Fast Typists Are Fast Workers

"It takes me 10 minutes to write a single email." "I can't keep up with the meeting notes." "My fingers just can't keep up with my thoughts."

If you work on a computer and aren't completely confident in your typing speed, you are pouring hours of productivity down the drain. The gap in typing speed directly translates to a massive gap in overall work performance.

Let's do the math. Assume you type about 3,000 words a day.

Average Typist (40 WPM): ~75 minutes
Fast Typist (80 WPM): ~37.5 minutes

That’s nearly 40 minutes saved every single day. Between emails, chat messages, documentation, and coding, a slow typing speed creates a structural bottleneck in your career. By improving your WPM (Words Per Minute), you can slash your overtime and reallocate that mental energy toward truly creative, high-impact work.

Here are the 5 definitive steps to systematically increase your typing speed, along with the secrets used by professionals.

Typing Speed TestTest your typing speed (WPM) and accuracy with engaging practice texts.

Step 1: Respect the "Home Row" Always

The very first step to breaking bad typing habits (like the "hunt and peck" method) is strictly returning to the Home Row. Look at your keyboard and find the physical bumps on the "F" and "J" keys.

Left Index Finger: Rests on F
Right Index Finger: Rests on J
Other Fingers: Resting naturally on the keys directly next to them (A, S, D and K, L, ;)

This is your "Home." No matter what key you press, your fingers must immediately return to this baseline. Every key has a specific, designated finger. By strictly enforcing this rule, you completely map the keyboard to your muscle memory, eliminating the time wasted "searching" for keys.

"But I have to look because I don't know where the keys are!" It's a common complaint, but you will never get faster as long as your eyes leave the screen.

Force yourself to look only at the monitor. In the beginning, you will make dozens of mistakes. That is perfectly fine—just hit Backspace. By forcing your brain to guess ("I think 'A' is over here..."), you solidify the neural pathways between your mind and your fingertips. Looking down breaks that connection.

Step 3: Master the Essential Shortcuts

Even if you type 100 WPM, if you constantly move your hand off the keyboard to grab the mouse, your total workflow will be agonizingly slow. At the bare minimum, the following shortcuts should become as natural as breathing.

Action	Windows / Linux	Mac
Copy	Ctrl + C	Cmd + C
Paste	Ctrl + V	Cmd + V
Cut	Ctrl + X	Cmd + X
Select All	Ctrl + A	Cmd + A
Undo	Ctrl + Z	Cmd + Z
Save	Ctrl + S	Cmd + S
Search/Find	Ctrl + F	Cmd + F

Mastering "Undo" (Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z) is particularly empowering. It allows you to type aggressively and fearlessly, knowing any mistake can be instantly erased without touching the mouse.

Step 4: Upgrade Your Hardware (Mechanical Keyboards)

"A bad workman blames his tools," but professionals aggressively optimize theirs. Ditching your laptop's flat, mushy membrane keyboard for a high-quality external mechanical keyboard will drastically improve your typing cadence and reduce finger fatigue.

Choosing the Right Mechanical Switch

Blue Switches (Clicky): Loud, satisfying typewriter-like click. Excellent tactile feedback, but too noisy for most open offices.
Red Switches (Linear): Smooth, fast, and quiet. Requires very little force to press, making them the top choice for pure speed and long coding sessions.
Brown Switches (Tactile): The perfect middle ground. Quiet with a gentle "bump" to let you know the key registered. Highly recommended for beginners.

Step 5: Gamify Your Practice

If typing practice feels like a chore, you will quit in a week. Turn it into a game.

The Best Free Practice Tools

Monkeytype: The absolute gold standard. A beautiful, minimalist UI with incredibly deep customization for practicing English, code, or any language you desire.
Keybr: Excellent for beginners. Its algorithm forces you to practice specific letters you struggle with rather than just typing random words.
Sushi Da (寿司打): The legendary Japanese typing game. Type the words before the sushi plates roll off the conveyor belt.

And of course, we recommend Jenee's Typing Test below.

Typing Test Track your WPM and accuracy progression in real-time, visualizing your daily growth with beautiful analytics.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is considered a "Good" typing speed?

A: Context matters, but here is a general benchmark for English prose:

Beginner: 0–30 WPM
Average/Functional: 40–50 WPM (Enough for basic office work)
Fast: 60–80 WPM (Great for note-taking and coding)
Professional: 90–120+ WPM (Programmers, transcriptionists, power users)

Q: I have trouble using my pinky fingers.

A: This is incredibly common because our pinkies are naturally weaker. While you might try substituting your ring finger, doing so destroys your hand placement when reaching for crucial keys like 'P', 'Enter', or 'Backspace'. Consciously force yourself to use your pinkies—they will get stronger over time.

Q: My wrists ache after long typing sessions.

A: Invest in a high-quality wrist rest (palm rest). By elevating your palms to a neutral angle, you dramatically reduce the strain on your tendons, preventing carpal tunnel syndrome. Additionally, ensure your chair is raised high enough that your elbows rest at a smooth 90-degree angle.

Summary

Typing is exactly like riding a bicycle. Once you truly acquire the muscle memory, you possess a highly lucrative skill that you will never forget for the rest of your life.

That single skill will act as a permanent multiplier for your career. Why not start by committing to the Home Row today? In just one month of consistent practice, your daily workflow will feel effortlessly fast.

Typing Speed TestTest your typing speed (WPM) and accuracy with engaging practice texts.

5 Essential Tips to Increase Typing Speed: Mastering Touch Typing & Speed Tools