Although you may not be as comfortable with new technologies as others, in this generation of technology reliance it is important to be able to keep up. You don’t have to be a geek to utilize a computer. You can take advantage of the technology and learn some really great shortcuts to make your life little bit easier. Hopefully this list of essential keyboard shortcuts for Windows can help you do just that. Note: These keyboard shortcuts are specifically for computers with the Windows operating system.

The basics

These are the essential keyboard shortcuts for Windows you definitely can’t live without.

1. Copy selected item: Ctrl+C

Copy any line of text or photos to your clipboard, while keeping a copy of the text in its original location.

2. Cut selected item: Ctrl+X

Cut a selected line of text or photos. Caution: If done incorrectly, you can lose the item since you no longer have a copy of it in the original location.

3. Paste selected item: Ctrl+V

Paste a selected cut or copied item into a new location. Note: If you need the item pasted in different formats (e.g. text only), you might still need to paste it from the right-click of the mouse.

4. Undo action: Ctrl+Z

Reverses an action. For example, if you accidentally delete a line of text, this keyboard shortcut should bring it back.

5. Redo action: Ctrl+Y

This is the opposite to the ‘undo’ shortcut. Did you accidentally undo something you shouldn’t have? Don’t worry, this keyboard shortcut should redo it.

6. Select everything: Ctrl+A

Selects every item on the page. Useful for when you need to copy whole webpages into Word documents.

7. Print page(s): Ctrl+P

The quickest way to bring up the print options. Printing takes long enough as it is, why not save some time?

8. Take screenshot of current screen: PrntSc

Takes a screenshot of whatever you can see on your screen to the clipboard. You can then paste the image anywhere from Paint to Word documents.

9. Save file*: Ctrl+S

Using this keyboard shortcut every few minutes or so ensures a lowered chance of losing precious work progress.

10. Create new file*: Ctrl+N

Immediately brings up a new, blank page for you to start working on. It is definitely easier that going through the normal tedious process of creating a new blank document.

11. Open file*: Ctrl+O

Brings up a window where you can choose to open a previous saved file, image, video, etc. *Use for programs such as Microsoft Office, Paint, Adobe, etc. Does not work for everything, especially over the internet.

Changing Format of Selected Text

Especially useful in Word documents or notepads

12. Underline text: Ctrl+U

13. Bold text: Ctrl+B

14. Italic text: Ctrl+I

Highlight a selection of text and use any of these shortcuts to change the text format. It is much easier than having to look for the appropriate button on the toolbar. Note: These shortcuts don’t work in situations where you are unable to manipulate text (e.g. social networking)

15. Switch between open windows: Alt+Tab

Brings up all open windows onto the screen, including Internet Explorer, Word documents, media player, etc. Hold Alt and continue pressing Tab until you have reached the desired window.

16. Refresh the page: F5

You will often be required to reload/refresh your browser, and you can do so quite easily with the push of a single button.

17. Rename a file: F2

Select the file or files and press this key to rename. Note: To rename all files in a folder, use the shortcut Ctrl+A then press F2

18. Power down: Ctrl+Alt+Delete

This famous keyboard shortcut brings you to a page where you are able to select whether you want to put the computer on sleep, shut down, log out, lock the device, etc.

19. Move through tabs: Ctrl+Tab

In a browser, this shortcut will allow you to move through tabs which you can see at the very top of the page.

20. Close current window: Ctrl+W

If you are working with a lot of unnecessary windows open, this keyboard shortcut should close the window you are currently on.

21. Move to bottom of current page: End

There is often important information displayed at the bottom of a webpage. This key will bring you straight there.

22. Visit browser home page: Alt+Home

This keyboard shortcut brings you back to the default home page of your browser.

Whether at work or at school, people these days are under tremendous pressure to perform, perform and perform! Stress and pressure can have adverse affects on the well-being of a person, and need to be controlled.

Now, this doesn’t mean you make a dash to your nearest therapist. There are a number of wonderful and smart apps that you can use on your phone. These brain training apps have been scientifically designed to target specific areas of the human mind and control harmful emotions such as anxiety, as well as to improve memory and sharpness of the brain.

Here are 11 iPhone apps that you will not only enjoy but also find useful in keeping your mental health balanced at all times.

1. Lumosity

This app consists of games that focus on improving the user’s memory, problem-solving capability, attention span, and thinking. There are three games in each session, and they challenge the brain by changing every time. The user has to complete the games while playing against a clock.

Free of trial. $15 per month for the full version.

2. Fit Brains Trainer

This brain training app has 10 sets of games that work on different areas of the brain and improve memory as well as concentration. A user is required to finish a particular task from each category on a daily basis and the app tracks the progress by a color coded graph.

Free.

3. CogniFit Brain Fitness

Developed with the help of neuroscientists, this fun app improves a person’s cognitive abilities, which includes memory and concentration. The progress made by the user over a period of time can be tracked. Users can also play challenge rounds with their friends. The app also modifies the difficulty level to suit the profile of the user and provide recommendations based on the results. Spending 20–30 minutes a few times every week can give measurable improvement in the performance of a user.

First four games free, then $13 a month.

4. Brain Fitness Pro

The makers of this app claim that it can improve the IQ of a user, and improve intelligence and memory. The app is fun and is user friendly, and 30 minutes a day can fetch you results in less than three weeks.

Buy for $3.99.

5. Happify

If nothing else makes you happy in life, this app will. Well, this is what the developers claim at least. This app comes loaded with lots of quizzes, polls and gratitude journals, which work on the fundamentals of positive psychology. The app also helps to control stress and emotions to make you feel better.

Free to use.

6. Clockwork Brain

You will like the little gold robot that comes in every time to explain the next game you are going to play. While the games are not much different to those offered in apps such as Luminosity, the look and feel reminds me of a workshop from old times.

Free.

7. ReliefLink

Initially created as an app for suicide prevention, it has found its use as a great app for tracking the mood of the user by taking measure of all things relevant to the user’s mental health. In case the user experiences high emotional stress, the app has a coping mechanism that includes voice-recorded mindfulness, exercises and music for relaxation. There is also a map that informs the user of the nearest therapist and medical facilities for mental health treatment.

8. Eidetic

Eidetic is a memory enhancement app and uses a ‘spaced repetition’ technique to help users memorize information such as important phone numbers, words, credit card details or passwords. It also notifies you when it’s time to take a test to see what you remember, so that you retain information in your long-term memory.

9. Braingle

Braingle helps to maintain the sharpness of the brain and improve the reasoning ability of a person through riddles and optical illusions. It is different from other brain training apps that employ memory and reaction based tests. You can also compete with your friends and family members in figuring out the fun riddles.

Free.

10. Not The Hole Story

If you have a penchant for solving hard riddles, then this app is a must-have for you. Filled with exclusive riddles along with a simple-to-use interface, the app gives you riddles that you have to solve through a book. You will be given hints along the way, and when you give up, the answers will be revealed. This app will encourage you to broaden your thinking and put your mind to a challenging test.

Free.

11. Personal Zen

This fun brain training app follows the journey of two animated characters who travel through a field of grass. Personal Zen is a nice app meant for reducing anxiety and trains the brain to focus on the positive aspects. The developer’s advice is to use the app for 10 minutes a day to see the best results.

Free.

More to Boost Your Brain Power

• 8 Ways to Train Your Brain to Learn Faster and Remember More
• How to Train Your Brain to Think Fast and Think Smart
• How to Increase Brain Power, Boost Memory and Become 10X Smarter

Featured photo credit: NeONBRAND via unsplash.com