Reading is a skill that everyone can agree is essential. It is something you should be doing every day. However, however, it can be time-consuming. Wouldn’t it be useful to read faster? In this post, I will be sharing some lessons that you can use to improve your reading speed.
6 ways to read faster
1. Use a pointer
This tip is so great because you can literally implement it immediately. When you use your finger as a pointer you can get through the page much faster. The reason for this is that your finger travels faster than your eye on a page. Your eye can get distracted. By following through with your finger you are telling your eyes were to focus on the page.
2. Read… a lot
This may seem obvious. Like any skill you get better the more, you do it. So if you’re reading a book every once in a while, you probably won’t see much improvement. However, if you are spending hours a day reading, you will improve. Even without any added external factors.
3. Read without sub-vocalizing
I’m sure you can remember, when we were younger and we learned to read, we spoke the words out loud. Now as fully grown adults we don’t do that anymore because it slows down our reading. However, for most of us this has still followed on, except we don’t vocalize the words, instead, we sub-vocalize. Doing that actually slows down our reading speed, since that extra step takes time. The next time you read, try just reading in your head.
4. Start with easier material
When actively trying to improve your reading speed it might be a good idea to start with material that is easy, therefore that way you can improve your abilities quicker. Starting with something daunting like a physics textbook might put you off and just get you to abandon the whole process altogether.
Once your skills begin to improve the easier material, you will find that you are much better equipped to deal with the complex material. You will find that you have developed a good foundation where you can get a lot of information quickly and efficiently.
5. Read interesting material
Read something you enjoy. If you read something you enjoy you are much more likely to put the time in and the more time you put in the better you will be at reading. Like the 2nd point states, when it comes to reading, like any other skill, quantity will allow you to progress and improve as fast as possible.
6. Have a positive attitude
If reading seems like a chore to you, then you are less likely to follow through with it and do it every day. Which like we discussed is an essential step to teaching yourself to read faster. Your attitude towards reading should be positive, you should be excited to pick up that book and have the opportunity learn something new, be entertained or to simply expand your horizons. The subject of the book doesn’t even matter that much. If you approach a topic with a positive mind, and a willingness to give it a go, then the whole process will seem much easier for you.