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Why You Should Read 15 Minutes Every Day

2009 June 30

This article will be a short one. It’s got only 1 purpose in mind: to get you to read at least 15 minutes every day.

I’m going to prove to you just how useful it is in the long run, and hopefully you’ll be smart enough to take action on the information right away.

So here are the facts: if your reading speed was 200WPM (a full 50WPM below the average reading speed), and if you read for 15 minutes every day 350 days a year (taking 15 days off for whatever reason), by the end of the year you will have read FIFTEEN BOOKS.

That means that every minute you spend reading equals a whole book finished by the end of a year. If you read 20 minutes a day, you’ll read 20 books. If you read 30 minutes a day, you’ll read 30 books.

And don’t forget, that’s at the meager reading speed of 200WPM. The average reading speed is 250WPM, and the fact that you’re reading this probably means that your reading speed is faster than that.

So think about it: how many books did you read last year? More than 15? If so, great. For most people, that’s not the answer. But either way, you should be ADDING these 15 minutes onto your current reading schedule. You should always be reading more and more.

P.S.: If you haven’t gotten the Speed Reading Manual yet, I recommend you get it soon. As time goes on, I’m going to be getting into more and more advanced techniques, and you might not know what I’m talking about unless you read the Manual first.

The Speed Reading Manual is here:

http://www.speedreadingisreal.com/speed-reading-manual/

Specific Techniques You Can Use to Improve Your Reading Speed Right Away

2009 April 24
by Stephen M.

No matter what you’re learning, using specific tried-and-true techniques is the fastest and most effective way to accelerate the learning process. When it comes to speed reading, this is especially true - if you try to learn speed reading without really knowing what you’re doing, it just won’t work. You might be able to increase your reading speed, but not without harming your comprehension.

Luckily, many websites out there on the internet (like this one!) provide some pretty good advice. One simple technique that is widely recommended is “reading with your hand”. When you guide your eye movement with your hand, you can make sure it’s a smooth motion, which helps comprehension. Also, using this method you can control your reading speed very closely, enabling you to always push yourself to your limit while reading.

Another good tip - a more advanced one – is to read “blocks of words” at a time. What we have learnt from our younger days is to read words individually, sounding out each syllable silently in our mind. If you want to read quickly, you don’t have time to sound anything out. So instead of reading words individually, try to read words in “blocks” – that is, three or four words at a time. Of course, it takes a bit of practice to make this work properly, but once you put the time into practicing it and mastering it, it will pay off tremendously.

Another good free tip you’ll find is to prioritize your reading material. You should learn to separate reading material into different sections, such as “very important”, “moderately important”, and “of little importance. It doesn’t really matter which part you read first - the point is that you have a loose understanding of what’s described in each section. As long as you have that, you’ll be able to devote the appropriate resources to each section of the reading material depending on that section’s importance.

Anyone can use these methods to improve their reading speed. All you have to do is practice up! Browse around this website, and you’ll find plenty more tips. If you want a real head start, though, I recommend you check out the Speed Reading Manual. That Manual has everything you need to start speed reading right away - if you apply the techniques, you can expect to double your reading speed within an hour. And your comprehension will improve too! Learning how to speed read has never been easier than this.

Click here to read more about the Speed Reading Manual

Speed Reading and Information Overload

2009 April 11

This is an article about information overload, how it’s making people’s lives stressful, and how speed reading can help. This is a great example of how self-improvement generally (not just speed reading) can help you get your life back in control.

Speed Reading and Information Overload
By Adam Harley

Information is abundant. Sources are many. Sometimes it’s too much. The people at the top, middle as well as the bottom all suffer from information overload.

What is information overload? The most common way to define it is when there is too much information on any given topic at once.

Go to a search engine on the internet and type in your favorite sport, and you will find tons and tons of information about it, millions of sources that you didn’t even know existed.

But not all of these sources can be trusted or cannot be taken seriously. So finding valuable information can be like finding a needle in a hay stack.

