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Minimize effort to maximize impact. Human productivity, wheels, oil, gases, chips, and electricity are products of civilization. Our goal is to utilize civilization’s tools that enable us to create more impact. Tools and civilization continue to evolve. They require maintenance, upgrades, and optimization to keep pace. I must stay at the forefront of these changes to leverage the best tools available. This is my ongoing journey to become a more efficient researcher and individual.
How this page is organized: Each dropdown title begins with the most important word or phrase that categorizes the behavior or action. Each dropdown menu starts with the problem, followed by a solution. The solution presented may evolve over time with new tools and ideas.
2025
December
Dec 9, 2025 - Use symbols real-time for denser note-taking
Chinese characers contain denser information per page, compared to the Korean language. We want to minimize the amount of writing required to deliver the same effect. Recall the “minimum effort, same output” principle. For exmaple, the word “therefore” can be simply written as “∴”. Similarly, “because” can be written as “∵”. This reduces the amount of writing required and increases the speed of note-taking. What is the best way to make it streamlined?
Use text Espanso. An example below
- trigger: ":tf"
replace: "∴" # Therefore symbol
- trigger: ":imp"
replace: "⇒" # Implies symbol
- trigger: ":alpha"
replace: "α" # Greek letter alpha
- trigger: ":beta"
replace: "β" # Greek letter beta
- trigger: ":gamma"
replace: "γ" # Greek letter gamma
- trigger: ":delta"
replace: "δ" # Greek letter delta
- trigger: ":lambda"
replace: "λ" # Greek letter lambda
## Subscript numbers
- trigger: "_0"
replace: "₀"
- trigger: "_1"
replace: "₁"
- trigger: "_2"
replace: "₂"
- trigger: "_3"
replace: "₃"
- trigger: "_4"
replace: "₄"
- trigger: "_5"
replace: "₅"
- trigger: "_6"
replace: "₆"
- trigger: "_7"
replace: "₇"
- trigger: "_8"
replace: "₈"
- trigger: "_9"
replace: "₉"
So I can write ∵ x > 2, x^2 > 4
Dec 2, 2025 - Folder open in Finder shortcut
How can I open my research main folder without using the mouse? I have some important folders including data, notebooks, and research that I often access and the current process is to open Finder using the shortcut of cmd-up-c, navigate to the folder, and double-click to open it. This requires cognitive effort and time.
Use alias where it navigates to the folder and opens it in Finder. Add the following to the .bashrc file like alias datao='cd /Users/macbook/data && open .'.
November
Nov 26, 2025 - VS Code explorer panel focus
How to move focus to the explorer panel in VS Code without using the mouse?
Use cmd-shift-e.
Nov 24, 2025 - VS Code terminal, default conda environment
By default, base environment is activated when opening a new terminal in VS Code. This requires extra cognitive effort and time to type conda activate <env-name> each time.
The solution is to add the following to VS Code’s settings.json:
{
"terminal.integrated.env.osx": {
"CONDA_DEFAULT_ENV": "your-env-name"
},
}
Replace your-env-name with the desired conda environment name. Now every new terminal automatically activates the specified environment without manual typing.
Nov 24, 2025 - open all dropdown links here to review
Here, I can add a button that opens all dropdown links at once in separate tabs. This way, I can quickly review all the solutions and ideas presented here without having to click on each dropdown individually.
Nov 24, 2025 - VS Code Explorer, hide unnecessary folders and files
In the Explorer section, encountering files such as .venv, __pycache__, and similar folders requires cognitive effort. I want to hide these folders and files so that I can focus on the files I care about.
The solution is adding the following to the settings.json file to hide them:
{
"files.exclude": {
"**/__pycache__": true,
"**/*.pyc": true,
"**/.pytest_cache": true,
"**/.ipynb_checkpoints": true,
"**/.mypy_cache": true,
".venv": true,
".pytest_cache": true,
"__pycache__": true
}
}
Nov 20, 2025 - VS Code, function signature lookup without mouse hover
The current behavior is to hover the mouse over the function name to see the function signature. This requires cognitive effort to locate the mouse and move it to the function name.
