Continuing the theme of my tip last week about using fewer buttons, here is another suggestion for how to use Microsoft Word more effectively.

Use the full-screen feature of Word to eliminate distractions. In full-screen mode, your computer won’t show you any buttons that you aren’t using, or browser windows to distract you with the allure of the Internet, or flashing icons telling you to stop your writing and check your mail. It’s about as close a computer can get to being just a piece of paper; after all, a pen and blank paper was an effective writing tool for a very long time.

Your screen will look like this:

Full-Screen View of Microsoft Word

To put Word in full-screen mode, click View >> Full Screen. You can also set a keyboard shortcut, like I have, which makes it even easier to toggle the full screen. I prefer F11, because that is the key that makes most applications full screen, but you can pick whatever you choose.

Note that Open Office Writer also has a full-screen mode.