Making computing more productive tips?

[TopNotchPCLol]

Hey, I work at a IT Helpdesk as a first level tech. The breadth and scope of different systems that I work with is absolutely massive. As a result on average i'll have like 15+ Windows open, and a ton of tabs in three different web browsers. As you can imagine it's difficult to find anything. I'm looking for ways to make my computing experience more efficient. I've gotten ClipX installed. We use Microsoft Outlook 2010 (We've got a lot of canned email templates, and we send them to people who call in. I google a option for Microsoft CDO in Excel which looked promising but apparently you have to hard code in the "TO" field in Excel. If there is a way to put the email into excel and hit the command button I haven't been able to figure it out), and Office 2010 very frequently.

 

I'm looking to setup some form of macro or something on my system where I can use either a key combo or something of that nature to open up files. Does anyone have any advice in this specific respect, or more general efficiency advice?

[anybodykek]

For general efficiency advice, I believe there is a Windows tablet mode which I find it easier to switch between programs as the active ones are placed on the taskbar.

[TopNotchPCLol]

To clarify i'm on Windows 7, however we are migrating to Windows 10 over the next several years. 

[anybodykek]

3 minutes ago, TopNotchPCLol said:

To clarify i'm on Windows 7, however we are migrating to Windows 10 over the next several years. 

Well then.. Is it possible to lobby your boss into purchasing a multi-monitor setup? I have used them for assignments and I find that they greatly increase productivity because multiple windows can be open at once, to contrast and transfer information and multitask workloads easier. Other than that... You can use certain shortcuts to scroll and pan through programs in the taskbar, pinning often used programs work as well (Internet shortcuts, verification programs, etc..)

[TopNotchPCLol]

We've got a load of monitors here actually. Each of them 1080P. On a 2 monitor setup, might go to three if I could get it above the other one's somehow. Those are good suggestions.