In our day-to-day lives we read a lot. And some of us would like to read a lot more. Often it’s time that restricts us, or perhaps the strain on our eyes.
For many freelancers and contractors the ability to read quickly and efficiently can be vital. It can be the difference between gleaning an important piece of information and remaining in a soon-to-be unblissful state of ignorance.
The ability to read quickly and efficiently is an easily overlooked adult skill.
###Know what you want to read
Before you begin reading a piece of text, ask yourself what you want to get from it. By knowing what it is you need, or want, to understand you can skip past the bits which are irrelevant to you.
###Read in blocks not single words
People often make the mistake of reading material word-by-word rather than by group of words. This is a habit which many adults have continued since their childhood. Though this might have been useful for our miniature selves, our older (perhaps craggier) selves can do a lot better.
Get into the habit of reading in blocks by practicing and recording your reading speed. And remember: certain words such as ‘and’, ‘or,’ ‘rather’ etc can be largely skipped past.
Over time, try to increase the size of your block. Of text.
###Practice… and take a speed test
The knowledge of what constitutes good reading practice doesn’t mean that you will automatically do it. Instead you must practice until it becomes instinctive. If you need to monitor your progress you can do so via a speed test.
To monitor your speed you’ll need the following equation:
*Calculate the time spent reading in seconds (multiply the number of minutes by 60 and add any extra seconds on top).
*Divide the number of seconds by the total number of words read.
*Round the number you’ve come to.
*Then multiply by 60 and you should have your words per minute total.
###Don’t regress
One problem that the inefficient reader will have is that of regression. They will tend to read passages they’ve already read. That suggests a lack of focus which is more likely to occur when people take longer than they need to read.
A useful method of bringing this habit to a halt is to put a piece of paper over the material you’ve just read. If someone suggests you’re the office dunce, offer them a speed-reading race.
###Summary
Ultimately, the faster you are able to read, the more time you can free up. It can help you reduce eye-strain and make you a far more productive and effective reader.
