If it takes you a half hour to write a simple email and it’s peppered with those red, wavy typo lines, then improving your typing speed and accuracy can help.
From choosing an ergonomic keyboard to practicing with typing tests, we have outlined several actionable tips you can take to type with speed and ease.
Make Actionable Typing Goals
Do you struggle to type words without errors all over your document? Then focus on improving your accuracy.
Are you fairly accurate but it takes you an age to type out what you want to say? Then focus on speed.
Your goals should be simple, measurable, and personal to your typing goals. Start with one achievable goal at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed and lose motivation.
For example, you could say “I want to type 45 WPM (words per minute) by the end of next month”.
Note: if you’re a slow and inaccurate typist, focus on accuracy first! Once you’re typing correctly, you can work on increasing your speed.
Sit Comfortably
Sitting correctly when typingreduces discomfort and makes it easier to type.
Hold your elbows at a 90 to 110 degree angle, so that your arms are parallel to the desktop. If you’re reaching for your keyboard, it’s too far away and could cause shoulder pain.
Keep your feet flat on the floor, and the monitor top at eye level.
Sitting comfortably means you’re relaxed. A relaxed typist is quicker and more accurate!
Choose an Ergonomic Keyboard
Having a comfortable stance for your wrists and hands can help you type more efficiently. Just like when sitting correctly, you’ll feel relaxed and won’t need to strain to reach the keys.
Anios万博体育app下载 that you can adjust to fit your posture is the best choice. For example, a keyboard you can split and tent holds your hands at their neutral position and reduces the chance of injury. Pain-free hands and arms can type with less effort.
Correct Bad Habits
Maybe you type with one hand while on the phone, or you use your pointing finger on every key.
Whatever your bad habits are, consciously avoiding some typing behaviors can make you more efficient at typing those reports, emails, and documents.
Here’s a quick rundown of how to position your hands on your keyboard:
Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Increasing your typing speed might not just mean pressing the keys faster, but typing smarter.
Most common actions like copy and paste (CTRL C and CTRL V) and typing special characters (Windows key and . )have a keyboard shortcut —WindowsandMacprovide cheat sheets for these shortcuts.
For typing common phrases, you could install a macro app or browser extension. You can program sentences or whole paragraphs that you often type and turn them into ‘shortcodes’.
For instance, “let me know if you need anything else” could condense into “letme”.
Try Online Typing Tests
If you’ve ever been curious about your typing speed or accuracy in the past, you may already be familiar with typing tests.
There are several typing tests available online.
Typing.comprovides a suite of tests for the beginner to the advanced typist. There are tests for all kinds of typing and they provide a score in real-time. Want something a bit more fun? They’ve createdtyping games, too!
10 Fast Fingersadds a competitive edge with their tests. You can choose a quick test to see your WPM (words per minute) or see how your typing stacks up against other players.
Note: The average typing speed is 40 WPM. How does your typing compare?
Practice Little and Often
Like with most skills, practicing little and often will help your faster, more accurate typing stick as a habit. Aim for 15-30 minutes a day, rather than say, an hour once a week. Set reminders if you’re likely to forget.
Improve Your Typing with Goldtouch
Improving your typing speed and accuracy is in your hands! Here’s a summary of what you can do to take action:
- Set actionable, simple goals
- Invest in a good quality, adjustable ergonomic keyboard that will help your typing posture
- Avoid bad typing habits
- Take shortcuts
- Take typing tests online, with apps, or typing games
- Practice every day
Check out ourother blog postsfor more advice and resources on efficient, productive working.
