Captain Ratatype
We assume these things will somehow sink in on their own: every time we need a screenshot, we pop the question into Google, and surely one day it'll just stick. But memory doesn't quite work like that — it won't hold onto information you know you can fetch at a moment's notice. Put simply: unless you've had a proper go at finding it yourself, jotted it down by hand, or kept at it consistently over time, the skill simply won't take.
Learning to touch type is no different. Skip the regular practice, and you'll carry on pecking away with two fingers indefinitely. Let's have a look at what your search habits say about your productivity.
Below are the most Googled "how to" queries. Screenshots are rather high up the list:
We don't bother committing any of this to memory because, frankly, ChatGPT or a quick search is always a tab away. Fair enough. That works a treat for looking up the odd shortcut — but it's no way to actually get to grips with a skill.
If touch typing is something you genuinely want to master, knowing the theory won't get you very far. You need to put in the proper work.
Motivation above all
If you've ever set out to learn something new, you'll know that getting started and seeing it through are entirely different matters.
At the outset, we're full of enthusiasm and ready to crack on. Then, inevitably, life intervenes — errands pile up, work deadlines loom — and touch typing quietly slips down the priority list.
The skill gets shelved, and we reassure ourselves that our typing is perfectly adequate, thank you very much. After all, constantly snapping your fingers back to the home row is a bit much (only half joking), and surely you don't need to practise every single day, do you?
As it turns out, you rather do.
If you reckon your typing is already up to scratch, why not put it to the test? Take a typing speed test and find out where you actually stand.
According to Ratatype, Ukrainians type at an average of 146 characters per minute. The British, for comparison, clock in at 208 characters per minute. Where do you land?
How to set yourself up for daily practice
- First. Work it into your daily routine.
Say your team has a morning stand-up — make it a habit to run through a couple of typing exercises straight afterwards. It'll take 10–15 minutes at most, and it's sorted for the day. Or perhaps your mornings involve a brew and a scroll through social media. Brilliant. Right after that, sit down for a quick typing session. Within a week, it'll feel like second nature.
- Second. Bookmark your typing trainer or pin it in your browser so it's always staring you in the face. Over lunch, between tasks — nip in for a quick session whenever you get the chance.
- Another option — before sitting down to write something lengthy: an email to a colleague, a social media post, an assignment — open the trainer for a short warm-up first. Your fingers will find their rhythm, and you'll have your daily practice ticked off :)
- Keep things varied. One day, work through the trainer; the next, have a go at a typing game. A bit of variety goes a long way towards staying motivated and not throwing in the towel.
Yes, it takes time. But it's well worth the effort. After all, we've already worked out that touch typing can hand you back 19 days a year — days you'd otherwise fritter away hunting for keys and correcting typos.
We'd encourage you to make a start today. And the good news is, you now know exactly where to go!
And on the subject of screenshots — we've got you covered there as well. Here are a few handy reads:
- How to take a screenshot on Mac and Windows
- Windows keyboard shortcuts — the secret key combinations you need to know
- macOS keyboard shortcuts — secret combinations that will make your work much easier
Stay in touch!