Many resort to simply skimming and scanning through whatever they find, and reading only that which looks most appealing. But if you really want to learn something, if you really want to do some research, then skimming doesn’t cut it.

This is where speed reading comes in. Speed reading can enable you to read through countless books and internet articles in a minimum amount of time, and help you gain a massive advantage over everyone else. (Unless they speed read too!)

With the amount of responsibilities that are loaded on people these days, it’s hard to find enough time to finish all the work that’s to be done, and even if you do finish your work, there probably won’t be any time left to relax and have fun.

This can lead to higher health risks such as heart problems and high blood pressure. Speed reading can help bring the madness down a notch or two. If you learn to speed read, you’ll be able to spend less time on reading, and more time on decision-making and other important work tasks. You’ll be able to do your work in less time, and you’ll have more time to spend with your family or friends.

Reading fast and understanding fast can slow down the world around you, and let you live your life the way you want to.

Learn speed reading right now, and you’ll double your reading speed within the next 30 minutes. Check out this site, and you’ll get a free look at how speed reading works, and how you can learn to read as fast as possible while IMPROVING your comprehension. Here’s the link: http://www.speedreadingisreal.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Harley
http://EzineArticles.com/?Speed-Reading-and-Information-Overload&id=2153523

The History of Speed Reading

2009 March 31

Here’s a nice little article about the history of speed reading. It starts at the very beginning of speed reading, back in the early 20th century, goes on to cover a couple of the famous tests conducted, and then even reaches as far as talking about  this very website!

Thanks, Adam! We’re glad you noticed us!

Short History of Speed Reading

By Adam Harley

How did speed reading come about? When did it start? All this and more in today’s article!

It all began with the invention of the tachistoscope - a machine that could flash a series of images at varying speeds on a screen. With the use of the tachistoscope it was found that an average person could correctly identify minute images flashed on the screen, even if the image only appeared for one-five-hundredth of a second!

The U.S Air Force recognized the implication of this discovery, and wanted to be able to use this knowledge to make their fighter pilots more efficient. Receiving orders by a quick flash on a screen would be much faster than listening to the orders on the radio. A series of experiments were conducted using words instead of images, to test whether or not this was possible. The results clearly demonstrated the potential of the human eye to read at speeds that were previously unthinkable. Sadly for the military, they did not have the proper technology to put their ideas into use.

In the years that followed, much interest was generated on this subject and many courses were developed that claimed to increase the reading speeds of participants. These mostly relied on training eye movements with a variety of exercises using the tachistoscope in an attempt to increase reading speed. However the results were short lived as reading speeds rapidly diminished when reading without the machine.

It was not until the 1950s that a reliable technique for speed reading was developed. The inventor was a school teacher named Evelyn Wood. She made her remarkable breakthrough almost by accident, when she noticed how her eyes smoothly followed the movement of her hand as she moved it across the page. She then wrote a whole book about how you can read faster by simply guiding your eye with your hand. It became known as the “Evelyn Wood method”.

Since then, speed reading has gained widespread recognition, partly due to some famous users of speed reading, such as President John F Kennedy. But in today’s world, speed reading is becoming more and more important; the benefits of mastering the skill in today’s hectic environment are probably ten times what they were 50 years ago. With the boom in demand for individuals with high education, people need to read more than they ever had to before.

Luckily, there’s no shortage of information for learning how to speed read. One popular site, for example, is called “Speed Reading Is Real.” New articles are posted almost every day, giving new tips and techniques for improving your reading speed without harming your comprehension. Click here to go to that site now: http://www.speedreadingisreal.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Harley
http://EzineArticles.com/?Short-History-of-Speed-Reading&id=2153495

Improve Your Vocabulary, Improve Your Comprehension

2009 March 25

Your ability to correctly interpret the words that you come across in your reading material is vital for good comprehension. I’m sure you already find that difficult words that you haven’t heard of will often hamper your capacity to grasp the meaning of what you’re reading, even if you generally understand the sense of it through paying attention to the context. Building up your vocabulary is therefore very important for maximum understanding. Here are a few tips on how to do this…

Keep a dictionary close by, so you can look up a word that you have difficulty understanding while reading. Write the new words down with their definitions next to them. Note any synonyms that come to mind, and read the paragraph again making sure you understand it completely.

