As far as I know the 'default' print area is all the data, and once you have
changed the print area and saved the file you can not get it to go back to
the previous setting.
If you have problems with this or any other proceedure do try to remember to
save your file before you do the awkward bit and then you can go back to the
saved copy it it does not work.

You might find it easier to use the file, Print area, set print area method,
after first highlighting the area.
There are several ways to make this less tedious.

Put the icon for set print area in your toolbar.
1.  Tools, customise, commands tab
2. In the file category, about half way down the list is the set print area
icon and words.
3. Drag this to your tool bar area and drop it where you would like to see
it.

To highlight a large area click on one of the corners, hold down the shift
key on your keyboard.  Then with the scroll bars find the opposite corner of
the area, and click with your mouse on it (shift is still depressed).

If you have problems with the page break view you can easily move between
that and the normal view by putting the icons on your tool bar.
Tools, customise, commands tab
View category, and the pagebreak view & normal view are the first 2 in the
list, drag them to your toolbars.

Good luck,