Touch Typing Tips

I once used a towel to train Microsoft Word? Yes that's right! One of the methods I used for touch typing to increase typing efficiency and speed is by adding a tea towel into the equation. I use a tea towel to cover your hands and the keyboard. This way you know that you are truly touch typing.

Rules for touch typing:

• Never look at the keyboard - a mandatory touch typing tip
  Even with those awkward symbols and especially with UPPER and lower case letters. If you are typing a weird not often used character learn where in is and type it without looking at the keyboard. You'll be surprised at how quickly your brain will adapt. To force yourself to do this make use of a towel. Cover your hands with a towel  and this way it's more awkward to remove the towel to look at your keys than it is to press backspace and find the correct key touch typing style.
• Focus on Accuracy
  Technique and Accuracy is paramount when it comes to touch typing. Problem is that when most people know how to get all of the major keys on the keyboard that's where they stop. They then try to focus on building speed while making so many mistakes along the way. The best way to build your speed is to make little or no mistakes. Think of a marathon runner who, for every 10 steps forward, had to run 2 steps backward. That's 80% accuracy but think of how faster they would be if they took no steps backward.
• Find the Index Keys
  The "Index Keys" are the keys that have the raised bumps on the keyboard. On the standard English keyboard they are F & J. Lighlty move your hands across your keyboard and feel the little bumps on the keyboard.
• Practice, practice and practice some more
  The more you practice the better you become. Learning to type is more like learning how to ride a bike or ice skating than learning geography or English. It is more physical than academic. So when you are learning put aside 15 minutes to practice your typing at a website such as:
• https://www.typinggames.zone/typetastic
• https://www.typingclub.com/
• Sit Straight
  Posture is important! Ensure that you sit straight and that your wrists aren't flat against the table. You should dangle your fingers ideally keeping your wrists hovering about a couple of inches above the table.
• Look Straight
  Making sure that you looking at the screen straight on. Like you were speaking to someone across the table from you. This way you'll keep you head up and you're less likely to get a pain in the back. Raising the screen is a great way to ensure that you don't get "Stretch Neck".
• Take a Break
  Don't be typing for hours and hours. Ensure that you take regular breaks away from the screen. Make a cup of tea or better still do some light exercise like a couple of press-ups or do the washing up or anything. (Probably best not watch TV though).

I hope that you find these touch typing tips helpful. Yes it's true that you're not going to learn how to touch type in a day. However, keep practicing, ensure that you don't revert to bad habits (two finger typing) and maintain a positive outlook so that you don't give up and you'll quickly see your progress.