Getting Smart With Speed Reading – Kirby Ingles

 

Speed Reading is a way for you to comprehend more and use your time more efficiently.

Have you dropped behind, reading a slide presentation after the presenter clicked the next slide?

Have you failed to make reading a habit as a result of past experiences?

Maybe you have reached a speed reading plateau.

Do you wish to increase your knowledge and be a conversation starter?

Do you feel like learning what schools and institutions never taught you about reading?

How Speed Reading Can Make You Focus

Speed reading is a powerful tool and life skill. You are barely using the gifts you have been given. Reading engages your eyes, ears, mouth and mind, so focus is a must, because you are doing many things at one time. Speed reading is not as much about speed and consumption, as it is about efficiency.

Rapid reading can help eliminate mind wandering and distractions and help you avoid losing focus on external factors around you. You may have to find an isolated place or use ear plugs. Focus is a must when speed reading, so settle down and be comfortable. The more you can concentrate the better reader you will be. The most important thing with speed reading is memory and concentration. Start early in the day when your mind is fresh and willpower is primed. With the right techniques and increased speed, you will sharpen and improve your comprehension.

He that loves reading has everything within his reach. – William Godwin

A Leader That Will Motivate You to Read

Authors have taken the time to compile decades of experience and knowledge in books for us, and their knowledge is out there for the taking. Their thoughts are crafted, organized and placed neatly on paper, bound together for you to easily consume. The power of reading and what you can learn from it are some of the most productive uses of time.

Speed reading makes reading less of a burden to consume information and helps you become more confident in your skills. The number one reason people do not read, it that it’s a chore. You might be a student or a professional who is required to read and research for hours each day, so anything extra may feel like a burden. Maybe you just want to reduce the effort or time it takes to read. Or, maybe there are so many good books you want to read, but it will take you years to consume at your current rate. Speed reading allows you to cut back on the amount of time you spend reading or may allow you to consume more information, more efficiently. President Theodore Roosevelt was an advocate of speed reading. Teddy could read 2-3 books each day, several newspapers and magazines, while presiding over a nation. He would flip 2-3 pages in a minute.  The man was very well-prepared and informed before each event. He was in sync with the nation’s pulse on current issues and public perception as well.

More Practice Makes Speed Reading Easy

Practice is the best way to get there. The more you read, the better your comprehension will be. You should implement strong strategies, practice regularly and read much, much more. You ought to make time each day for reading. A great way to begin is by finding short durations in the day, when you have a few spare minutes.

In last week’s post, I mentioned that after college, reading rates drop from 450 wpm to 300 wpm, because you are no longer consuming huge amounts of information. To keep your rate of speed and comprehension, you must dedicate at least 30 minutes of your day to be efficient. You may read even more than that, but this should be your intentional time to practice and evaluate yourself. Repetition is always key in building good, instinctive habits. New habits take time and focus, so keep reinforcing good behavior and it will become second nature.

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. – Joseph Addison

Challenge Yourself to Succeed in Speed Reading

Challenge yourself to read more difficult material. Selecting easy or non-challenging topics will limit your ability to improve. If you only run 3 miles at a 10 minute mile pace, that is all you are ever going to do. But, if you take pain to run that same 3 miles faster and beat your time, your state of fitness will begin to improve. Most runners understand that you must do speed work, hill training and other type of drills to improve your time. You just cannot do the same thing each time.

This being said, try new routines or methods that take you outside of your comfort zone. Your mind is a muscle that requires stimulation and challenge. I want you to give a thought to speed reading, as more of a habit than a challenge.

Next week, I will discuss how to pre-read, scan and skim, when you should, and how you should do it.