Start of typing journey

The first computer appeared in our home about 20 years ago. It feels like it was in a completely different era—when the internet was for the privileged few, and hardly anyone had heard of workplace ergonomics. People certainly didn’t care about it, and the time spent in front of a computer was much shorter.

The very first crucial skill back then was learning how to type… If you could do that, you were good. But if you could type fast—you were SOMEONE. It was all about having the skill, not how well you did it. And let’s be honest—no one cared about typing style. What mattered was speed and looking at the screen. 🙂

Take a Moment to Reflect

I’d like you, dear reader, to think for a moment—when you first started using a computer, did you consider learning to type properly? If yes, that’s great—chances are the time you spent learning paid off a hundredfold.

But if, like me, you didn’t really care and just focused on typing and spending time in front of the screen—then you’re in the right place.

What About Others?

The paragraph above was based on my own experience. I decided to see how others approached this, and since I work in a large IT company where almost everyone spends their days at a computer, I had my own little test dataset.

The result was shocking—90% of people (myself included) do not type correctly. A huge portion of people use only three fingers on each hand. I’m convinced that their early days with computers were similar to mine—and I totally get them.

The 10% Curious Case

I was really curious about the 10% of people who type properly, so I simply asked them—I really wanted to meet these people. It turns out that none of them typed correctly from the start. They all learned this skill later on.

One phrase came up repeatedly:

“I went into IT and thought it would be worth learning to type properly, even though it was really hard after years of bad habits.”

Habit as a Side Effect

Typing habits, it turns out, were a side effect of computer use. Maybe at first it wasn’t a problem and was easy to ignore—just like caring for your back. Twenty years ago, nobody paid attention to that either.

But as time passed and screen time increased, the issue grew stronger. So much so that if people working in IT or anyone who spends their day typing doesn’t take care of their hands—they will be reminded by their fingers and hands when it’s too late.

The Rescue

Don’t worry! The very fact that you’re reading this means you’re not beyond hope. You’re likely already aware of the issue. Check back here regularly—I’ll try to help you fix this problem, just like I fixed mine.

But let me warn you—this won’t go away overnight. It’s a process you need to be prepared for. In my experience, the best thing you can do is learn to enjoy the journey. That way, you find satisfaction not just in reaching the goal, but also in the path that leads to it.

Summary

Here’s what I want you to remember from this post:

  • 90% of people type incorrectly.
  • If you spend half your day in front of a computer, take care of your hands—because they will start complaining eventually.

Homework

I recommend recording yourself while typing. Watching the video can teach you a lot about your typing habits. During normal typing, we don’t pay attention to our hands—we’re focused on the content.

You can find my QWERTY typing test at this link.

And you? Which group do you belong to—90% or 10%? Share in the comments!