Five Strategies to Improve Reading Effectiveness
Here are five strategies to help you maximize your nonfiction reading time:
1) Learn to evaluate a book in advance.
The ability to “size up” a book before you dive in is an undervalued skill. Invest time reviewing the table of contents, scanning the chapters and reading the front and back matter. In this process, you’re determining whether you’ll read the book, how much time to spend with it and which chapters hold the most significance to you. Reminder: You don’t have to read every book at the same pace. See How to Read a Book for detailed instruction.
2) Clarify your objectives and purpose.
Before you start reading a book, determine your reasons for reading it. What’s your driving purpose for investing many hours with the book? What are you looking to learn? What are the questions you hope to answer? Determining your objectives and purpose in advance will help you stay focused on your task instead of aimlessly flipping from page to page. You can even write your objective in the front or back of the book.
3) Set the appropriate external conditions for effective reading.
If you read in bed before going to sleep, you’re conditioning your mind to link reading with sleeping. This is a surefire way to be an ineffective reader. If you want to make the most of your reading time, set up the conditions for effective reading: Find a well-lit, quiet area, keep your back straight and your head up, breathe deeply and use your finger to guide your eyes, if you find that beneficial.
4) Schedule reading time.
The best way to ensure productive reading time is to block off time in your busy day. Perhaps you can carve out an extra hour before work or in the evening.
5) Be willing to move on.
Most people never finish reading the books they start. If you’re an avid reader and are not consciously choosing to move on, you may have suppressed guilt about abandoning an unfinished book. Give yourself permission to move on if it doesn’t feel worth your time or go right to the chapter that seems most relevant to you.
Reading is a skill we often take for granted. Like any skill, there are always areas of improvement. You can transform your ability to learn by improving your reading effectiveness.
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