Fast Reading Can Be An Asset

By Barbara Hamilton


It is an amazing thing when one thinks about how much material they read on a daily basis. Reviewing letters, magazines, important proposals, and literature is a substantial amount that adds up over time. Those trying to make it up the ladder of promotion wonder if fast reading can help them make their way to the top.

Just reviewing the newspaper to know what's going on around the world can be time consuming. Work related things such as reports, proposals, or even emails from co-workers can be a part of an average day.

Learning to read is not only fundamental, but it is a very important skill shared among billions of people. It is one that some take for granted because it is such a common thing to do. Knowing how to read something does not always indicate that someone is a good reader. It may mean just the opposite if they are not doing it correctly.

Since this is something that almost everyone does, there would be no harm in trying to make it better. If an individual can increase the efficiency and speed in which they read, it will be valuable to them in the long run. However, it is important to learn how one reads in order to get rid of bad habits. It is complex when understanding how the human eye looks at words.

Back in the day, scientists strongly believed that the eyes could only focus on individual words at a single time. Research today says differently. Eyes can actually focus on more that one letter at a time. The goal is now to read 500 words per minute rather than 250 words. This means that an individual is now speeding through content which frees up time for them to do something else.

One poor habit is that of sub-vocalization where a person pronounces each word in their head. Everyone does this to some extent. It takes time and a person has to learn how to turn off the voice in their head. One has to first acknowledge that it exists and tell themselves that they are not going to do it. Looking at blocks of words at a time can help.

One bad habit in particular is focusing only on one word along with it's meaning. This can stop a person from seeing the big picture. Those that use this method oftentimes have less understanding than those who read blocks of text at a time. One should try expanding the number they can visually see by reading three to five words each time. Sometimes just holding text afar off can help with reading groups of words.

Sometimes having inefficient eye motion can slow down a reader. Focusing on each word at a time instead of using peripheral vision may be a hindrance. If a person softens their gaze by relaxing facial muscles, they will see blocks of text whereby making the eyes span quicker across a page.

Speed reading is wonderful for those who practice in order to improve the skill. Starting with content that is easy to comprehend and understand is a very wise thing to do. Remember, an individual does not want to speed through everything. Materials such as proposals or legal documents should be read with care.




About the Author: