Doing this will provide you with a database of references that your can use in the future, which also helping you to commit the ideas to memory.The last thing Evelyn Wood, the matriarch of speed-reading, expected in 1961 was for somebody to call her a fraud. Then once you've finished the book, go back to these highlighted sections and use them to make a 200-300 word summary of the book. Use a highlighter while you're reading (or just dog-ear entire pages) to highlight important concepts or ideas.

Highlight important information and write summaries.

As a simple example, linking the French word heureux (which means happy) to a pleasant memory where you experienced feelings of happiness might help you to remember the word more easily. Linking complex ideas to a personal experience, memory or emotion will help you to access the information more easily.

Link concepts in the book to things you already know.

While the major solution to this problem is to become a more active and engaged reader, there are several more specific techniques you can try. One of the major issues people have when they begin to read faster is that they have difficulty absorbing and retaining the information they come across. This will save you time and be more beneficial in the long run. Try to read about 10% of every book you pick up and if you find it's not working for you put it down and move on to a different book. Many books are poorly written or don't do a good job of explaining advanced concepts.

Related to this, you should not feel bad about abandoning a book that you're not enjoying or learning anything from.

This may go against your nature as a reader, but it will save you time while also helping you to maintain interest in what you're ready. If you're reading something like a memoir or historical account, it's fine to skip over the parts you're not interested in reading about.

This also goes for things that you're not interested in.

This will give you a pretty good idea of what the text contains and allow you to decide whether its worth the time investment.

You can decide which sections are worth reading by skimming the text for key words or reading the first sentence of each paragraph.

If you're trying to improve your reading speed, you should get used to the idea of skipping over information you already know or understand, as reading these sections will provide you with little additional value. Try clicking a pen, tapping on the table, chewing something, or jiggling your legs.

You might also prefer to be moving to keep you focused while you read.

You can buy a standing desk or make your own by stacking stable boxes on top of each other.

You might find it more comfortable to stand while you read.

You can also lay on the couch or in a hammock.

If you like to sit down, use a comfortable seat or even a beanbag chair.

You can also use a white noise machine or play soothing sounds like rain or waves. If you find it uncomfortable to sit in total silence, try putting on some quiet music that you’ve heard before, so you’re not distracted by new lyrics or rhythms.You can also use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones. If you prefer a quiet environment, try getting away from the TV, music, and conversation.Beyond just finding a good reading spot without distractions or loud noises, experiment with what kinds of atmospheres work best for you personally to find the perfect reading spot. Many people are slow readers simply because they are attempting to read in an inappropriate environment.

X Research sourceĬreate the right reading atmosphere for your needs. In addition, you need to decide if the information is important enough to reread - if you have grasped the basic concept of a sentence or paragraph (even if you haven't absorbed each individual word) then reading it again is a waste of time.To overcome this, you need to ensure that you are really concentrating the first time round - reading should be an active activity, not a passive one - so engaging with the material from the get-go will prevent you from having to reread anything. Others regress because they feel that they haven't really grasped the meaning of the text the first time around.You can avoid this by using a pointer to mark your place as you read - whether it's your finger, a pen or an index card. Some people regress because they lose their place in the text and go back to the beginning of the page or paragraph in order to find it again.Obviously, this adds a lot of unnecessary time onto your reading, without necessarily improving your understanding of the material. Regression is the practice of reading the same sentence or section two or three times over, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

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