Productivity Tips for PropTech Startups

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Working from home for a SaaS PropTech startup like HelloData means you’re juggling data, product development, client interactions, and content creation. The right keyboard shortcuts can significantly improve efficiency.

Here’s a list of the most useful shortcuts, categorized by common tasks:

🖥 General System Productivity (Windows & Mac)

  • Switch between open applicationsAlt + Tab (Windows) / Cmd + Tab (Mac)
  • Close the current window/tabCtrl + W (Windows) / Cmd + W (Mac)
  • Quickly open a new tabCtrl + T / Cmd + T
  • Reopen last closed tabCtrl + Shift + T / Cmd + Shift + T
  • Take a screenshotWin + Shift + S / Cmd + Shift + 4
  • Clipboard history (Windows)Win + V

📊 Data Handling & Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets)

  • Jump to the last filled row/columnCtrl + ↓ / Ctrl + →
  • Select an entire column/rowCtrl + Space (Column) / Shift + Space (Row)
  • Auto-fill down (copy formula/data)Ctrl + D
  • Insert a new row aboveCtrl + Shift + +
  • Delete a rowCtrl + -
  • Repeat last actionF4

🔍 Browser Shortcuts (Chrome, Edge, Firefox)

  • Jump between tabsCtrl + 1-9 (1 = first tab, 9 = last)
  • Move to the next tabCtrl + Tab
  • Close a tabCtrl + W
  • Reopen last closed tabCtrl + Shift + T
  • Open Developer ToolsF12 or Ctrl + Shift + I

📝 Writing, Emails, & Documentation (Word, Gmail, Notion)

  • Bold / Italics / UnderlineCtrl + B / I / U
  • Create a hyperlinkCtrl + K
  • Paste without formattingCtrl + Shift + V
  • Find and replaceCtrl + H
  • Insert a comment (Google Docs, Word, Notion)Ctrl + Alt + M
  • Delete an entire word (faster editing)Ctrl + Backspace

🚀 Project Management (Jira, Slack, Notion, Trello)

  • Jump to search bar (Slack, Jira, Notion)Ctrl + /
  • Mark a Slack message as unreadAlt + Click
  • Format messages quickly in Slack/Notion:
    • *bold*bold
    • _italic_italic
    • ~strikethrough~ → strikethrough

💻 Developer Shortcuts (VS Code, Terminal, Git)

  • Open Command Palette (VS Code)Ctrl + Shift + P
  • Toggle terminal in VS CodeCtrl + ~
  • Format documentShift + Alt + F
  • Copy last command in terminalArrow Up
  • Close terminal process (like stopping a script)Ctrl + C
  • Quick commit & push (Git)git commit -am "message" && git push

📅 Meeting & Video Calls (Zoom, Google Meet)

  • Mute/unmute microphoneSpacebar (Zoom) / Cmd + D (Google Meet)
  • Start/stop videoCmd + E (Google Meet)
  • Share screenAlt + S (Zoom)
  • Switch between meeting/chat tabsCtrl + Tab

🔥 Game-Changing Automations

  • Use Text Expansion tools (AutoHotkey, TextExpander)
    • Create shortcuts like ;email → inserts your full email
    • ;ty → "Thanks for reaching out! Let me check on that for you."
  • Set up custom shortcut keys (Windows & Mac)
    • Windows: Win + Rshell:startup (Add frequently used scripts or apps to start)
    • Mac: Use BetterTouchTool for advanced shortcuts

Your Biggest Productivity Boosters

If you’re constantly switching between Excel, Slack, Notion, and VS Code, mastering just a handful of these shortcuts can save hours per week. What do you find slows you down the most? I can suggest even more tailored shortcuts! 🚀