How to Type Without Looking

With the importance of computers in society, it becomes more and more necessary to quickly and proficiently type. Typing is a skill children now learn in elementary school, but what about adults? Hunting and pecking can only take you so far. The fastest user of the hunt and peck method is no match for the traditional typer. The ability to place your hands onto a keyboard and type up to 90 words per minute without looking down is priceless. If you want to learn how to begin typing without looking down, follow these steps.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Place the four fingers of each hand (index, middle, ring, and pinky) on the home row. Your index finger on your left hand should rest on the "F," while the right index finger rests on the "J." The other fingers fall in place beside them, while your thumbs rest on the space-bar. You should feel a small bump on each index finger. Some keyboards have them on the middle fingers instead. These bumps are designed to help you find your home row.

2. Look up at the computer, remove your hands from the keyboard, and try to find home row again. Practice this over and over, looking at the monitor. Do not move on until your fingers have mastered the location.

3. Locate a box wide enough to cover the entire keyboard, and high enough for you to easily fit your hands inside. Cut one of the longest sides entirely off of the box. Place this box tent over your keyboard with the open side facing you. Place your hands inside and locate home row. Now you will learn how to type without the temptation of looking down.

4. Start with the pinky of your left hand and press down they key. Then move to your ring finger, middle finger, and index finger of your left hand. Explore the letter each finger will make. Then, do the same on your right hand.

5. Reach your index finger on one hand up and to the right on the keyboard. Then have it explore up and to the left. Do this on both hands, memorizing each letter. The middle fingers on each hand extend directly above each other to press the "E" and the "I." The ring and pinky fingers also extend above themselves to press one letter. Practice this.

6. Curl your right index finger down to the left and right to press the "N" and "M." Practice curling your middle, ring and pinky fingers on your right hand down to the right to press their one character each.

7. Reach the left index finger down and over to the right quite a bit. This is the letter "B." This finger also presses the "V" which is a bit closer than the "B." The remaining fingers on the left hand press their one designated letter down and to the right. Practice this several times.

8. Grab a children's book and try typing the words. Children's books tend to be repetitive. Repetitiveness is what you need while your fingers learn the ropes. Practice, success and failure will all get you to your final goal of typing quickly without looking at your fingers.

Tips & Warnings

• Each step should be mastered before moving to the next. This could take days or it could take hours. Move at your own pace
• Don't revert back to hunting and pecking because you are quicker. Eventually you will gain speed with "home row typing."