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How fast do you type?
Seriously? How many words a minute can your fingers tap out?
If you aren’t sure, you can click here to go take a free one minute typing test. You know you’re curious so go ahead. This post will be right here waiting for you when you come back.
Did you like your number?
What I found fascinating were the details down at the bottom of my score. The average typist types just under 40 words per minute.
After scoring nearly 80 words per minute with a 98% accuracy on the test I just took, I realized that I type at speeds almost double the rate of average.
That’s a huge difference! A huge difference that significantly impacts the length of time it takes me to complete my freelance writing.
It’s a simple concept really:
Type Faster = Do More in Less Time
As a business owner, one of your goals is to look for efficiency in your business model. To find ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality.
Improving your typing speed will help you do just that. Your fingers will fly across the keyboard, and the words will appear on your screen.
Are you ready to type faster?
If each post took you less time to write, what would happen?
Unless you’re being paid by the hour (which I don’t think is a good business model for writers) you’ll be able to earn your money faster. You won’t be slowed down by sluggish fingers.
Maybe you could even take on a new assignment.
Or just spend extra time with your family–that’s always a good thing!
Typing faster makes sense. I’m still working on improving my typing speed. Here’s five ways to do that:
1. Create Muscle Memory
Have you ever seen a pianist play an incredibly complicated song? My husband and I love watching The Piano Guys videos.
It’s amazing stuff!
You know how they’re able to do that? Pianist create muscle memory. Their brain knows that when they see a certain note, a specific finger reaches to a specific key.
They’ve practiced over and over again. That practice created new neuron paths in the brain. It wired their muscles to behave a specific way.
Fast typists do that.
I’ve hit the letter u so often, that when I need to type it, I don’t even think about it. My left index finger just reaches up and hits it.
Your brain only has so much working space.
It can only concentrate on so many things at once. If you’re trying to think of what to type at the same time as you’re busy thinking about HOW to type, you’ll automatically be slower.
Your poor brain will have to concentrate on one too many things.
But how exactly do you build muscle memory?By not looking at the keyboard.
This one will also help with number one. It seems ridiculous–to stop looking at something to do it better.
However, with typing, not staring at the keyboard is essential.
As you practice, you’ll notice your fingers will start to automatically move where you want them to.
You’ll sense that you hit the wrong letter almost before your mistake shows up onscreen. That, ladies and gentlemen, is muscle memory in action.
It’s amazing!
2. Take Typing Lessons if Needed
Back in high school, I took a typing class. I learned where home row was, and all that jazz.
If you’ve never taken a typing class, take one. There are tons of courses online that are free! Here’s a simple one that starts at the very beginning.
Typing lessons will give you the foundation you need to build muscle memory and type faster. You can only hunt and peck so fast.
3. Focus on Accuracy Over Speed at First
As you work on improving your typing speed, you want to ensure you’re not doing so at the expense of accuracy. That’ll only take your saved typing time and dump it into editing time.
If you’re using Word, ensure you’ve turned on spell checker, so you’ll notice the squiggly bar underneath a misspelled word.You’ll notice your errors and get them fixed pronto.
Once you’ve gotten your errors down, slowly work on typing each letter just a bit faster.
4. Practice Correctly
That old saying that practice makes perfect only goes so far. If you’re constantly practicing a skill incorrectly, you won’t magically wind up perfect.
You have to practice correctly. That means you might get a little slower before you get faster. But keep at it, and you will gain muscle memory.
Your fingers will learn where to rest. They’ll get stronger so they don’t ache as often.
But, it will take time.
5. Update Your Own Blog More Frequently
Updating your own blog is a great way to keep your fingers tapping. You’ll be creating valuable content for your readers while improving your speed.
Then you can take those fast fingers and use them to knock out client work faster.
It’s a win win!
What are your best tips for typing faster?
Lisa Tanner is a former teacher turned homeschooling mom with 11 kids. She's also a successful freelance writer. Lisa enjoys helping other busy moms find time to start and grow a side hustle of their own.