Use cmd-shift-space while the cursor is on the function name. This opens a tooltip that shows the function signature without using the mouse.
Nov 19, 2025 - VS Code Jupyter, kernel environment selection shortcut
What is the shortcut for choosing the kernel environment in VS Code Jupyter notebook? Right now, about one second is wasted every time I want to change the kernel environment. The solution is to use cmd-shift-P to open the command palette, then type “Python: Select Interpreter to start Jupyter Notebook” and press enter. This opens the interpreter selection menu where I can choose the desired kernel environment. This doesn’t happen often so no need to build a custom keybinding.
Nov 18, 2025 - LLM instructions, improvement guide
Nov 17, 2025 - Literature DOI links, open all at once
Reading through each paper on Zotero requires cognitive effort. I want to open all links at once in separate tabs so that I can filter through and get inspired.
The solution is to have an “Open all dois” button that runs a Javascript function to open all links at once. I currently implemented this in my index.rst page for the common URLs I visit often. I can do the same for the literature page.
Nov 8, 2025 - VS Code keyboard shortcuts, quick access
cmd-k and then cmd-s.
Nov 8, 2025 - VS Code line numbers, toggle shortcut
I place my VS code on the right side and I have my rendered doc on the left side. I want to toggle line number on and off so that I can save a few more characters on the screen. The solution is to use cmd-shift-p to open the command palette, then type “Toggle Line Numbers” and press enter. This toggles the line numbers on and off.
The solution is to install the Line Numbers Toggle extension and use ctrl-shift-l
Nov 8, 2025 - VS Code cursor, navigate to previous position
Sometimes I search for a keyword across the panel and then I want to return back to the previous cursor position.
The solution is to use ctrl-- to go back to the previous cursor position and ctrl-shift-- to go forward.
Nov 8, 2025 - VS Code snippets, custom RST dropdown template
I have to manually type .. dropdown:: <title> followed by :icon: info and :color: info which requires cognitive effort. I wonder if there is a way to create a custom RST directive that automatically adds these lines when I type .. dropdown:: <title>. This would save time and reduce cognitive load.
The solution is to create a VS Code snippet. Run mkdir -p ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/snippets and add a new file named restructuredtext.json with the following content:
{
"Dropdown with icon": {
"prefix": "dd",
"body": [
".. dropdown:: ${1:title}",
" :icon: ${2:info}",
" :color: ${3:info}",
"",
" $0"
],
"description": "Insert dropdown with icon and color"
}
}
Now type dd and press Tab to automatically expand the dropdown template. It automatically focuses the cursor on the title, and once the title is entered, press Tab again to focus on the icon, and so on. There is no need to press the enter key or move the cursor manually!
Nov 9, 2025 - macOS monitors, desktop focus movement shortcuts
I have the side vertical monitor on the right side. Often, I just want to run python app.py or restart the server. Typically the right monitor is used for static information like to-do items and terminals. This happens while editing content in VS Code using the central monitor. I need a
Nov 8, 2025 - URL links, copy shortcut without mouse
The current method is to right-click and scroll the mouse to click on “Copy link address”. Locating “Copy link address” requires cognitive effort. I wonder if there is a keyboard shortcut to copy the URL link without using the mouse.
The solution is to right-click on the URL link, then press the “C” key and then “Enter”. This copies the URL link without using the mouse to scroll and click on “Copy link address”.
Nov 7, 2025 - Literature papers, scanning optimization
In the Literature page, I have a list of papers. How can I scan through these papers faster? I used to have them organized by the year, the full paper title, where the entire bullet point becomes a URL link. But I noticed that this is hard to scan. For example, I care more about the name of the software rather than the year, so the first word should be easily 1-2 words that would define that paper.
