With the infiltration of computers in almost every work and home space, learning how to type is practically inevitable. If you do not interact with computers daily, you might find the need to learn to touch type unnecessary. However, there are several benefits to mastering at least one technique of typing.

What is touch-typing?

Ever seen people using their keyboards without once looking at the position of the keys they are typing? When you learn to touch type, you learn how to type without relying on your sight. You do this by placing your eight fingers on the middle row of your keyboard. You then learn how to reach the other letters strategically using these eight fingers. Eventually, it becomes muscle memory, especially for someone who uses the keyboard frequently. So should you learn how to touch type?

Learn to Touch Type

Benefits of touch-typing

1.    Speed

Touch typing is one of the fastest methods of typing. It allows you to type between 60 and 100 words per minute. The highest recorded speed of a touch typist is 200WPM, which only proves the efficiency of this method. Your rate increases significantly because by memorizing the position of the keys, you eliminate the time you would use to ‘hunt and peck.’

2.    Saves time

With increased speed comes saved time. If you work in an office that requires large numbers of words typed in a day, then learning how to touch type will help you save a lot of time. For example, with a speed of 70 words per minute, you will only need approximately 4 minutes to type in a 300-word document. A person with basic typing skills, which ranges from 20-30 wpm, will require 10-15 minutes for the same text. Touch-typing will thus save you many hours in your day, which you can use for other productive things.

3.    Decreases physical strain and pain

Many people who work with computers complain of back, shoulder, and neck pains that come from slouching over their desks all day. However, with touch-typing, these strains are significantly reduced. You can comfortably sit upright, considering your eyes will mostly be on your screen.

4.    Decreases fatigue

Additionally, touch typing cuts down on the energy you use mentally and physically. With the ‘hunt and peck’ typing technique, you have to use mental and physical energy for searching for the keys, typing them, and looking at the screen to ensure you are typing the right thing. With touch-typing, all your energy and focus goes on to the screen. This is much less than that required for single finger typing.

5.    Good resume skill

Having touch typing skills significantly increases your job-finding prospects. Positions such as editing, writing and secretarial roles look for people with fast typing skills. Therefore if you learn how to touch-type, you increase your scope of possible future jobs.

6.    Accuracy

Touch-typing allows you to type and edit at the same time. Since your focus rests on the screen, you can easily catch typing errors and correct them as you go. This instant editing not only increases accuracy but also decreases the amount of time you would otherwise use to type and edit separately.

7.    Lifetime skill

Lastly, touch-typing is a lifelong skill. If you practice it long enough, it becomes muscle memory. That means that, after a while, your brain embeds the expertise permanently. Even if you stay out of practice for a while, when you get back to it, you will not have to relearn it again.

Touch-typing is a necessary skill for everyone to learn. Learning how to type at a young age increases your efficiency and speed as time goes by. And because it is a muscle memory skill, you will always reap from it.