Today marks the Week 2 review of my “learning how to type faster in 30 days” journey, and I have to say, I have come a long way.
Only 10 days left in the challenge, and right now, I’m feeling proud… and fast (lol)! It’s not just that my typing speed has increased—I feel like my fingers are gliding over my laptop keyboard. I can think faster and write almost simultaneously, with no lag between thought and action.
80 WPM is the Sweet Spot!
When I started this challenge, my main goal was simple: to type faster. But as I’ve progressed, I’m wondering why I didn’t start this journey sooner. I’m beginning to realize that a typing speed of 80 WPM is essential for anyone working and writing online. It’s more than enough to write as fast as I think, capturing ideas seamlessly.
Faster typing = clearer thoughts. While the time saved is a benefit, what I value most is the clarity it brings. I can think and type without feeling drained or hitting mental roadblocks. The words come naturally, almost as if I’m just thinking out loud.
Progress from Day 1 to Day 20
Let’s take a look at my progress over the past 20 days and then from Week 1 to Week 2:
Starting Typing Speed (Day 1): 58 WPM
Current Typing Speed (Day 20): 77 WPM with 92% accuracy
That’s a 32.76% improvement since Day 1, with an average daily improvement rate of approximately 1.64%.
Now let’s see the weekly typing speed results:
Week 1 review = 73 WPM.
Week 2 review = 77 WPM.
I know it’s only a 2 WPM increase over the last 10 days, but there’s more to this than just the numbers. In those 10 days, I focused heavily on accuracy. Without accuracy, you’re not really saving time—you’re just burning it on corrections. I want speed with accuracy, and now, I’m consistently hitting 70 WPM with minimal mistakes.
The “Type Fast and Slow” Method
One breakthrough I made was discovering that I was struggling on certain words while flying through like a bazooka on others. Instead of pushing for speed across the board, I developed a technique I call “Type Fast and Slow.”
Here’s how it works:
- When I encounter a “hard word,” I consciously slow down.
- Once I complete the tricky word, I speed up again on the easier, more familiar words.
This simple strategy 10Xed my typing speed. It allowed me to find a rhythm between precision and speed.
Here’s what I wrote right before setting a new record:
“I need to slow down on the difficult words and speed up on the ones I feel confident about. This is high score time!”
I felt incredibly confident and even recorded a 5-minute session to capture the moment. I knew I was about to set a new personal best.
The Euphoria of Flow—and the Pitfall
Typing at this level feels like euphoria. It’s easy to get lost in it, almost like what Ayrton Senna described when he was racing in the 1988 Monte Carlo Grand Prix. He mentioned reaching a point where he was no longer conscious of his driving; he was just going.
But then, the radio crackled, telling him he was too fast and far ahead. The interruption broke his trance and bam, Senna hit the wall and he lost the race.
That’s what happens to me sometimes. I’ll be typing away, hitting speeds of 120 WPM for the first few words, slipping into a flow state… then suddenly, my mind “radio” clicks on, telling me to slow down. It’s almost like my mind is playing tricks, breaking the momentum.
Its as strange as it is to write for me but that’s the only way I can explain this.
Milestones Reached:
Day 01: Started at 58.67 WPM
Day 03: Reached 60 WPM for the first time
Day 07: Switched to https://monkeytype.com/ for testing
Day 10: Achieved 73 WPM with 93% accuracy
Day 16: 75 WPM with 90% Accuracy
Day 20 (today): 77 WPM with 92% Accuracy
The Final Stretch: 10 Days to Go
With only 10 days left, I’m confident that I’ll hit the 80 WPM sweet spot. This journey has been both challenging and exhilarating—exactly what I thrive on.
The countdown begins. Let’s see where this journey takes me.
