I know, I know.  You’ve got yourself a Mac, and you’re never going back.  In all probability, you’re wasting no opportunity to tell your friends & family how uber-cool it is, and how everything just works better (and looks better!) on a Mac.  Which it does.

But, there’s always room for improvment.  And, I’m going to share a couple of tips with you that will let you take a great computing environment and make it even better!

#1 Time Machine – Backup your Mac

First and foremost, backup your Mac.  Yes, Apple computers are built to the highest standards of quality.  But, shit happens.  And, when it does, you’re not going to have too much fun unless your Mac (and your data) is there when you need it the most.

I’ve evaluated dozens of backup tools and cloning utilities (both, freeware and paid) for Windows and Mac OS.   And, if you have a Mac, it really doesn’t get better than Apple’s built-in utility – Time Machine.  It’s the simplest, most comprehensive, automated (and gorgeous looking) backup tool you’ll ever lay your hands on… and it’s free!

All you need is a portable hard disk that’s at least the size of your main hard disk, left permanently connected to your Mac computer.  Fire up System Preferences, find the Time Machine icon, and toggle the switch from Off to On.  That’s it.  It automagically records a copy of everything you do, every hour, without lifting a finger.  And, you can go back to your data, star-trek style, whenever you need to!!!

#2 TotalFinder – Finder on Steroids

The “Finder” file explorer that comes with your Mac has a few nifty improvements over Windows Explorer, but leaves a lot to be desired in other respects.  For one, there isn’t an easy way to “cut” files/folders, only “copy”!  For another, it defaults to a weird sort order of your contents such that folders don’t automatically get displayed at the top.

Bottom line is that if you manage a lot of files on your Mac, Finder is nowhere near adequate for your needs.  Sure, there are freeware tools like XShelf that let you pause your drag-and-drop, or cross-functional file browsers like MuCommander that let you do more at the cost of speed.  But, what you really need is a Finder replacement that works like it was meant to live on a Mac, and addresses all the limitations of Finder!

TotalFinder is just such a tool.  A beautifully-designed Finder replacement that offers tabbed browsing of your files, dual pane file management, folders sorted on top, cut/copy/paste, and more… A small fee is payable, but it goes a long way in making your Mac experience smoother and creamier.

#3 Bonus – Caffeine

Ever wondered if there was an easy way to tell your Mac not to go to sleep or screen saver mode or dim the screen or any such thing, while your DVD burning or Photoshop editing was on?  Caffeine is what you need.  Period.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t do without any of these on my Mac.  Go and give it a try… you can thank me later.

Read Also: Moving to Mac: Essential Guide