Once you decide that ClickUp is right for you and your business, you will want to know these 5 key ClickUp features that help you save time and avoid burnout.
Whether you are new to ClickUp and learning the ropes, or you are considering ClickUp and want to make sure it is the right fit, these are the features I use every single day to automate my work, minimize distractions, and work more efficiently.
You get more done in less time not by grinding harder, but by reducing the friction between you and the work.
1. Keyboard Shortcuts
The whole purpose of keyboard shortcuts is to minimize the amount of movements you need to make, specifically taking your fingers off the keyboard to go over to the mouse, click around, and do things like adding a numbered list.
That context switch decreases your efficiency because then you have to reorient yourself. Little things like this just slow you down.
If you learn the ClickUp keyboard shortcuts, in a short amount of time this will speed you up in ways you do not really realize. For instance, if I want a numbered list, I type /NUM and a numbered list appears. Then I just keep typing. The more you practice this, the faster you get.
And if you have a long task with a lot of information in it, using headers plus the table of contents shortcut lets you skim down to the section you need instantly. Less scrolling. Less losing your place. More staying in flow.
2. ClickUp Docs Instead of Google Docs
The second tip: use ClickUp docs and stop using Google docs where you can.
We got started with Google docs and have a lot there, so we still use them for some things. But so many things are better in ClickUp docs because they live next to the tasks they relate to. No more task in one tool, documentation in another, and trying to remember which link is which.
If you love to streamline and minimize the amount of tech you use, ClickUp docs can definitely help you do that.
3. ClickUp Forms Instead of Google Forms
Another cool thing you can do away with: Google Forms. In a lot of cases, you can use ClickUp forms to do the same thing, and it will turn the answers into a task for you. That is really useful.
Here is an example from my own business. Inside the Inner Circle, members submit questions and we answer them on a call. They submit their name, email, question, any background information, and then select the date they will be on the call.
That single form submission automatically:
- Sets the due date
- Assigns me as the person to answer it
- Puts it on the day I am going to be talking to that person
No manual admin on my end. Zero. That is the power of treating forms as task creators rather than just data collectors.
Drowning in admin instead of growing?
The Business Breakthrough Assessment will help you see which systems will save you the most time for your stage of business.
Take the Free Assessment4. Automations
The real magic of ClickUp shows up when you start combining features. A form creates a task. That task gets auto-assigned. When the status changes, another task triggers. When the date passes, a reminder fires.
Start small. Pick one repeat process in your business that you manually handle every week. A client intake. A content review. A weekly check-in. Set it up once. From then on, it runs without you.
5. Dashboards for Focus, Not Data
The dashboards feature is not just for looking at metrics. Used well, it becomes the single place you open in the morning that shows you exactly what to work on today.
Mine has my tasks for today, any overdue items, anything waiting on my input, plus a few key numbers I want to keep an eye on. That is it. No dopamine loop of checking ten different places to find what I am supposed to do next.
Build your dashboard like it is the first screen of your day, because it should be.
The Real Point
ClickUp is a tool. It only works if you actually use it the way it is designed. Pick one of these five features this week, set it up, and use it for a full week before adding another. That is how you build a system that actually saves time instead of becoming another tab you ignore.
This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. Read the full disclaimer here.