There’s nothing better than leaving the salon with a freshly manicured set of nails.
Once you sit down in front of the computer, though, you may not be feeling as enamored with your new look. Trying to type with long nails is no easy task.
We’re going to go over some tips and tricks on how to type effectively, even with a brand new manicure.
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ToggleType With Your Finger, Not Your Nail
Most of us are used to typing with the tips of our fingers. After a manicure, it might only seem natural to switch to the edge of the nail.
However, doing this can put unnecessary stress on both fake and real nails. Not only is it uncomfortable, but it can increase your risk of chipping or cracking the paint.
Instead, try switching to the pads of your fingers when typing with long nails. You’ll avoid putting any pressure on the nail itself and give yourself a wider point of contact. Doing this will keep your manicure safe and your fingers comfortable.
You may find that your typing speed slows a little bit, but with practice, you’ll learn to type quickly and effectively.
Change Your Hand Position
Many of us keep our hands close to the keyboard when we type. Some even prefer to rest their wrists on the desk underneath for greater control and stability. With fake nails, however, this sort of hand positioning can be uncomfortable and cumbersome.
You may have to learn to place your hands differently than you’re used to if you want to type with fake nails.
It helps to hold them slightly higher over the keyboard so that you’re able to glide in every direction without any trouble. Instead of resting your wrists, allowing them to hover just a few inches off the board.
By holding your hands above the keyboard rather than at an angle, you make it easier to hit keys with the pads of your fingers. You also decrease the risk of your nail getting snagged or damaged.
Be careful how you hold your hands when typing, as awkward positions may increase your risk of developing complications like carpal tunnel. It’s especially important for those with long nails to take care that they protect their wrists during typing.
Be sure to take frequent breaks from tying, especially if your wrist begins feeling sore or uncomfortable. There are certain stretches and hand exercises that you can do each day to reduce your risk of developing carpal tunnel symptoms.
Choose the Right Nail Shape
Manicures come in all shapes and sizes, from a natural French style to decked-out artificial nails. While the color and accent scheme might not matter, the shape of your nails can have a significant impact on typing.
If you’re constantly tapping away on your phone or keyboard, you should forego any sharp or pointed edges. These styles not only increase your risk of hurting yourself, but they’re more likely to get damaged or caught in the keyboard.
Instead, when you go in for your next manicure, opt for a flat or rounded nail. A square or oval edge is much easier to deal with when typing than a sharp one. It will also make other daily tasks such as getting dressed or preparing food much easier.
Opt for Shorter Styles
Just like there are plenty of different edges to choose from, manicures also come in different lengths. You can find manicures that barely crest the tip of the finger, while others can include long acrylic tips that nearly double nail length.
If you know that you’ll have to type with your manicure, it’s best to choose something short enough to handle. This doesn’t necessarily mean limiting yourself to traditional manicures or natural nails.
You can still treat yourself to acrylics or extensions if you like the look. Just remember to keep them under just a few millimeters long for easier typing.
Go for Accuracy Over Speed
With long nails, it can be difficult to type with both speed and accuracy. If you have to sacrifice one over the other, it’s best to reduce your typing speed in favor of fewer typos.
While it may feel like you’re losing productivity, rushing will only result in more mistakes. It also increases the likelihood that you damage or break a nail.
Go slow, especially if you’re just getting used to a new set of nails. Try to ensure that you hit each key accurately without your nail knocking against the keys around it.
Though it may take longer at first, you’ll save time in the long run. You won’t have to worry about going back and editing multiple typos each time you want to send an email.
Get the Right Keyboard Setup
Not all keyboards are created equal. Some styles work better for people with long nails than others, and it can make a world of difference in terms of speed, accuracy, and overall productivity.
If you find yourself struggling to type even with practice, it may be because you’re working with the wrong keyboard setup.
If you have long nails, the most important thing to look for in a keyboard is key spacing. If the keys are cramped and close together, you increase your likelihood of accidental hits.
You’re more likely to see typos in your work and more likely to chip or damage your nails as you type.
Some keyboards offer additional spacing between each key to reduce the risk of unwanted contact. This type of keyboard is often marketed towards people with large hands or bulky fingers, but they work equally well for those of us with long nails.
You can also find keyboards with oversized keys to make typing easier. This style of keyboard is designed to improve accuracy for those with visual or fine motor impairments.
Large keys also happen to be ideal for people with long nails. It’s easier to hit each key accurately with the pad of your finger and avoid striking the nail.
If you have trouble with your fingers slipping during typing, you may want to look into no-slip keyboards. These models have a textured coating on each key to keep fingers in place. Not only do you reduce the risk of typos but also nail damage from bumps and snags.
Use a Stylus
These days, not all typing is done on a traditional keyboard. Many of us have to type out daily texts and emails on our phones or tablets. For most of us, this means dealing with a tiny, touchscreen keyboard.
It can be virtually impossible to type on a phone screen, even without acrylics in play. While T9 and text-to-speech capabilities can help, they’re not a reliable alternative to accurate typing, especially in the workplace.
Typing with the tip of your nail can damage your manicure and may even scratch your phone screen. However, using the pad of your finger is just as unwieldy and often results in confusing typos.
If you have long nails, you may want to invest in a stylus for your touchscreen devices. This is a pen-like device designed to replace your finger when typing on a touchscreen using a pointed tip. It’s much more accurate, and in many cases, easier to use than your own finger.
You can find a wide variety of styluses to suit any lifestyle, from compact options you can store in your wallet to those that mimic an actual pen.
Always check that a stylus is compatible with your device. If you’re unsure, you can find universal styluses designed to work with any electronic touchscreen device.
Practice Makes Perfect
If you’re new to long nails, you may find that typing is no longer effortless. It takes some time to get used to typing with long nails. You may have to adjust your typing style or habits as you pass over the learning curve.
As with anything, learning to type with long nails takes practice. Don’t get frustrated if you find yourself too slow or too inaccurate for your tastes. With patience, you’ll improve both your speed and accuracy over time.
Just remember that it takes regular practice and no small amount of dedication to master. If you sit down and type with your new nails every day, you’re bound to see improvement in as little as a week.
For those still having trouble improving their typing skills, long nails may only be a small part of the equation. The best way to type quickly and accurately is to learn touch typing.
In simple terms, this means knowing how to type without looking down at your keyboard. Touch typing will give you the muscle memory you need to position your fingers properly and hit each key with precision.
In Conclusion
Typing with long nails isn’t easy, but it’s far from impossible. With practice, you can type quickly and accurately so that you don’t have to sacrifice style for productivity.
Whether you’re on your phone or the computer, these tips and tricks can help you learn how to type when you have long nails.
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