How do you type?

On your phone, your computer, your tablet -- there are so many things with a keyboard. Technology is such a prominent part of life. So is typing -- especially involving work and school.

A plethora of schools in the United States have upgraded their curriculums to include some form of computer class. And what with the newly-introduced PARCC standardized testing, the importance of computer technology has become prevalent in states around the U.S.   

However, many schools are lax about teaching the basics of typing. Yes, kids these days are stereotypically known for spending SO much of their time with electronics. But should we really assume that just because kids may type a lot, that means that they're professionals? You can do things a million times over but do it wrong each time. Not to say that there’s a “wrong” to type, but there is a highly efficient way that would make typing easier, quicker, and more accurate. This technique is largely overlooked, though. The majority of people type whichever way they see fit. But in this case, self-directed learning may not be the best method when you're trying to get something done.

Now you must be wondering: will she ever reveal what this mysterious, valuable, life changing typing technique is? I will tell you -- that although it is quite valuable and life-changing for many people who live in a first-world country surrounded by technology, it's not very mysterious. Just a subject of extreme unawareness.

This technique is called touch typing.

Touch typing is the practice of using the home row of a QWERTY keyboard to type (the home row is the center row with A,S,D, etc.). People who touch type rest all of their fingers on the home row, and “divide” the keyboard in two, so that the left hand types only on the left half of the keyboard, and the right hand on the right side of the keyboard.

I know my instructions are vague -- but there are TONS of tutorials and lessons online to help anyone learn the simple guidelines of home row typing.

You must be wondering: if she's not here to actually teach us how to do touch typing, than what is she writing this for?

And I have an explanation for you.

I know just how incredibly HARD it is to go online, Google "touch typing", choose one of the many free online lessons (or just look at one of the images for a diagram), and  actively practice home row typing EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU HAVE TO TYPE SOMETHING (which we all know is incredibly rare).

But believe me - the results are worth it.

For one thing, by regularly practicing touch typing, your posture and overall joint and muscle health will be improved, as typing in home row enforces proper posture and placement.

Typing in home row also helps to focus on your work (or anything else) instead of focusing on your typing and accuracy, because with touch typing, every finger is assigned to certain keys. With enough practice using the proper technique, all the keys will be memorized, and your fingers will know exactly where each of their keys are, relieving your mind of the burden and allowing your focus to wander elsewhere.

Finally, touch typing has been proven to be two to three times faster than typing by habit. Instead of twenty words per minute, think of forty or even sixty words per minute. Also, when not using home row, it takes about thirty minutes to type up one page. Imagine being able to type up a page within ten or fifteen minutes instead.

So why settle for less than your best? Anyone can learn to touch type, and touch typing is much more quick and accurate in all cases.  This is a chance to make your life easier in work, at school, and just in daily life when using technology. With just a guideline of how to type in home row, and regular practice (which, I'll admit, is difficult to do without consistent usage of electronic devices), you can master the valuable technique of touch typing and be able to quickly and cleanly type your way through work.