HACKER Q&A
📣 83457

Using non-dominant hand for mouse and dominant for note taking?


I like to have a notepad beside me while I work to keep lists and notes. However, the mouse and notepad often compete for space, even with a compact keyboard, and I end up not note taking as much as I might otherwise. I also prefer a mouse when possible over a touchpad, when something can't be done with keyboard at least. I recently noticed that a left handed coworker who used the mouse on right would keep perfect notes and todo lists with left hand without having to even put down her pencil/pen to click around.

Do any right-handers here use left hand for mouse in order to take notes more easily with right hand? Seems like such a simple idea but I had never considered it before.


  👤 matt_the_bass Accepted Answer ✓
I switch mouse hands throughout the day to reduce arm stress. A little practice goes a long way, quickly.

👤 mmerlin
I am right handed but 20 years ago swapped mouse to left hand due to right hand temporary injury.

Took a few months of practice to feel natural and after my right hand was 100% again I decided to keep using left hand for mouse ever since.

It is handy leaving my right hand free for note taking.


👤 sloaken
I changed a number of years ago, because my right wrist and elbow hurt all the time. I use a trackball with the ball on top. Key thing I had to do was switch the buttons.

At work I still keep a conventional mouse (right side, buttons normal), for when others want to show me something on my computer.


👤 _ah
Severe RSI forced me to learn mousing with my non-dominant hand. Now I am "ambimoustrous" and switch back and forth throughout the day. When I start a new job, the first thing I request is a second mouse so that I have one available at all times on both sides of the keyboard and can switch easily.

👤 samizdis
Right-handed, but use trackpad with left if using pen/pencil to take notes (well, doodle). Usually use a mouse rather than trackpad when not holding a pen, but my left-handed mouse skills are terrible. I have tried, but l-h trackpad works for me.

👤 gshdg
I also mostly mouse non-dominant because of RSI. Took less than a day to get to 75% capability, and about a week to 98%.

Now I’m just as good with a mouse lefty as righty except for a few things like drawing. Which may just be a matter of practice.


👤 drl42
You can get a split keyboard (eg Kinesis Freestyle 2) and put a notepad in between.