I’ve been stuck in a routine where I only use maybe 8-12 keyboard shortcuts in Figma for design work. It’s been like this for probably 3 years now and I know there are tons more that could speed up my workflow. I’m looking for ways to force myself to learn new shortcuts by making them super visible during my work sessions. Has anyone found good methods to break out of using the same basic shortcuts over and over? I need something that will make me see the new shortcuts constantly so I actually remember to try them instead of falling back into old habits. Maybe some kind of overlay or reference system that stays on screen while I’m designing?
I set up a second monitor just for Figma’s keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet - kept it open constantly. Also printed the official shortcuts and taped them right next to my main screen where I’d see them every time. Here’s what really worked: I’d pick one new shortcut daily and say it out loud before using it. Sounds weird, but that verbal thing really helps lock it in. I also forced myself to avoid the mouse for certain tasks, which made me hunt for keyboard alternatives. After a month of this, I’d probably doubled my shortcut knowledge and got noticeably faster at designing.
i actually did the same with the toolbar! hiding those buttons helps a lot. tbh, using Ctrl+/ for the command palette is a lifesaver. i found that the shortcuts pop up so often, it’s like a teaching tool without even trying. super effective!
I used sticky notes on my monitor with 2-3 shortcuts each, swapping them weekly once they stuck. The trick was choosing shortcuts for stuff I already did constantly - like using Ctrl+D instead of copy-paste for duplicating objects. YouTube videos of designers working helped too since I’d see shortcuts in action rather than just memorizing lists. The game-changer was forcing myself to work slower for about a week to break those old muscle memory habits I’d built up over years.