We all know that the keyboard is faster than the mouse right? Well here is a quick way to open any application with about 3 keystrokes:

1. Create a new folder anywhere you like. I put mine in c:\utils\shortcuts.
2. Place the folder in your path. You can do this by
   1. Opposite click My Computer and choose Properties
   2. Select the Advanced tab.
   3. Choose Environment Variables
   4. Select Path in the System Variables and choose Edit
   5. At the end of the Variable Value path add “;c:\utils\shortcuts” or the path to your shortcut folder. The “;” may already be there.
3. Create or copy shortcuts to frequently used applications to your new folder. You can also use shortcuts to folder locations.
4. Rename the shortcuts with 2 or 3 letter identifiers for quick typing. Here are a few I use:
   1. mo = Microsoft Outlook
   2. ie = Internet Explorer
   3. ff = Firefox
   4. rdc = Remote Desktop Client
   5. ps = Windows PowerShell
   6. data = My data directory

Now when I want to run a program, I open the Run box by pressing Windows Key + R, type my shortcut name (ex. mo), and press Enter. It’s faster and easier than finding an icon with the mouse

- By Michael Sullivan