Ever wonder how you’ll get through all that reading?

Focus Newsletter, Winter 2007

Many of my clients, and I imagine most everyone else, has more reading than they’ll ever get to.

Many people have to read things for work or they want to read something to learn new information (or for fun) or they feel they should be reading it. While I address this issue with clients on several levels, I also encourage them to learn a few techniques to increase the speed of their reading in order to read as much as they can or as much as they want in a shorter period of time.

Before we get to the differences between what speed readers do and don’t do (from www.turboread.com) remember the first and most basic rule: be as selective and as realistic as possible about what you wish to read given the time you have. Know why you want to read it and know what you’re looking for. Don’t just read for discovery alone or you’ll collect everything under the sun, which is ok if you have all the time in the world… but that’s not typically the case.

What speed readers do:
Preview fast and accurately before reading for high concentration
Select their reading material carefully
Select their reading speed to suit the material
Read groups of words at a time
Use a pacer to help their eyes
Read at thinking speeds
Read important information at high concentration levels
Adapt and adjust their reading speeds WHILE reading
Remember information for longer by using mind patterns

What well-trained speed readers do NOT do:
Skip or skim read
Read everything that is presented to them
Read only in the precise order in which the information is presented
Fall asleep when they read
Listen to skeptics who think that reading is one area in which humans cannot possibly advance past 250 words per minute

So if you are really serious and really interested in what you’ve put aside to read, then make time to actually read it. If it should be defined as reference material, then get it out of the reading pile. It should be stored another way for future reference. Otherwise, let it go. It’s only getting in your way, making you feel guilty that you’re not reading it and you’re kidding yourself into thinking that you’re going to accomplish ALL that reading in the next week or so, plus everything else you need to do.

So make some decisions about what you read from week to week and think about ways to improve your reading skills so that you can read what you want and move on. Turboread.com is just one of many websites that can inspire you to take action. If you want to improve these skills, or any for that matter, don’t put it off. Someday starts today…