Ask ten people how to type faster and nine will say practice more. Practice helps but only when it is the right kind. Some habits look harmless and still eat your progress every day. Take a free typing test first so you know your starting speed and then read on. Here are seven habits to fix with a simple solution for each.
1. Repeating the same passage
Typing one paragraph again and again feels productive. Your speed shoots up because you start remembering the words. That is memory and not typing skill. Use fresh text in every session so your fingers learn to handle new words.
2. Ignoring your weak keys
Everyone has a few letters that cause trouble. Most people avoid them and hope they fix themselves. They never do. Note which keys you miss most often and build short drills around them.
3. Using only one shift key
Reaching across with the same hand for every capital letter slows you down and twists your wrist. Use the shift key on the opposite side of the letter you need. It feels strange for a few days and then it saves time in every sentence.
4. Trusting autocorrect too much
Phones and word processors fix your errors quietly. That makes you lazy without you noticing. Practice on a plain typing tool that shows every mistake so you learn to type it right the first time.
5. Tensing your hands and shoulders
Watch yourself during a fast test. Many people lift their shoulders and grip the keys as if the laptop might run away. Tension steals speed. Breathe out and let your shoulders drop. Loose hands move faster.
6. Comparing yourself with others
Your friend may type sixty words a minute after a year of practice. You may look slower after one month. That comparison helps nobody. Compare yourself with your own numbers from last week instead.
7. Skipping regular tests
Drills feel good but a proper test shows the truth. Once a week take a free online typing test and write down your speed and accuracy. Over a month you will see real progress on paper and that keeps you motivated.
Better typing comes from smarter practice more than longer practice. Change one habit at a time and give it two weeks. Then take the typing test again and see how far you have come.