Create a new layer without a dialog
Pressing Command-Shift-N (PC: Ctrl-Shift-N) creates a new layer but it brings up the New Layer dialog so you can name it. Personally, I find it kind of annoying and it’s not a lot faster for me than just clicking the new layer icon. However, if you throw the Option (PC: Alt) key into the mix, Command-ShiftOption-N (PC: Ctrl-Shift-Option-N), then it’ll bypass the new layer dialog and just create a new blank layer in the Layers panel.