For example, if the book is about a love triangle between three fictional characters, try to relate their situation to something that happened to a friend of yours or to the plot of a movie you like. Or, if you are reading a book that was written over 100 years ago, do a little research about the author, the year the book was written, and the place where the author lived. This may help to make the book seem more approachable. [1] X Research source
You can also use this strategy to help you remember important dates, names, and other facts as you read. For example, if the book you are reading describes an important battle, take a moment to imagine the scene. Imagine that the date of the battle and other important information about it are stamped onto the image.
Sleeping Working Attending school Doing misc. activities (sports, extra curricular activities, studying, homework, etc) Having free time where you will not be reading
If you want to determine how many pages you have to read per hour using this calculation, divide number of pages per day by hours you expect to read per day. For example, if you plan on reading for two hours a day, that would be 21. 5 pages per hour. You may need to spend more or less time reading every day depending on the length of your book and how fast you can read. Consider reading as much as you can in the first day or two of the week. Rather than spacing out your reading evenly, you might try to read most of the book in the first two days of the week. This will give you a head start and provide a cushion in case you have to skip a day. For example, if you have a 300 page book to read, try reading 100 pages on the first day of the week and 75 on the second day. Then you will only have to read 125 pages over the next five days.
Reading in an empty, quiet room. Reading in a library. Using noise-canceling headphones to create a quiet environment. Putting on white noise or soft, non-distracting music to help you concentrate.
To stop burnout, consider the “20 minutes on, 5 minutes off” method. This is where you set a timer for twenty minutes and force yourself to concentrate without taking breaks. When the timer goes off, let yourself spend five minutes doing something you enjoy (or nothing at all!)
Using a ruler and placing it under the line of text you are reading. Following along with the point of a pencil. If reading an Ebook, setting the font to have a single line of text visible when reading until prompted to a new page.
By doing this, you will also be more likely to understand the entire chapter if you have the key argument/idea in mind while you read. In the introduction, look for the author’s argument. Generally, an introduction is made up of an attention grabber (usually the first part of the introduction) and then the key argument/thesis statement/research question. This is the sentence(s) you want to look for; it will give you exactly what the author intends to discuss in her writing. [3] X Research source Similar to the introduction, the conclusion also should contain the author’s initial argument. It should also contain some sort of findings or conclusion of key points. It will help to give you a general idea of what the writing is about. This technique is mostly used for non-fiction in which you are trying to process information. You can do this while reading fiction, but you might miss character or plot development.
You can use these visual cues to mark chapters already read, passages you struggled with, or inspiring quotes.
Highlighting passages you find interesting, intriguing, or important. Summarizing chapters/paragraphs to capture main ideas, findings, or arguments. Noting reactions/emotions/questions you have in the margins of the book. Underlining important words or phrases. Writing the definition of unknown or confusing words/concepts.
You can do this without moving your lips by pretending to read out loud the text in your mind in a conversational tone, as if you were talking to someone. This activity is disputed by scientists. Some say that this is a great way to learn to speed reading, while others argue that it actually slows down the reading process. Give this technique a try to see if it works for you. [8] X Research source
The more you read, the more you will learn to recognize “important” parts of the text. For example, you may want to slow down when reading the introduction in order to really comprehend the material.
Try and read more for pleasure to naturally increase your reading speed. Time yourself when reading when you aren’t under a deadline. Push yourself to read a set number of pages faster. Set goals for yourself. Avoid getting frustrated when reading. If you think you read too slow, the worst thing you can do is get frustrated and quit. Instead, keep at it! You will improve over time.
A quiet, infrequently used room. A sunny spot outside. In the bath. The living room on your favorite couch.
Furthermore, reading on a backlit screen (like an ereader, phone, or tablet) may make it harder to fall asleep![10] X Research source
Try blacking-out or writing on a calendar that you intend to read. This will give a visual reminder to you and anyone trying to schedule appointments with you. [11] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source For example, on a calendar, mark out a day and time you want to spend reading. Pick a day of the week, like Tuesday, and an hour you are free, say 12-1pm, and commit yourself to reading each week at that hour.
By committing yourself to reading, you will more likely read more and more quickly. Scientists suggest that it takes 21 days to break or build a habit. Try and a keep consistent reading habit for 21 days to ingrain reading as a daily habit. [12] X Research source
