How to read faster – and understand what you've read

There are kind of a lot of great books to read in a lifetime, and as someone with a huge list of must-read material, I sometimes wish I could turn the pages a little faster. If you're also wondering how to read faster, you're lucky now.

I spoke to two experts about how to speed up reading to see more books and articles without sacrificing understanding, so you can still get all the great benefits that reading has to offer. What we're going to mention here are not suggestions for becoming an authentic quick reader (which requires you to be able to read 700 words per minute – oh dear!). Instead, we're looking for tried and true ways to help you finish more of the best books during the time periods that you normally have to read. Ultimately, speeding up reading can help you learn something new every day or even learn how to be more discerning in less time.

1. Avoid what distracts you and decreases your concentration

What's the difference between sitting down reading a book in a quiet home and starting to read a new novel while sitting in an open runway with a loud basketball game at high school? Your surroundings!! Yes of course. It's that and also your ability to focus.

Fleming's first advice for reading faster is geared towards addressing distractions in the surrounding environment. "Reducing the sounds and visual objects in your surroundings gives your brain more energy to focus on the written material," she explains.

So the next time you want to deal with a pile of material that you should read or want to make up for missing out on the required readings before a class, head to as quiet a place as possible. Libraries are an ideal reading environment, but even a corner table in a crowded café can do the trick if you're turning away from the activities and putting some noise-cancelling headphones on your ears.

2. Do a general scan of text first

Before embarking on a speedy reading adventure, quickly erase the text," says Anson. "Look for headings, subheadings, bold phrases, and any visual hint that gives you a roadmap."

By giving your brain a first look at the subject, Anson says, you can reduce the time you spend dealing with surprising information, and the result is faster reading in less time.

This advice applies primarily to academic texts, but it can be a useful strategy for reading any piece of writing that talks about facts or contains instructions, from books with non-fiction topics to news articles. In fact, you'll find that following the headings and subheadings in this article will provide you with the necessary guidance throughout your quest for reading acceleration.

3. Focus on keywords

This tip to speed up reading is directly related to the previous one. When you do a general survey of text (sometimes called pre-reading), Fleming suggests focusing on keywords, meaning words or phrases that are most relevant to the overall purpose of the piece of writing.

"By mentally or physically highlighting keywords, you create a structure in your brain to store, remember, and understand information," Fleming explains.

Let's say you choose an article on how people read through their body language. You can quickly scan the text and highlight specific examples of body language: smiling, frowning, eye contact, or taking certain body positions. Now that you've done the general survey and highlighted the keywords, you know exactly what types of body language you'll learn to read. Giving your brain a quick first look like this will help you navigate through the article more quickly, all without sacrificing understanding and assimilating the text.

4. Set a timer

I found a quiet place, did a general text survey and identified keywords in it. What are you going to do now? You have to put a timer and start reading!

The simple procedure of setting up a timer helps prepare the arena for focused reading time. The more focused you are, the faster you can read, and the important thing is that you can remember the things you read.

Fleming suggests starting with short periods of reading as opposed to long sessions, especially if you want to hone your speed reading skills. Start by setting a timer for only five minutes, and keep reading non-stop until the meter rings. This will help you train your brain to stay fully focused on the task at hand i.e. reading!

5. Expand your peripheral vision

When children learn to read, we often teach them to focus on the structure of just one word at a time. But as your reading skills grow and wider, you should expand what you capture while reading to include your peripheral field of vision.

"Have you ever wondered why you can tell the moment when the last piece of cake at a party disappears, even when you're not directly looking at it. It's your peripheral vision doing its magical work. Apply this same principle to reading, and train your eyes to pick up groups of words at a glance. Your brain is a center of power that detects patterns, so let it work those muscles.

6. Avoid rereading syllables

Sometimes, rereading is necessary for comprehension and comprehension. But it's best to avoid going backwards when you're adjusting the timer and trying to read faster. So as you seek the art of speed reading, try to avoid going back to re-read certain passages or pages.

Avoiding rereading won't increase your IQ, but it will do two other things: First, it will improve the rate of words you're reading per minute right now. Second, your brain will be trained to pay more attention in the future, because you don't allow yourself the luxury associated with being able to turn pages back in order to get the information you want.

7. Practice, practice, practice

If you want to learn how to read faster, the best thing you can do is read repeatedly. Read for fun. Read for entertainment. Read for understanding. Read while you're on vacation, you're on the train, you're at the doctor's office, you're in the bathtub... Just read, read, read whenever you have a moment you can seize.

And always remember: it's a skill that takes time to master. Start slowly, find your rhythm, and soon you'll quickly wander between pages, like you're Zorro literary arenas!