Typing fast does not always equate to typing accurately. Often, we find ourselves aggressively typing away, seemingly in the zone, only to realize later that we have to go back and fix spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and other grammatical errors.
Correcting these typing errors is tedious and wastes a lot of time. Fortunately, there are ways to help us type fast AND accurately at the same time.
But why do we make typing mistakes in the first place? We know how words are spelled, which punctuations to use, and even the basic rules of grammar. Why can’t we seem to avoid typing errors? It’s all about focus, self-training, and having the right tools.
Why Typing Errors Happen
Incorrect finger positioning on the keyboard. Typing mistakes happen when you haven't aligned your fingers to their correct positions or haven't mastered letter locations on the keyboard.
Looking at the keyboard. If you keep glancing at the keyboard as you type, you are bound to make time-wasting errors along the way.
Distractions. When your mind is not 100% focused on your typing task, typing errors are bound to happen. Pay attention to your current task so you can align your keystrokes with whatever ideas are on your mind.
Rushing and focusing on speed. Even experienced touch typists will make mistakes when they rush their tasks. Those who are always racing against the clock are more likely to make multiple typing errors along the way because they're too focused on just finishing up.
Relying too much on spell check apps. When you have spelling and grammar checking apps activated, it's easy to no longer mind what you're typing. You believe that the tool will fix everything for you. Unfortunately, many spell-checking software are not as thorough, resulting in missed typos and, ultimately, sloppy work.
5 Ways Avoid Mistakes When Typing
Typing errors can be prevented with the right work mindset and productivity tools. Here are some tips that have helped many get a handle on typing errors.
1. Focus on quality, not speed.
Condition yourself to type accurately first; the speed will come later. The repetition will eventually train your brain and your hands to strike the correct keys. It's better to be accurate now so you can continue typing with ease than to waste time later by going back to your text later and correcting spelling mistakes.
2. Train your hands and your brain to pay attention.
Muscle memory comes from doing the same manual tasks repeatedly, so it pays to practice — and to do so the right way. You can avoid typing errors in the future by mastering the home row position on your keyword, where your left fingers are on the A, S, D, and F keys and the right fingers are on the J, K, L, and ; keys. This is the optimal position that allows you to access all tiles on your keyboard without having to lift your entire hand off.
3. Proper posture.
There is an ideal sitting position to optimize your typing speed and accuracy. If you're not sure what this means, here's a checklist that might help.
Sit up straight with your spine upright and feet firmly planted on the ground.
Keep your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
Keep the top of your screen's monitor at eye level and at a distance of at least 45 cm from your eyes.
You can rest your wrists on the table surface before your keyboard, but don't rest your weight on them.
4. Be in the right environment.
Distractions can keep you away from getting #1 and #2 done, so find a spot where you can freely work without being distracted by other people, sights, or events. If you are unable to find a conducive work location, plugging noise-cancelling earphones in –– and maybe playing some classical music in the background –– can help you focus.
5. Get the right productivity software.
There are many types of productivity and typing software that promise to help you work faster and more efficiently, but having several of them at the same time can also take your energy and attention away from your tasks. Real-time text prediction software like Lightkey saves you the trouble of having to jump from one productivity tool to another by offering all the features you need to take your typing skills to the next level.
Avoid Typos and Get Your Writing Done Seamlessly With Lightkey
AI-powered Lightkey not only checks your spelling and grammar in real-time, but it can also provide content recommendations up to 12 words ahead based on your previous content and typing patterns. Unlike most other tools that make corrections retroactively, Lightkey's real-time editing capabilities allow you to continue typing with minimal pauses and stops. This way, not only do you finish your task on time but also ensure that your output is crisp and clean.
Lightkey has a free edition that you can start exploring now to up your typing skills and help you avoid typing errors in the future. Remove correcting typing errors from your list of to-dos by installing Lightkey Free software now as well as the Lightkey Google Chrome extension.