Many older generations did not grow up with computers and may lack the skills of typing quickly and accurately. Same goes for the younger generation too because not everyone is a speed typing machine. Did you know that the average typing speed of someone is considered to be around 34.44 WPM (words per minute) for students and 53.76 WPM for programmers or typers according to onlinetyping.org.1 The good news is that typing speed and accuracy can be improved with some practice if you’re not around that standard of typing. Read on to discover our five tips on how to become a faster typer on the computer.
Familiarise Yourself With The Keyboard
Get familiar with the keyboard layout. This may seem like an obvious one, but it’s important to know where all the keys are before trying to type quickly. Take some time to explore the keyboard and find where all the letters, numbers, and symbols are located.
Try Basic Typing Exercises
Start with basic typing exercises. Once you’re familiar with the keyboard layout, it’s time to start practicing typing. There are many typing exercises and games available online and you can find ones that you enjoy and that challenge you. As you keep practicing, you’ll gradually increase your typing speed and accuracy. You can use a program like Typing.com’s lessons to help increase your speed using guides crafted by professionals.2
Pay Attention To Your Posture
Make sure you have good posture. This is important for both comfort and typing speed. Sit up straight with your feet flat on the ground. Position the keyboard so that it’s at a comfortable height – not too high or low. And make sure your wrists are in a neutral position, not angled up or down. An ergonomically situated desk and keyboard can have dramatic effects on your overall typing speed and also the duration at which you can spend at a desk feeling comfortable.3
Keep Your Eyes On The Screen
Don’t look down at the keyboard while you’re typing. It may seem like it would help you type faster, but it actually slows you down. Instead, keep your eyes on the screen and only glance at the keyboard when you need to find a key.
Use The Right Tools
Use the right typing tools. In addition to a comfortable posture and proper keyboard positioning, you’ll also need a good typing program. Look for one that provides typing exercises, games, and progress tracking so you can see your improvement over time.
Flex Those Fingers
Take typing breaks. Just like any other activity, typing can be tiring for your muscles. So be sure to take breaks every once in awhile to get up and stretch, or do some simple exercises for your fingers and hands. This will help keep you typing at your best and not feeling strain in the muscles involved with typing.
QWERTY Royalty The Speed Typing Enthusiasts
The QWERTY keyboard is the most commonly used typing method in the world. This method is named after the six letters that appear in the top left corner of a standard keyboard (QWERTY). The QWERTY typing method was invented in 1868 by Christopher Latham Sholes, who was trying to reduce the risk of typing jams on early mechanical keyboards.4 While the QWERTY typing method is still widely used today, there are some drawbacks. One of the biggest problems with QWERTY typing is that it can be slower than other methods. Studies have shown that people who use alternative typing methods, such as Dvorak or Colemak, can type significantly faster than those who use QWERTY. If you’re looking to improve your typing speed, you may want to consider switching to a different typing method. However, QWERTY typing is still the most popular method in the world, so you may find it difficult to find typing programs and exercises that use anything other than QWERTY.
Try Speech To Text If You’re Too Slow
For those who are too slow in typing can use speech to text features that are available in most word processors and email clients. This is a great way to type faster because you can simply speak your thoughts aloud and have them turned into text. This can be especially helpful if you’re typing a long document or email.
To use speech to text, open up the document or email you want to type in. Then, click on the microphone icon and start speaking. The software will transcribe your words into text as you speak. When you’re finished, simply click on the icon again to stop the recording.
So Our Final Thoughts
No matter what typing method you use, practice is the key to becoming a faster typist. By following the tips above and using a typing program to improve your skills, you can gradually increase your typing speed and accuracy. In no time, you’ll be typing as fast as those who grew up using computers!
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