5 Common Typing Mistakes and How to Fix Them Today
You've been practicing typing, but your speed seems stuck. Sound familiar? Often, it's not about practicing more – it's about fixing habits that are holding you back. Here are the five most common typing mistakes and practical solutions to overcome them.
Mistake #1: Looking at the Keyboard
This is the most common bad habit and the biggest speed killer. Every time you look down, you break your rhythm and lose precious time.
Why It's a Problem:
- Breaks your typing flow
- Prevents muscle memory development
- Causes neck strain
- Doubles the time for each keystroke
How to Fix It:
The bold solution: Cover your keyboard with a cloth or use a blank keyboard cover. Yes, you'll make more mistakes initially, but this forces your brain to develop true muscle memory.
The gradual approach: Put a sticky note on your monitor saying "Don't look down!" – it sounds simple, but the visual reminder helps break the habit.
Mistake #2: Using the Wrong Fingers
Many self-taught typists develop their own finger patterns, often using just a few fingers. While this might feel comfortable, it creates a hard ceiling on your potential speed.
Why It's a Problem:
- Some fingers travel much farther than necessary
- Certain finger combinations become bottlenecks
- Uneven fatigue across hands
- Impossible to exceed 50-60 WPM consistently
How to Fix It:
Learn proper finger placement through our structured lessons. Yes, it means temporarily slowing down to relearn, but this investment pays off enormously. Each finger should have designated keys:
- Left pinky: Q, A, Z, 1, Tab, Caps Lock, Shift
- Left ring: W, S, X, 2
- Left middle: E, D, C, 3
- Left index: R, F, V, T, G, B, 4, 5
- Right index: Y, H, N, U, J, M, 6, 7
- Right middle: I, K, comma, 8
- Right ring: O, L, period, 9
- Right pinky: P, semicolon, slash, 0, brackets, Enter, Shift
Mistake #3: Sacrificing Accuracy for Speed
Trying to type faster than your current skill allows leads to more errors, which then require correction – ultimately making you slower, not faster.
Why It's a Problem:
- Correcting mistakes takes 2-3x longer than typing correctly
- Your brain learns the wrong patterns
- Creates frustration and bad habits
- Net WPM ends up lower than if you'd typed slower
How to Fix It:
Follow the 90% accuracy rule: Only increase speed when you can maintain at least 90% accuracy. If your accuracy drops below this, slow down until it recovers. Speed will naturally increase as accuracy becomes automatic.
Mistake #4: Poor Posture and Hand Position
Typing with your wrists resting on the desk, hunching over your keyboard, or typing at the wrong angle creates strain and slows you down.
Why It's a Problem:
- Wrist strain leads to slower, careful typing
- Poor posture causes fatigue
- Increases risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI)
- Limits finger mobility and speed
How to Fix It:
Set up an ergonomic typing position:
- Keyboard at elbow height
- Wrists floating above keyboard (not resting)
- Slight negative tilt (front higher than back)
- Screen at eye level
- Feet flat on floor
- Back straight with lumbar support
Mistake #5: Inconsistent Practice
Practicing intensively for one day then not at all for a week is far less effective than consistent daily practice.
Why It's a Problem:
- Motor skills decay without regular use
- Brain doesn't consolidate learning effectively
- Progress feels frustrating and random
- Bad habits creep back in during gaps
How to Fix It:
Commit to 15-20 minutes of focused practice daily. This is more effective than 2 hours once a week. Use our typing tests to make it easy:
- Morning: Take a 1-minute warm-up test
- Lunch: Practice with a 5-minute test
- Evening: Review your progress and do targeted practice
Bonus: Track Your Progress
One more mistake that holds people back: not measuring progress. Without data, you don't know what's working and what isn't.
Create a free account on OpenTyper to:
- Track your WPM over time
- Identify your problem keys
- See your accuracy trends
- Stay motivated with visible progress
Start Fixing These Mistakes Today
Pick one mistake to focus on this week. Once you've made progress, move to the next. Small, consistent improvements compound into dramatic results over time.
Ready to see where you stand? Take a free typing test right now and identify which mistakes might be holding you back!
