Sometimes it can be relatively minor things that help you get more done more quickly: a simple Excel tip or technique; automating some repetitive action by recording a macro; investing in a particular hardware device or just learning some new skill.
In a recent post, Sandra Vogel listed the advantages of learning to touch type and, for me, being able to touch type has been one of the greatest contributions to my own productivity. On the software side of things, I spend quite a lot of time working with Microsoft Office products. Using Word styles, particularly for dealing with complex numbering, has saved hours of time and lots of frustration. For Excel the use of range names and a comprehensive knowledge of what Excel functions are available have been invaluable. Also, going from the simplest to the much more complicated, keyboard shortcuts and Visual Basic code have both been useful. Remembering a handful (!) of keyboard shortcuts saves enormous numbers of little bits of time. Writing some VB code in Word to enable me to select a client's address from my office database to put in a Word document, and then automatically save that document in the client's folder, has repaid the initial investment many times over.
Looking at hardware, one purchase stands out – a second monitor. Being able to view multiple application windows at a decent size without having to keep switching between them makes a tremendous difference. At the other extreme, one of the greatest destroyers of productivity is a dodgy mouse and/or keyboard.
Some time ago I contributed a short series on getting more out of Microsoft Office but I'm sure there are lots of other ideas out there. Whether it be a simple software 'trick', or embracing a whole new type of technology, what have been your most valuable discoveries in improving how you get things done?