First, I added special attributes of “Science” and “Nature” in red and green badges at the beginning to indicate high impact and that I am more likely to revisit these papers.
Nov 7, 2025 - C++ and CUDA GPU, learning optimization strategy
(KEEP THINKING) I need to review how C++ provides complete control over memory management. I need to know every possible way to initialize variables, allocate memory, and free memory. This way, I can read a wide range of C++ codebases and understand how people optimize memory usage. The best way to learn is simply to keep talking to the AI and ask why certain techniques or design patterns were introduced. The way to learn is by asking questions about what problems a technique, function, or design pattern solves.
Nov 7, 2025 - GitHub CLI Copilot, use cases and timing (THINKING NOW)
Open question for further thinking.
Nov 5, 2025 — GitHub issues, list within VS Code without Terminal
I wonder if there is a more native way to list all GitHub issues while I am editing files in VS Code. Right now, I have to open Terminal and type gh issue list or use the GitHub web interface. Is there a better way?
Yes, there is a GitHub extension to access GitHub issues directly within the editor. For GitHub: Focus on Issues, I added the keybinding of opt-cmd-i to quickly open the issues panel.
Nov 4, 2025 — VS Code Explorer, keyboard-only navigation
I can toggle the Explorer panel using cmd-b but I may want to navigate, open and close folders using keyboard only. The solution is to use cmd-shift-E. It focuses on the Explorer panel.
Nov 4, 2024 — VS Code panels, resize without mouse
I have been using the mouse to resize panels. This is an extra cognitive overload since I have to locate the mouse and then find the intersection between two or more panels. Also, when VS Code is open on my monitor or when I’m using it on my MacBook, the panel sizes remain dynamic. I wonder if there is a “Magnet”-like application for this.
Yes, there is! Use the Increase Current View Size and Decrease Current View Size commands. I mapped them to shift-cmd-=/-.
Nov 4, 2025 — AI prompts, typo correction with LanguageTool
As I use the Paste app to make a list of prompts and save them, I can’t help but think about how AI could be used to fix the typos and grammar mistakes I made while writing. It happens frequently when the recipient is a machine instead of a person. But even so, spelling and grammar mistakes may cause confusion. By using GitHub Copilot, I can change files like .rst in VS Code. Now, though, you can’t do that in the prompt textfield itself. I want to know if there is a solution that works everywhere, like how Grammarly finds possible problems everywhere.
It works on all browsers, so I found that https://languagetool.org/ is a good solution. This works better than using Brave’s Leo AI assistant. To use the shortcut, I press the shift key twice to get AI to make changes to paragraphs. Even though I don’t think this feature is built into VS Code, I can always use Google Docs to check for grammar and spelling mistakes and write prompts.
Nov 4, 2025 — URL links from VS Code, open with Raycast
While I often visit links as hyperlinks from the rendered website, I also spend time editing these links directly in VS Code. For example, in the literature.rst file, there are many hard-coded links. The problem occurs when I want to open the URL in the browser.
The solution is to copy the URL, use opt-space, paste the URL into the search bar in Raycast, and press the enter key. This opens the URL in the default browser.
Nov 4, 2025 — Dropdown titles, writing format for faster scanning
Similar to the question below about scanning GitHub issues in Terminal, I should write the questions on this page in a way that categorizes them using the first few words. Before, each question started with “How can I <verb>” but this isn’t efficient for scanning for the same reason. It should start with <verb-ing>, like “Reading,” “Scrolling,” “Opening,” “Reviewing,” and similar gerunds that indicate my current behavior, and then pose the specific problem in a question format.
Nov 4, 2025 — GitHub issue titles, writing format for faster scanning
When I type gli (short for gh issue list), I see about 100 open issues. Currently, I use prefixes like math: <issue-title> or 4D-STEM: <issue-title>, but the problem is the wording that follows the prefix. For example, an issue titled math: what does it mean by stiff in applied math? forces me to read the first five words (“what,” “does,” “it,” “mean,” “by”) before understanding the topic. While this phrasing feels natural when creating the issue, it becomes inefficient when scanning through 100 issues.
