I hit 100 custom keyboard shortcuts in Illustrator and it actually slowed me down

I was so proud of the number, but then realized I was spending more time remembering them than just using the mouse. The final straw was trying to recall my shortcut for 'release to layers' during a client call. Has anyone else found a sweet spot for how many shortcuts are actually useful?

3 comments

3 Comments

miles7072mo agoMost Upvoted

That's a really sharp point about the number becoming a trap. It becomes less about speed and more about passing a test you made for yourself. The sweet spot seems to be when the shortcut is a reflex, not a memory. If you have to pause to think, it's already slower than clicking. Forcing yourself to learn too many just adds mental clutter for the few you actually use all day.

shanenguyen2mo ago

My rule is ten shortcuts, tops.

stella_ross141mo ago

Remember learning all the fancy pour counts for cocktails, only to realize my hands just knew the right rhythm after a while. The flashy techniques I practiced at home never stuck during a busy Friday night rush. Muscle memory from repetition beat any trick I had to stop and recall.