How I type fast? (120+ words)
Imagine being able to type so fast that you don’t even need to think about it. And yes, believe me, you can.
In a world that heavily relies on digital communication, typing is THE most important aspect of it. While the average typing speed is around 40 WPM (wpm), I believe it is very slow, no matter what profession you are in. It is a skill that is a part of the universal toolbox(skills that are useful no matter in which field you are in).
I know what you might be thinking, “Ahh, 150 words per minute. I am never going to be able to do that”. Don’t worry. I felt the same.
The key reason why I started to learn to type fast is not because it makes me more productive or saves me a bunch of time, or improves my focus. I solely started because it looked cool. It really impresses people. Whenever I am in my classes, people compliment me by saying “Wow, you type very fast!”. It also helps me get things done fast while improving my creativity. Now I can almost type at the speed at which I think.
I am now able to write 3000–5000 word essays in about 1 or 2 days. This means that I have more time to spend on other things. Now let’s dive into the world of typing fast!
Learn Touch Typing
Touch typing is simply to type without looking at the keyboard. This is the most effective method for touch typing.
Before learning to touch type, I used typing around 30–40 words per minute while my friends typed around 60–70 words per minute without any specific method. Guess what now, they are still typing at the same speed while I am at above 100 words per minute.
Place your left fingers on A, S, D, F, and J, K, L, ; with your right fingers. This is known as the home row. Feel the bumps on F and J with the index fingers, this will help your fingers navigate to the home row.
The best way to practice this is through online typing tutorials or software. There are several of them but my favorite are:
Practice
Once you have learned touch typing, it’s time to start practicing now. It is the only way you can develop muscle memory that will make you type without thinking about it. Remember, consistency is the key. Practice for about 15–30 minutes a day. There are several online platforms to test and practice typing. My favorites are:
Improve your Short-Burst Typing Test Method
What I mean by this is to just improve your typing speed for just a few seconds in one go. When you are typing outside of typing tests, you are not going to type for a minute or two straight. You might type for a few seconds and then take a break to think then type again.
You can practice this in monkey type or other websites by setting the time just for 15 to 30 seconds and going as fast as you can. Consider it like a sprint and not a marathon.
Focus on Accuracy
In the beginning, it can tempting to ignore being accurate and just go as fast as you can. But you should not do that. You should focus on being accurate rather than going fast. Once practice enough with good accuracy, speed will come automatically. This is the one mistake I should have avoided when I started touch typing.
My Tips
- Avoid using the mouse and try using the keyboard more
- Learn more keyboard shortcuts. E.g. Ctrl + Backspace to delete an entire word.
- Try to make noise while typing
- Minimize finger movement
- To improve specific parts of typing, practice on keybr.com
- Try not to look at the keyboard
Gamify the Journey
Treat improving your typing speed like a game. This will make your typing journey more consistent. Remember, as advised by James Clear in the book Atomic Habits, it is about the journey and the not goal.
For example, if you want to win a game in a championship, then you just can’t keep looking at the scoreboard. You should focus on playing better and improving yourself.
The same goes with typing, or anything else in life. Yes, your goal is to type fast, but don’t just always take a typing test and get discouraged by your current speed. Focus on what you want to develop and it will improve on its own.
So go now and grind!