A better approach is to write issue titles like math: "stiff" define, document example in EM. The phrase “what does it mean” can be shortened to just “define.” Since my goal is to document an example for my PhD research, I include “document example in EM” to make the purpose clear. This format allows me to scan dozens or hundreds of GitHub issues in Terminal with minimal cognitive load.
Nov 4, 2025 — Terminal scrolling, keyboard shortcuts without mouse
I track issues on GitHub and I use the gh issue list command. Often, I list all issues where it goes beyond the current view. I can use cmd-up and cmd-down to scroll up and down while keeping the cursor focused in the Terminal input.
Oct 4, 2025 — VS Code files, open in new tab directly
Opening a new tab to edit another file or compare is a common task. I have been creating a new window by pressing cmd-<num> and then cmd-shift-p. But instead, I can just find the file using cmd-shift-p and press cmd-enter to open the file in a new tab directly. This saves an extra step.
Nov 4, 2025 — Page design, dropdowns for better engagement
The current page has become more cluttered and somewhat overwhelming with questions and paragraphs. It is also boring. The paragraphs are simply there and not engaging. I wondered how I can make this page engaging, thought-provoking, and overall fun so that I revisit it often.
Dropdowns! These enable easy navigation on both phone and computer. I prefer dropdowns because they hide content while keeping questions visible. This allows me to test my memory and add new actions to answers when I have new thoughts. I added an icon to each question for categorization. Recognizing an icon requires less cognitive effort than reading the entire question. The icon serves as a visual prefix, similar to commit message conventions that begin with “feat:”, “fix:”, “docs:”, or “chore:” to quickly identify the type of change. The page looks less cluttered, making me more likely to visit again.
Nov 4, 2025 — Research papers and news, efficient access on homepage
As mentioned below, bookmarks aren’t shared across browsers and devices without using the cloud. On my home page, I added a dropdown menu that contains frequently used research paper repositories and news websites. This way, I can access these important links in real time. I also added a custom button with Javascript that opens all links at once across tabs. This way, I have access to SOTA research.
October
Oct 29, 2025 — Multi-monitor applications, switching beyond cmd-tab
Using cmd-tab is inefficient when managing more than two applications across three monitors. When two identical applications are open, cmd-~ works well for switching between VS Code windows. For different applications, ctrl-F4-(shift) moves focus to the next window or application. I am testing this approach and will report back. Moving the dock to the bottom center of the central monitor shifted the cmd-tab list to the center screen, making it more ergonomic. I can also navigate the dock using ctrl-f3 and arrow keys to open applications without using Spotlight or the mouse.
Oct 28, 2025 — VS Code workspaces, single window navigation
I learned that fn-ctrl-R navigates across workspaces in VS Code. This way, I can maintain just one VS Code window without having to open 3 or 4 separate windows. This is particularly useful when I work across multiple different applications and when I am using a small monitor. When I switch between applications, I know the exact folder I am working on in Visual Studio Code, preventing me from running another command of cmd-~ to switch between multiple VS Code windows. I can save 200 to 500 milliseconds and cognitive load to distinguish between VS Code windows.
Oct 28, 2025 — Browser text, AI editing with Brave Leo
The problem is that when I want to fix or improve my wording, I use a separate tab and copy and paste the content, then wait for feedback. Also, when I use my voice instead for prompts, it has many potential errors. This isn’t streamlined. I learned to adopt Brave’s Leo AI assistant. I might configure custom keyboard shortcuts for some functions like paragraph, change tone, and similar features. This is useful for quick edits both for prompts and for improved communication.
