Here are some helpful hints, tips and tools to increase your productivity level in photoshop:

1. Hot Keys: Using hot keys can reduce a lot of clicking when designing in photoshop. Here are a few that I use most regularly and what they do.
   • CTRL + “N” = Create New Document
   • CTRL + "W" = Close Current Document
   • CTRL + "A" = Select All or Current Layer for Pasting
   • CTRL + "C" = Copy Current Selected Layer
   • CTRL + Shift + "C" = Copy All Layers and Merge Them
   • CTRL + "V" = Paste Copied Information in Clipboard
   • CTRL + Shift + "V" = Paste Inside a Selected Area
   • CTRL + "B" = Bold Text
   • "T" = Text Tool
   • "W" = Magic Wand Tool
   • "U" = Shape Tool
   • "D" = Stamp Tool
   • CTRL + Shift + ALT + "S" = Save For Web
   • there are many more, what ones do you use?
2. Use Masks Rather Than Eraser!
   Here’s a very helpful video with a side of humour!

   
   

3. Use New Layers Rather Than Painting on Image Layers
   Let’s say you have a photograph and you want to add some blue color to the horizon.

   WRONG WAY:
   Clicking on the paintbrush tool, choosing the blue color and painting all over your photograph layer

   RIGHT WAY:
   CTRL + SHIFT + "N" = Create New Layer (another hot key!). Now start painting! Even give it a name, "Blue Paint Layer"

4. Save Document Presets!
   Do you design ads, websites, flyers etc a lot and each time you have to create the dimensions from scratch?! Well, often you will be designing material that has the same width and height as a document you already created. Save a preset and save time!

   

5. Batch Scripts! (what, you didn’t know?!)
   Let’s say we’ve got 20 images that we took with our digital camera, saved on our hard drive. We need to use those 20 images for a design we are working on. One annoying problem…..all of the images are at least 2mb in size and I need them all reduced by 50%. Do I really have to open all 20 individually and reduce the image size myself?!

   Second problem….we also need all of the photographs to be in black and white only.Do I really have to manually and individually change all 20 images to make this happen?!

   Answer: No, of course not…..but you have been for the past 3 years haven’t you?! Well, today that all ends, and you will now save hours every year you work in photoshop.

   Here is a tutorial on batch scripting