Is Touch Typing Worth the Effort for Professionals?
Many professionals wonder if the effort of learning touch typing is worth it, especially when their current typing speed is already close to 70 WPM (words per minute).
Touch Typing: A Faster, More Efficient Method
Touch typing is a technique that involves typing without looking at the keyboard. This method enhances your typing speed and efficiency by eliminating the time and attention spent deciding which key to press. If you can already type at 80 WPM without looking at the keyboard, you might find that touch typing doesn't offer as much additional value. However, the advantages of touch typing extend beyond mere speed.
Beyond Speed: The Benefits of Touch Typing
Primarily, touch typing is about freeing your brain to focus on the text rather than the keyboard. This can provide a sense of peace and productivity. In my experience, this has been particularly beneficial over the years, as I've worked on various keyboards with different key layouts. As age may affect touch typing, I still manage to touch-type on my MacBook Pro. Although this is a full-sized laptop, I keep an extra Bluetooth keyboard as a backup for any issues, like the malfunctioning right forward arrow key.
The Quantifiable Advantage
To illustrate the benefits, consider this: Handwriting a three-page paper vs. typing it on a word processing software. Adding an extra page to each paper and ensuring readability, typing is significantly faster and more efficient than handwriting. This example highlights how touch typing can streamline your workflow and improve your productivity.
When is Touch Typing Necessary?
Whether touch typing is worth the effort depends on your profession and goals. For professions like secretaries, stenographers, journalists, or editors who are working to tight deadlines, touch typing can be a highly beneficial skill. Even for programmers or scientists, while typing fast is important, the need for touch typing is less critical.
It's essential to assess whether your current typing speed is holding you back in your professional and personal life. If it is, taking steps to improve your typing skills can be a significant advantage. In summary, while learning touch typing may not be necessary for everyone, it can undoubtedly provide significant benefits in certain contexts.