Working a telescope is a sequence, and doing it in the right order turns a frustrating instrument into a simple one. The sequence is the same for every telescope on this shelf, whatever its design or mount.
Level, point, cool
Set the mount on firm ground with the legs well spread and, if it is equatorial, roughly polar aligned. Point it away from any direct light. Then leave it: a telescope brought from a warm house needs twenty minutes to an hour to stop showing soft images, and large instruments need longer than small ones.
Lowest power first, every time
Put in the longest focal length eyepiece you own. That gives the widest field and the brightest image, and it is the only sensible way to find anything. Once the target is centred, swap to a shorter eyepiece and refocus. Repeat until the image starts to degrade, then step back one.
Focus with small movements and wait
At high magnification the image shakes for a second or two after every touch, so focus in small increments and pause between them. Racking the focuser back and forth quickly guarantees you will never find the sharp point, because you are always looking at a vibrating image.
Look for a while, not a moment
The atmosphere steadies in bursts. Stare at a planet for two or three minutes and it will snap into clarity for a second at a time, and those are the moments in which detail appears. Beginners glance and move on; experienced observers wait, which is most of the difference between what the two see.
Questions people ask about telescope
How do I look through a telescope?
Put your eye close to the eyepiece without pressing, keep both eyes relaxed, and let your vision settle. Detail appears after a minute, not immediately.
What order should I do things in?
Set up and cool the telescope, find at the lowest power, increase magnification in steps, focus slowly, then watch patiently for moments of steady air.
Why does the object keep drifting away?
The Earth is turning. Without a tracking mount an object crosses the field in well under a minute at high power, and you nudge the tube to follow it.