Touch Typing: Learn How To Type Faster
In today’s tech-driven world, typing is a necessary skill for professions in many industries. Efficient typing with the least amount of errors ensures that your work is completed at an appropriate speed and optimal quality. Whether typing a simple message to your boss or a report, you must learn how to type well. That’s where the touch typing technique comes into play.
What Is Touch Typing?
Touch typing is the most efficient technique designed to teach the typist to use their keyboard in a way that helps them type without having to constantly look at the keyboard. This method involves learning how to best position your hands over the keyboard and the placement of each letter’s work on it. By using this method, your ultimate goal is to be able to automatically type without having to look at the keyboard.
Advantages
There are several advantages to learning the touch typing method. These advantages will significantly improve your workflow and help your day at work go a lot smoother. These advantages include:
Efficiency
With consistent practice, you will memorize the positions of each letter and symbol on the keyboard. Instead of searching for each letter, your fingers will hit those keys automatically, without you having to look away from your screen. Also, because you won’t be thinking about each letter, your mind will be freer to give careful thought to what you’re typing. You will immediately notice an improvement in the quality and content of your writing.
Speed
Speed is very important because, in our fast-paced world, you can’t be spending 40 minutes just drafting an email or putting together a couple of paragraphs for your office staff to read. With touch typing, you can type those letters from memory with fewer errors. You won’t be stopping to correct the mistakes as much as you did before. Typing will become second nature, like driving a car or riding a bike.
Ergonomics
When you spend just 30 minutes hunting and pecking each letter you need to formulate your writing; you can end up with neck pain. If you do that often enough, you will have poor posture as you frequently slouch or hunch over the keyboard.
The touch typing technique teaches you to position your hands over the keyboard at the same level as the elbow rests on your chair. You will also develop the habit of sitting straight, with feet flat on the ground. It promotes a healthy posture that won’t hurt your back or arms over a prolonged period of typing.
Job Opportunities
Typing skills are a very basic demand of most employers around the world. Most college professors will also accept only typed work. No matter what stage of life you're in, whether at work or school, you must learn how to type efficiently. If you’re still a student, honing your typing skills will prepare you for a successful career. As an employee, enhancing your typing skills will also improve your workflow and overall work performance.
Tips
We discussed the advantages of touch typing, and you may feel convinced that this is the skill you want to gain, but how? Below we outlined some tips for learning the touch typing method and increasing your skills.
Take A Typing Course
If you’ve never received formal instruction on typing and feel you could benefit from a few lessons, we highly recommend taking a typing course. Many courses are available online, and many are free of charge. A few lessons will immediately improve your typing skills. You will find this very helpful and even fun.
Position Your Hands Correctly
The beauty of touch typing is that you can hit several keys simultaneously without looking at the keyboard. This requires developing habits such as positioning your hands correctly over the keyboard. Make sure that your right fingers lie on top of J, K, L, and the semicolon key. As the left fingers rest on top of the keys A, S, D, and F, the thumbs will naturally rest on the space bar.
Test Your Speed
If you’ve been typing for a while but aren’t sure if you could use improvement, we recommend checking your speed by taking a speed typing test. This will not only give you an idea of your skill level but also help your practice a bit. Many tests are free online and will provide detailed feedback on where you need to improve.
Practice
Have you ever heard of the phrase, “Practice makes perfect”? Well, that phrase also applies to typing. The more you practice, the better you will get. Many people will opt for a typing program, which is a great and useful option. However, if you’re having trouble finding something affordable, you can just choose a piece of writing and practice retyping it on a Google or Microsoft Word document. Apply the position technique and type away, even if it is just for 15 minutes a day. With time you will find yourself getting better and more comfortable with the keyboard.
Take Frequent Breaks
Sitting for prolonged periods in front of a screen is unhealthy and will decrease your quality of work. Remember to stand up, stretch, grab a glass of water or coffee or take a walk around the block. This will help your mind stay sharp and focused on your work when you resume your work.
Finishing Thoughts
Touching typing is a very necessary skill for many office workers, students, and fans of social media outlets where typing is also required. We encourage you to apply some of these tips in your typing and watch how well you improve with practice.