Oct 28, 2025 — DOI links, keyboard copy shortcut
I am compiling a list of references from the web. Right now, I have to right click on the DOI link and select “Copy link address” to copy the DOI link. This requires multiple steps and physical effort.
(THINKING NOW) Oct 27, 2025 — Voice notes, capture thoughts without laptop
I commute 15 to 20 minutes in each direction. To capture random thoughts, I normally open my messaging app with my phone and send myself a voice to text message. I am wondering whether there is a more efficient way to do this so that I don’t have to even open the message app. I am exploring options like Siri shortcuts or other third-party apps.
Oct 27, 2025 — Calendar and search, Raycast for instant access
I started using the Raycast macOS application to check my calendar where I can access it through option-space and then use shortcuts like cmd-2 to access the calendar view without opening the calendar app.
Oct 27, 2025 — AI prompts, voice input for chain of thought
I began to utilize my voice and Apple’s Dictation feature to verbalize my chain of thought while interacting with AI. It’s okay to use the keyboard but the mouth is closer to the brain. It’s also more intuitive to speak with eyes closed than to type. I also like talking because I am able to evaluate my own chain of thought.
Oct 27, 2025 — AI prompts, queue with Paste app while waiting
I started to use the Mac app “Paste” to prepare prompts and easily copy and paste them into the prompts. This way, I am able to have a number of prompts ready while the AI is still responding to the previous prompt.
Oct 25, 2025 — VS Code terminal, fast access workflow
Improved terminal access in VS Code using ctrl-~ then cmd-j. This enabled faster switching between the editor and the terminal with greater ergonomics.
Oct 25, 2025 — Port conflicts, manage multiple local servers
Learned the lsof and kill commands for port management, gaining better control over running processes and port conflicts. I typically run a minimum of 2 or 3 local servers. One for my personal website that enables real-time rendering of the doc as I am writing, one for my electron-microscopy website for adding new features, and one for another server like Jupyter or Marimo notebook. Often, when you shut down the application with ctrl-c, the port remains occupied. Hence, I use the terminal shortcuts when I build it to ensure the ports are freed up and run the server.
Oct 24, 2025 — URL bookmarks, homepage dropdown instead of browser
Added dropdown shortcut URLs to the home page, improving navigation and organization of documentation. I used to have them under the bookmarks on the browser, but I noticed that I rarely use those bookmarks and they are always hidden because I have to open the bookmark menu first. So, to make these important and useful links more accessible compared to other bookmarks such as school’s websites or unique URLs, I decided to have them on the front page of this website.
Oct 24, 2025 — Permanent records, Sphinx documentation over notebooks
Switched to Sphinx for documenting learning from physical notebooks, providing better version control and searchability compared to paper notes where I rarely refer back after writing. Also, as I further move into my PhD, I have taken numerous coursework from materials science, chemical engineering, chemistry, and computer science. I want to ensure that this knowledge gained from coursework is easily accessible and intertwined with my current PhD research. For example, linear algebra, deep learning, crystallography—all of these are what I use daily in my research. I must have a strong foundation in these topics. Furthermore, I can utilize notebooks, markdown, and mathematical typesets to document equations.
Oct 22, 2025 — Multi-monitor setup, MacBook Pro M5 three-display config
Upgraded to a MacBook Pro M5 14-inch for a three-monitor setup with a Studio Display. My prior MacBook Air M2 began to show signs of struggle when I use 3-4 VS Code windows with a dozen tabs on my browser. Also, MacBook Air M2 only supports one extra monitor. With MacBook Pro, I can now use two external monitors plus the built-in display. This enables me to identify open windows and move those windows to my central display using custom shortcuts in the Magnet macOS application. The left monitor is my MacBook Pro 14-inch, the center is my Studio Display, and the right is an old 24-inch monitor that is 90 degrees rotated for vertical use. I normally use the vertical monitor for static content such as papers or writing a to-do list. I try not to actively engage with side monitors because it causes neck strain. But rather I use my peripheral vision to glance at the side monitors and use short keyboard shortcuts to move the windows to the center display when needed.
