The average adult reads 300 words per minute. Speed readers read 1,500 per minute. But reading faster is not always the right solution to reading more. Some reports state that speed reading or skimming leads to forgotten details and poor retention. Comprehension and reading for pleasure are more important, yet bumping up your words per minute while still maintaining reading comprehension can help to supercharge your reading routine.

Supercharge your reading

Warren Buffett describes his day as “I just sit in my office and read all day.” Reading more is a common ambition. But how do we do it? And what should we do with all that information once we have it?

Reading more

Books are an investment in a future of learning. <ul><li>Bookmark your favourite passages.</li><li>Take notes.</li><li>Write a review.</li><li>Return to your notes periodically.</li></ul>

Takes good notes

Tim Ferriss describes two techniques for reading faster: <ol><li>Using a pen as a tracker and pacer, the same way people would move their finger back and forth across a line as they read.</li><li>Start reading each new line at least three words in from the first word of the line, then end at least three words in from the last word.</li></ol> The first technique leads you into the second technique.

Read for Speed

Train your brain with impressions, association, and repetition. <ul><li>Impression: Be impressed with the text. Stop and imagine a scene in your mind, adding elements to strengthen the impression.</li><li>Association: Link the text to something you are already familiar with.</li><li>Repetition will help you to remember more. For example, you can re-read a certain passage, highlight it or write it down, then return to it again later.</li></ul>

Three ways to remember what you read

There are four levels of reading, each step building on the previous step. <ol><li>Elementary reading is what you did in school.</li><li>Inspectional reading takes two forms: A quick read or skimming of the book's preface, table of contents, index and side jacket.</li><li>Analytical reading helps with the context and understanding of the book.</li><li>Syntopical reading means that you read books on the same subject and challenge and contrast them.</li></ol> Reading on an analytical and syntopical level will help cement the impression of the book in your mind and help develop associations with other books.

Focus on the four levels of reading

A Pew Research study found that the average person reads 17 books a year. 19 per cent of Americans don't read any books. The average person spends 35 hours watching TV every week, some of which could be spent reading books.

Make time to read more

Goals of reading. Understanding inspectional, analytical and syntopical reading.

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How to properly read a book

Get this practical guide on how to read more books, more quickly and more often, and how to retain the information that you read.

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