In the 2020s we’re all increasingly reliant on tech. If you’re a Momtrepreneur running her own business, a part-time student juggling your family commitments alongside higher learning, or simply someone who likes to have a computer at home with more capabilities than the average mobile device, you’ve likely had to make the choice of Mac or PC. For years, conventional wisdom (including Apple’s own promotional materials) has led us to believe that a Windows PC is the better choice for business applications, while a Mac is better suited to fun stuff. Remember those “I’m a Mac” “And I’m a PC” ads? They leaned very heavily into that mentality. But in the past decade or so, Apple has become a more ubiquitous presence in our homes and businesses. 

 

 

Whether you’re using an iPad to plan and book the next family trip or using a Mac to edit high resolution photos, there’s a good chance that one Apple device or other is helping you to live and work. But if you’ve spent years getting used to PC (as many of today’s Moms have), adjusting to a Mac can be jarring. While they have a very similar look and interface to an iPhone or iPad, they may not seem quite as intuitive for many of us. Especially if we’re used to the Windows way. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a fun and rewarding time using a Mac. Here we’ll look at the common pain points and how easily they can be overcome…

 

Re-learning hot keys

When adjusting to the Mac’s interface, you may find that many of the hot keys that you relied on as shortcuts and basic commands on Windows PC don’t apply to Mac. Like using CTRL, ALT + Delete to force quit applications, see the task manager and force shutdown. But fear not! All these commands and functions have equivalents for Mac. And once you learn them, they’ll be just as instinctive. Take a look at this link for how to ctrl-alt-delete on a Mac. 

 

Cycling through active apps

The Mac / Macbook’s touch pad makes multitasking easy and seamless. But if you’re used to holding ALT + Tab to cycle through active windows on your PC, you may find it frustrating when your new Mac doesn’t play ball. But using the touchpad will quickly become even more intuitive. A pinch and a swipe is all it takes to cycle through apps on a Mac.

 

Closing programs

Have you ever accidentally shut down a program on a Windows PC only to realize, to your horror, that you’ve accidentally not agreed to save a piece of work you’ve spent hours on? The great thing about Macs is that even when you shut them down, they still keep the application running in the background. So this is much less likely to happen. 

 

Installing apps

Finally, whenever you install new apps on a Windows PC, you’re likely accustomed to using the setup Wizard. But while this may be comforting and familiar, installing new apps is as easy as pie on a Mac. Just like on an iPhone or iPad, simply purchase them from the App Store and they install themselves. And when they’ve downloaded, you can arrange them however you see fit. 

 

While it may take some getting used to, you may well find that you’re more productive with a Mac!