Spend some time learning keyboard shortcuts and automation for common software

Even many Word users with years of experience still rely on clicking toolbar icons. Experiments comparing different methods show that keyboard shortcuts are faster than both menus and icons. This is a one-time effort that pays off with every subsequent use. The longer you perform similar tasks, the greater the overall benefit.

There is no monetary cost. However, it requires a one-time investment of several to dozens of hours to learn. The initial learning phase can actually be slower than using a mouse.

Research involving 251 experienced Word users revealed that most rarely utilize faster shortcuts, continuing to rely on toolbar icons. Controlled experiments confirmed that shortcuts are indeed the quickest method among menus, icons, and shortcuts themselves. The time saved accumulates gradually with each daily use. Those who perform similar tasks over extended periods gain the most from this practice.

Focus on learning shortcuts for operations you use at least ten times daily; learning too many unnecessary shortcuts is counterproductive. It should be noted that the efficiency study involved only six participants, and the summary does not specify the exact number of seconds saved per operation.

Lane, D. M., Napier, H. A., Peres, S. C., & Sándor, A. (2005). Hidden costs of graphical user interfaces: Failure to make the transition from menus and icon toolbars to keyboard shortcuts. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327590ijhc1802_1