+D to minimize, Windows+E to launch Windows Explorer - and enjoy your saved time and increased productivity.


An Addendum to Last Month's Timely Tips: Alt-TAB

Darrell Katz, a friend and OD/leadership consultant based in Chicagoland (www.its4success.com), had this little add to last month's Timely Tips: "The article on the "ALT-TAB" keystroke combo was quite informative. You are no doubt aware that users of Vista are able to use this feature and actually have the individual program windows scroll by, instead of just the icons. You may not know, however, that Windows XP users, can also get this capability via third party applications such as Top Desk - www.otakusoftware.com - and perhaps others." Thanks, Darrell, for this great little add.


"Taming the E-mail Beast" Book on to Copy Editor

Many of you have been following along as I have been developing my second book, "Taming the E-mail Beast." Well, it is coming together quite nicely. I just completed the second draft of the manuscript and have handed it off to my professional copy editor. We re looking now at a book production release date sometime in the fall; hopefully well before the Christmas holiday. It expands on the material shared in my popular speaking/training program on "Taming E-mail", and currently has more than 20 chapters and 35 "Key Strategies" for helping you to better manage your e-mail account and e-mail activities. Coming this fall, we're planning to do some affiliated open enrollment courses starting here in the Midwest, as well as conducting a number of promotional activities including a related PR blitz.
I'm quite pleased with how this project has continued to take shape throughout, and am very excited about the positive benefits people are going to receive from the information contained within this book and affiliated information products: PR blitz, book web site, related audio CD program, and possibly a related DVD training program. We're also planning to utilize multimedia as a way to enhance reader value by demonstrating a number of the strategies in the book utilizing web-based screen capture videos.


Special "Taming the E-mail Beast" Pre-Production Offer For Timely Tips Subscribers

If you have an interest in seeing some of the tips and strategies from the new "Taming the E-mail Beast" book early, I'm inviting all interested Timely Tips subscribers to send me a personal e-mail (randy@randalldean.com), and I'll be happy to send you a couple draft chapters of the book right now. This way, you can get a taste of the book's content and tone, and why I'm pretty excited about this project's potential moving forward. To do this, simply send me an e-mail at Randy@randalldean.com and let me know that you would like to receive the free sample preview chapters. I'll also give you access to a special pre-production offer. Send me that e-mail request today!

Until next time, Stay Timely!