Content Page 9 Executives

Read in the right environment. Choose an environment that is suitable for reading. Readers are able to absorb texts faster when they are free from distractions. Turn off the television and radio. Tune out background chatter to relax and focus your mind.

Re-read a book you already know. Take a book you’ve read before and read it again. Start with an easy textbook, novel or other book you’ll enjoy reading. Your familiarity with the text helps your brain process information faster since it already knows which sentences to highlight. Repetitive reading improves your understanding of a text, and conditions your brain to read other types of materials faster.

Practice makes perfect. Speed reading is largely an acquired ability that requires discipline. Set aside 15-20 minutes a day to sharpen your skills. U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt began by reading groups of words and then lines as a whole. Later, he could read entire paragraphs and more at a glance. Give it time and patience, and you may be able to read faster than Roosevelt did!

Get familiar with a text’s structure. Some speed reading techniques apply to certain texts. Browse quickly through a text before reading it. Quickly skim the table of contents, the first and last paragraph of the book. This shapes an idea of what the material is about, which boosts your comprehension when you actually read it. Getting a general idea about what you are going to read is a highly effective way to read and comprehend something fast.

Take rests to maximize your performance. Soundway Speed Reading relies greatly on brain and eye performance. Take a 5-minute break every 45 minutes to an hour. This will rest your eyes and refresh your mind. Better yet, set yourself a goal i.e. read 10 pages in 30 minutes, and then have a glass of water and a short break. This will remarkably improve your productivity. Try it!