Smart Mac users know that taking a little time to figure out a faster way to do something pays off in the long run. That’s why they take advantage of tools like Automator, AppleScript, Keyboard Maestro, TextExpander, Hazel, If This Then That, and others—tools that let you automate those little tasks you perform frequently, so you make them happen with single keystrokes (or other quick triggers) instead of running through each step every time.
We’re always looking for ways to save time ourselves, so we asked some of our friends and colleagues for their favorite time-saving tricks—the most useful, cleverest systems they’ve set up to automate everyday tasks. We were stunned by the quantity and quality of replies. They had ideas for automating file-management, email, iTunes, and more. You might not be using things like Keyboard Maestro or TextExpander now. But we’ll bet that, after reading through the kinds of problems they can solve, you’ll take the time to download them and set them up real soon.
Automate your Mac: three smart hacks for managing files If you’re tired of manually managing files and folders yourself, why not teach your Mac to do it for you? Here’s how three smart Mac users have automated their file-management chores.
Automate your Mac: 10 ways to make managing email easier Dealing with your inbox is one of those numbingly repetitive chores that cries out for automation. These 10 smart tricks will save you time managing your mail.
Automate your Mac: three hacks for managing apps Three ways to make the process of opening, hiding, and closing your apps a whole lot easier.
Automate your Mac: 10 ways to speed up iTunes, Safari, and more If you do the same things over and over, day after day, why not automate them using tools like Keyboard Maestro and TextExpander? We’ve got 10 clever workflows for 10 common tasks.
Updated 12:00 pm PT 9/5/14 to correct production error that eliminated some content.