Oct 22, 2025 — Browser AI, ChatGPT Atlas for native interaction
Adopted ChatGPT Atlas for browser interaction, enhancing AI-assisted research and documentation workflows. Instead of asking questions from a separate window, the AI can now interact directly with the browser content and also access a greater number of direct references.
September
Sep 30, 2025 — Earphones, Beats Flex for battery and convenience
Switched to Beats Flex earphones instead of AirPods for longer battery life, no case to carry, and a lower risk of loss. I also like that I can always have them around my neck when not in use.
2024
Q4, 2024 — VS Code terminal, built-in vs separate app
While developing software—such as adding new content to my personal website—I prefer using Visual Studio Code’s built-in terminal instead of an external terminal. There are a few reasons for this.
First, I can open the terminal within VS Code by pressing ctrl + ` the first time, and then cmd + j. In contrast, accessing an external terminal requires cmd + tab or using Spotlight search. Often, it is necessary to press cmd + tab multiple times to find the terminal application. For Spotlight search, I have to type the first letter of the terminal application, which adds both physical and cognitive overhead. Using the principle of “same output, minimum input,” the cmd + j shortcut in VS Code requires the least effort (Principle #1).
Second, the external terminal window is often positioned differently or displayed alongside other applications, requiring me to constantly switch focus between the terminal and the VS Code editor. This increases my cognitive load (Principle #1).
Third, reading GitHub issues is much easier in full-screen mode within VS Code. In contrast, the external terminal usually opens in a smaller window to work side by side with other applications like Visual Studio or when hosting a server, which often requires resizing to match the content. This adds both physical effort and additional mental overhead (Principle #1).
Fourth, I use sc and ec alias shortcuts to open Visual Studio Code to modify configuration files. Running these commands opens the configuration file within the current VS Code editor, so it saves time (Principle #3) and reduces cognitive overload since my brain doesn’t have to process a new window being created or require me to type an extra shortcut to adjust the window size (Principle #1).
Available dropdown icons
code - Programming, code snippets
code-square - Code blocks
file-code - Code files, opening files
terminal - Command line, shell operations
command-palette - VS Code commands
file - General files
file-directory - Folders, workspaces
file-directory-fill - Active folders
git-branch - Branching
git-commit - Commits
git-merge - Merging
git-pull-request - Pull requests
issue-opened - Open issues
issue-closed - Closed issues
repo - Repositories
tools - General tools
gear - Settings, configuration
zap - Speed, performance, optimization
rocket - Launch, deployment
beaker - Experiments, testing
book - Documentation, reading
pencil - Editing, writing
typography - Text formatting
comment - Comments, discussion
browser - Web browser
link - URLs, hyperlinks
globe - Internet, worldwide
search - Searching
home - Homepage
copilot - GitHub Copilot, AI assistance
hubot - Bots, automation
cpu - Computing, processing
calendar - Calendar, scheduling
clock - Time tracking
stopwatch - Timing
history - Past events
question - Questions, help
light-bulb - Ideas, insights
sparkle-fill - Inspiration, highlights
note - Notes, reminders
desktop-download - Desktop, hardware
devices - Multiple devices
device-mobile - Mobile devices
device-desktop - Desktop computer
device-camera - Camera
database - Databases
graph - Charts, analytics
table - Tables, data
paste - Clipboard, pasting
copy - Copying
mortar-board - Education, academic
telescope - Research, exploration
rss - News feeds, updates
bell - Notifications
alert - Warnings
info - Information
check - Success, completed
x - Error, close
play - Start, run
stop - Stop, halt
sync - Synchronize
download - Download
upload - Upload
eye - Viewing, visibility
star - Favorites, important
heart - Like, favorite
flame - Hot, trending
trophy - Achievement
For the complete list of all available icons, see the Octicons library.