This article is a tactical guide for those who find themselves victim to the following trends (which is likely most people):

There is a narrative within investment banking that using your mouse in Excel is tantamount to sin. Analysts find themselves in a environment that expects them to be able to create an entire financial model on their keyboard (with keyboard shortcuts replacing traditional mouse navigation).

To those outside of that world, this might seem impressive - incredulous even. Yet at the same time, most people can take a lesson from this; bankers are not doing this solely to flex their "technical" ability.

Consider the steps involved in how some office workers likely bold text: - Shifting their eyes to the top of the window and searching for the bold button - Moving the mouse to that button and clicking

Or you could press Ctrl + B.

While this is a simple example, it demonstrates how keyboard navigation is magnitudes more efficient than relying on your mouse for certain actions. It's this reason that keyboard/computer manufacturers place special functions within the Fn layer of your keyboard, such as changing the volume or brightness of your screen. Imagine if you had to open the settings application each time and drag a slider to do this!

I've compiled a list of invaluable shortcuts that I use daily. I promise that if you take the time to make these become second nature, you'll feel like Ronaldo on the pitch when navigating your computer.

Browser Navigation

Tab/Window Management

Open a new tab
- Windows: Ctrl + T
- Mac: Cmd + T

Close your current tab
- Windows: Ctrl + W
- Mac: Cmd + W

Reopen the most recently-closed tab
- Windows: Ctrl + Shift + T
- Mac: Cmd + Shift + T

Navigate to a specific nth tab in your window (such as the 2nd)
- Windows: Ctrl + [1-9]
- Mac: Cmd + [1-9]

Move to the next tab
- Windows: Ctrl + Tab
- Mac: Cmd + Option + Right Arrow, or also Ctrl + Tab

Move back one tab
- Windows: Ctrl + Shift + Tab
- Mac: Cmd + Option + Left Arrow, or also Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Open a new window
- Windows: Ctrl + N
- Mac: Cmd + N

Open a new incognito window
- Windows: Ctrl + Shift + N
- Mac: Cmd + Shift + N

Close your current window
- Windows: Alt + F4
- Mac: Cmd + Shift + W

Page Navigation

Go back a page
- Windows: Alt + Left Arrow
- Mac: Cmd + [

Go forward a page
- Windows: Alt + Right Arrow
- Mac: Cmd + ]

Refresh your current tab
- Windows: Ctrl + R
- Mac: Cmd + R

Edit the address bar
- Windows: Ctrl + L
- Mac: Cmd + L

Form Navigation

Moving to the next field: Tab

Moving to the previous field: Shift + Tab

Jumping to an item in a dropdown: Type the item out; for example in a list of countries, just start typing "Un-", and you'll jump to the United States

Media Controls

Play/Pause a video: Space

Mute/Unmute audio: M

Enter/Exit full screen: F

Misc.

Open your browsing history
- Windows: Ctrl + H
- Mac: Cmd + Y

Search for text on your current tab
- Windows: Ctrl + F
- Mac: Cmd + F

Zoom in
- Windows: Ctrl + +
- Mac: Cmd + +

Zoom out
- Windows: Ctrl + -
- Mac: Cmd + -

Reset zoom
- Windows: Ctrl + 0
- Mac: Cmd + 0

Text Editing

Basic Editing

Select all text
- Windows: Ctrl + A
- Mac: Cmd + A

Copy selected text
- Windows: Ctrl + C
- Mac: Cmd + C

Cut selected text
- Windows: Ctrl + X
- Mac: Cmd + X

Paste text
- Windows: Ctrl + V
- Mac: Cmd + V

Undo the last action
- Windows: Ctrl + Z
- Mac: Cmd + Z

Redo the last undone action
- Windows: Ctrl + Y
- Mac: Cmd + Shift + Z

Text Navigation

Move the cursor to the beginning of the line
- Windows: Home
- Mac: Cmd + Left Arrow

Move the cursor to the end of the line
- Windows: End
- Mac: Cmd + Right Arrow

Jump to the beginning of the document
- Windows: Ctrl + Home
- Mac: Cmd + Up Arrow

Jump to the end of the document
- Windows: Ctrl + End
- Mac: Cmd + Down Arrow

Move the cursor one word at a time
- Windows: Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow
- Mac: Option + Left/Right Arrow

Highlight text while navigating
- Windows: Shift + [Arrow Key/Shortcut]
- Mac: Shift + [Arrow Key/Shortcut]

Formatting

Bold text
- Windows: Ctrl + B
- Mac: Cmd + B

Italicize text
- Windows: Ctrl + I
- Mac: Cmd + I

Underline text
- Windows: Ctrl + U
- Mac: Cmd + U

Strikethrough text
- Windows: Alt + Shift + 5
- Mac: Cmd + Shift + X

Operating System

Searching an app name and launching it

You may notice certain patterns, such as shift essentially serving to reverse functions.

And lastly as an addendum, I'd also recommend increasing your typing speed to >100 WPM (120+ is optimal); there are plenty of websites to help with this such as MonkeyType or Type Racer. Anyone can really benefit from this given how much time we spend typing at work. My personal record is 165 WPM.