Whether you’re a writer, programmer, reviewer, or accountant, there is one motor skill that has increased productivity throughout the world. What used to take years started to take months, and eventually weeks.
The skill I am talking about, if you haven’t guessed already, is typing.
Let me clarify, since those reading this article are probably confused about why I’m suggesting programmers learn typing. I’m not talking about typing in general – I’m talking about touch typing, or typing fast.
This is an important skill for a number of reasons. It helps me
1. Create more time
Picture somebody who “hunts and pecks” transcribing a 2000-word interview from audio to text. This person might type at 20 WPM, or words per minute. This means it would take roughly 100 minutes to transcribe the entire interview! On the other hand, someone who types 80 WPM would be able to transcribe the entire interview in only 25 minutes.
2. Allow me to help others more
Over the course of a year, someone who transcribes interviews (as mentioned above) would be able to perform four times as much work, if she or he typed 80 WPM versus 25 WPM.
3. Improve hand-eye coordination
Typically, Generation Y (also known as the Millennials) already has great hand-eye coordination due to the general availability of video games throughout their lifetime. Learning to touch-type improves fine motor skills for everyone, similar to drumming or playing guitar, and can only improve hand-eye coordination no matter what your age is.
Of course, no theory would be complete without a personal anecdote.
When I was a lad of 5 years old, my dad asked me to run through a typing tutorial for an hour a day on the computer. At first I thought it was painful and tedious, and I would rather be outside doing normal 5-year-old things. However, I quickly realized that this new-found skill would help me at every turn throughout my life. In November 2005, I hit a record of 189 WPM with a room full of students. Although there’s probably no way I could hit that again, I continue to average 120-160 WPM throughout my daily tasks.
Are there any downsides to being able to type quickly?
Absolutely! Let’s assume I work in a typical 9 to 5 job, and I can get 4 times as much work done as the average employee. Would my boss be more likely to:
a. Commend me on my ability to work 4 times as quickly as everyone else, or:
b. Assign me 4 times as many tasks “to fill in the spaces”, for the same amount of pay?
Obviously, the correct answer is “b”, because an employee with too much downtime is always frowned upon. (Maybe people need to stop frowning so much, and they’d be happier?)
However, that’s really the only downside to being a fast typist. The benefits far outweigh the costs, since it’s basically the digital equivalent of getting “speed shoes” that let you run 4 times as fast as other people.
Most of us, particularly those that read this blog, type every single day. I’m typing this, you’re probably typing an e-mail (or text message), and millions of people outside of your town are typing. Although the days are gone where you might walk into a roomful of clicky, mechanical IBM Model M buckling spring keyboards – although I still use one, and a lot of full-time typists do – you will still see someone using a full-size keyboard pretty much anywhere you go.
How can I improve my typing speed?
Practice doesn’t make perfect. This is a common misconception. The correct phrasing is, “Practice makes progress.”
The only way to move from “hunt-and-peck” typing to “touch typing” is practice. Just like you would practice playing piano, you have to sit down each day and type. Type, then type some more. While there are typing tutorials and other resources available that will greatly help, these can also be discouraging. But never give up, never surrender.
However, there is one other secret that has helped me type faster than almost anyone I know. I mentioned mechanical keyboards before, and I’ll say it again: especially in the days of slushy Chiclet keyboards, and virtual keyboards, a mechanical (or “gaming”) keyboard can give the kind of tactile response that greatly increases most people’s ability to type without errors. The company Das Keyboard actually uses this as their business model, and they’re doing quite well.
In conclusion, while there are many things that can help speed up your tasks and increase general productivity, we are living in a digital age where many jobs involve full-time typing. Therefore, it makes sense to learn how to type faster. Plus, wouldn’t it be good if you added another possible small income avenue, such as the ability to transcribe audio into text?
