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First Things First
Do you get frustrated by how little you have read in a certain amount of time? This usually happens when studying for an exam or proof-reading a report for your boss. You might blame your reading skills or the reading material for your slow pace but the real reason might be something completely different. It could be a factor you wouldn’t even consider as the cause- or you might just think it insignificant. But you will be surprised by how much your reading speed and pleasure can increase by doing some basic stuff and making just a few small changes. So here’s a list of things you should do before settling down to read- these will help make all other speed reading methods much more effective.
1. FIND OUT YOUR CURRENT READING SPEED
Unless you know your reading pace, you can not set goals for improving it. The easiest and obvious method to find out your reading speed is timing it. If you time your reading speed, you can know where you stand and you can work out reading speed goals for yourself. You can also easily compare your reading speed in different situations and monitor your progress. Following are a few tips for timing your reading speed:
- Fish out a book and a stopwatch and start reading. Evaluate yourself in terms of number of words you can read per minute.
- There are a number of great tools online for checking your reading speed and comprehension level. You can find out your per-minute rate and also answer some questions at the end of passages to find out how much you understand- and retain- when you read at that speed.
- Don’t cheat! We are all tempted to tell others (and even ourselves) that our reading speed is really fast but remember- in order to truly improve you need to find your current standing objectively. Time yourself reading at your normal speed.
- A good way to get a correct approximation of your speed is by reading different pages in a book and taking the average of the words you read per minute.
2. GET YOUR EYESIGHT CHECKED
Sounds funny? It isn’t when you really think about it. A lot of people are unaware of their weak eyesight and it plays a huge role in making them slow readers. It is also extremely difficult and unpleasant to read if you suffer from optical problems. Poor eyesight and dyslexia are just some of the conditions that could impede your reading speed. The only way to ensure you have great eyesight is to see a doctor. If you do have weak vision or suffer from some other condition, getting treatment for it will not only benefit your reading speed but, more importantly, your health.
3. CHOOSE THE RIGHT READING ENVIRONMENT
Don’t expect to set speed reading records if you are reading in uncomfortable or unpleasant environments. If possible, you should always choose to read in a quiet place that gives you a feeling of peace and freshness. Moreover, read in a properly-lit space as ample lighting is a must for the most productive reading sessions. Reading without disturbance is also essential. A lot of readers feel they are able to read better with music playing or when there are lots of people around. But the truth of matter is that the less the distractions around you, the more you will be able to concentrate on the material in front of you and the higher your reading speed. Turning off the TV and your cell phone is also a good idea. In fact, when you want to read, choose a solitary place that will protect you from any sort of disturbance. You will find that your have enhanced concentration, faster speeds and higher levels of understanding and retention.
