Reading is a skill and everyone should learn how to develop it.

Finishing one book every week is a desire of every person but there is no doubt in that we are so busy that we can get the time to scroll Facebook but don’t get the time to read the book. A study shows a person only reads from 4 books to 12 books every year whereas a CEO or a Billionaire read at least 55 books every year.

You might be thinking Why do I need to Read fast? Most of the people think reading fast is inversely proportional to losing comprehension. The more you read fast, the less you understand. Research shows speed readers have lower stress level and better memory than every other person. Not only that, speed read can save 35 to 200% of your time. When you learn how to speed read, you can effectively invest the saved time in the next great book. Imagine the ability to read ten, twenty or thirty more books this year with the saved time and with the same motivation you read the first book.

Don’t want to be the one who only read 12 books a year? Following 2 tips can help you.

1-Practice Visual Pacing

Before telling you anything else. I want you all to do an exercise. Just take out any book and open any page of the book. Set the timer to 1 minute and start reading as you read every time. After the finish I want you to mark the line where you finished and count the number of lines and number of average words in the line and calculate your wpm by multiplying both figures(wpm= No of lines x No of average words in each line).

Now let’s do it once more by introducing the technique of visual pacing while you read as we read in our childhood. Point out the word and move your finger, highlighter or pen along the text. Again mark your line and count your wpm. I can bet, you had done much better than last time.

2-Stop Sub-vocalizing

We are in the habit of subvocalization while reading but do you know an average person can only read 250 wpm using sub-vocalization which means you are limiting your reading speed to 250 wpm so stop using subvocalization because it can help you to read fast and better.

Until Next.

Bilal Khan.