Thanks Steve. I on the other hand find Quick Apply is slower for me, it is the fact that I will have to type the name of the paragraph style, and for styles in a series (eg Subhead 1, Subhead 2, Subhead 3, etc), and to apply Subhead 3 for example, I would type the whole name, and don't forget I have to press "Ctrl+Enter" before I can use the Quick Apply. Compared it to setting shortcuts to Subhead 3 for example, I'd just press "Ctrl+3". It works except when the numeric pad doesn't wanna play this game. 
Thanks for the suggestion though. I'm a bit stressed about this because they went out of their way to get the compact keyboard + numeric pad, and now it doesn't even work with the software only I use. Sigh... there isn't a wholistic solution is there? It's either put up with shoulder/neck pain or stop using shortcuts. 
