Have you ever tried to be in a fast-paced conversation, meeting, or lecture and wished you could catch every word? What if you could take notes in seconds and never miss any important points? This is the beauty of shorthand typing: the ability to take notes at the speed of sound and write down full statements in two or three keystrokes.
The best part is that you do not have to enrol in a formal class to learn it and spend extra time learning. Fortunately, if you dedicate a little time to it every day, you can learn shorthand typing from the comfort of your home. So, are you ready to jump into this skill of the future? Here are ten tips for beginners on how to learn shorthand typing at home!
1. Choose a Right Shorthand System
First, you must choose the right shorthand system based on your requirements. There are multiple shorthand systems, each with its own styles and symbols. Some popular systems include Gregg Shorthand, Pitman Shorthand and Teeline Shorthand. Each one has advantages and disadvantages, so you might want to spend some time testing each one with the chosen one.
2. Start With Basic Symbols and Abbreviations
Start with Symbols and Abbreviations: The first step in the journey of learning shorthand is to get yourself familiar with basic outlines, rules, symbols, short forms, and phrases. Like Gregg and Pitman, most shorthand systems include lines, curves and dots representing a word or word group. When practising shorthand on a keyboard, spell out popular abbreviations. So, instead of saying “and,” use “&”; instead of saying “with,” you can just type “w/.”. Here is a short form from the Pitman Shorthand Book:
One way to practice is to make a list of frequent words, together with their abbreviation symbols. Get into the groove of snipping certain words every time you write or type these symbols.
3. Practice Daily for Consistency
Shorthand is a skill like any other in the world and can be sharpened, but only with practice. If you want to be an expert in shorthand skills, you must spend only a few minutes a day practising shorthand. Therefore, for beginners, it is necessary to remember every outline, symbol, and short-form; it is only done with daily practice with a minimum of 60 minutes a day. Begin with short sentences using as many symbols and abbreviations as possible.
A great idea is to take 60 minutes a day to learn some shorthand from something you read in a day. This practice creates muscle memory and makes the symbols more readily available when you need them.
4. Focus on Commonly Used Words and Phrases
Shorthand skill shall improve when you focus on commonly used words and phrases daily. You must recognize these words and make short symbols in your shorthand notebook.
For example, the words meeting, schedule, project, and deadline are commonly used in a business, so it makes sense to abbreviate them and practice daily for a minimum of 60 minutes.
Create a compiled list of your 20 most frequent words and phrases. Familiarity with these common words will bolster your learning by a mile, words will be a breeze to recall, and symbols to jots will flow easily into your pen when needed.
5. Use Technology to Aid Learning
There are plenty of apps and websites available today that are aimed at helping you learn shorthand, such as shorthandtips.com. Some are like shorthand system tutorials, while others are for typing practice. Furthermore, countless platforms provide games and exercises that make learning more interactive.
6. Set Realistic Goals for Progress
Setting realistic goals is key if you hope to find the motivation and get results. Instead of trying to learn everything at once, set small milestones for yourself to achieve. For example:
Week 1: Learn 10 symbols and Write Short Sentences using symbols.
Week 2: 20 symbols, speed building using symbols and phrases you have learned.
Week 3: Transcription of simple texts and speed-up practice
Remember that your intention is to improve, not to be perfect. By practising in this way, you will see after 2-3 months, you will rock!
7. Focus on Accuracy Before Speed
In the start, accuracy is more important than speed. Therefore, when practising, just be aware that you should not be concerned about the speed; you just have to concentrate more on the symbols so your speed is not compromised. Familiarity with the symbols leads to speed as a consequence.
Write the symbols using an exercise that allows for slow, clear practice of each. Eventually, this slow movement will reward you with a decreased need to stop and think, and you can write/type faster.
8. Practice Transcribing Real Conversations or Speeches
After you have become proficient with simple shorthand, practice transcribing short conversations, podcasts, or speeches. This is a terrific way to practice both speed and comprehension! Begin with something simple, such as TED Talks or a favourite podcast and write the key ideas in shorthand.
Take notes in the form of keywords, not every single word. So instead of writing out a whole sentence — for example, “The project deadline is next Monday,” you might abbreviate it into key points using shorthand expressions — e.g., “proj dlne Mon.”
9. Use Visualization to Reinforce Memory
Imagining symbols in your head is a good way to memorize them. Whenever you find a common word or phrase, visualize its shorthand character. This reinforces the association between the word and its symbol, allowing you to recall it when needed.
You could make flashcards with the word on one side and the shorthand symbol on the other. Go through these regularly to help recall. However, this type of mental exercise creates robust links, which allows you to rely on the shorthand more instinctively.
10. Keep a Shorthand Notebook
You keep a shorthand notebook or computer file for new words, symbols, and phrases. This will be a place to write down everything you learn, as well as to write down any other symbols you create.
You will review this often, and it will serve as your best reference guide throughout your practice. It may also be a guidebook for tracking your progress and encouragement when you feel you have too far to go; just look back and see how far you have come.
Final Thoughts
Shorthand typing from home can benefit and has real-time use in professional and personal life. However, by starting with simple symbols, selecting a suitable system, and practising regularly, you will soon have a firm footing in shorthand. Practice makes a man perfect, but it takes time to recover from negativity if you make a mistake in your train of thought. So, accuracy comes before speed, practice, practice. With practice, commitment, and these actionable tips, you will be typing faster with less effort in no time.
So, why wait? Begin your shorthand journey now, and do your typing and notetaking at record rates!