If you’re reading a textbook with lots of unfamiliar vocabulary, you might want to try skimming through the whole thing before actually reading, and underlining all of the words you don’t know. If you look up these words in the dictionary before you read, you’ll be able to save a lot of time while reading. Presuming you understand the words well, you’ll be able to read through the whole thing without stopping your flow.

Learn a word or two each day. Write them down and put them up where you can see them. Try constructing good sentences using the words. Use them in daily conversations or essays and assignments. This will help you familiarize with the words, so that the next time you come across them in an article, you won’t have to run for a dictionary.

Familiarize yourself with words used frequently in a particular type of writing. Non-fiction books often include many technical terms. If you read a lot of textbooks, it might help to make several lists of keywords, based on topics. Then, before you go into reading a new chapter on microeconomics, you can check the appropriate keyword-sheet and be reminded of all of the difficult words you may encounter. This will dramatically improve your comprehension, and it will also save time, since you won’t have to re-read things as often.

Read a lot! Read both fiction and non-fiction, and several subjects within each.
Don’t stick to one particular genre – you should constantly be in the middle of a wide variety of books.

With time you will see a great improvement in your ability to comprehend what you read. You will also be saving time in the long run by not having to stop as frequently to make sure you understand what the words mean. Make it a habit to follow these tips – you’ll thank yourself later!

How to Study More Effectively

2009 March 24

Are you currently in College or University? Are there certain people who never seem to study as much as you do, but consistently beat you on exams? They’re probably using superior study techniques that are faster and more effective than the ones you’re using. Its working smart not working hard that ultimately gets you marks. The following tips should help you raise your grades, and lower your study time!

Firstly, you need to really make good use of your textbook. Don’t worry about resale value, or whether or not it will look pretty when you’re done. The textbook is for you to use during the semester – that’s why you have it.

Underline, circle and make margin notes as you read along. I don’t mean highlighting the whole page; just the few key phrases that can help the main concepts “stick out” on the page, and thus “stick in” your mind. This helps direct your focus to the most important things, while also making those things easier to recall.

Get some sticky-notes and mark the important pages. In a textbook with 500 pages there would probably be about 50 pages worth marking. Skimming through these pages in those last few precious seconds before the exam can make a big difference to your performance.

Transfer important notes to the front of the book. Use the covers to scribble away new facts or ideas. This helps to cement the concepts in your mind. Also, making notes helps you to understand concepts more clearly; just because your mind is re-absorbing the information in a different format. And, of course, the better your understanding of the material, the more likely you’ll be able to recall it correctly when a test comes along.

Finally, when you finish with the book, re-read the marked pages. If you want, you can make a mind map of the content; some people say that mind maps can greatly improve your memory. In any case, mixing up the format of the information will make it easier to digest.

Try using these tips for the courses you’re taking now, and see if you can’t turn the tables on those students that always beat you on tests!

How to Manage Your Time Efficiently

2009 March 23
by jethrotobias

Proper time management can be one of the hardest things for a person to achieve. These tips should help you get started in the right direction.

Your first step every day should be to draw up a time-table for everything you want to do that day. Write out everything you want to accomplish, and make estimates on how long it’s going to take you to finish each step.

Start your day with your most important job. If you do that first, you’ll feel better for the rest of the day, knowing you don’t have to worry about it anymore. And plus, your mind is freshest in the morning; it’s a good idea to take advantage of that.

End your day with something fun. Maybe watch a movie, or play a video game, or read a fiction book you enjoy.

In the middle of your day you put in the rest of the things you want to do. Don’t forget to work in time for rest, time for meals, and possibly time for a nap in the middle of your day. The key is to not waste time on things that don’t matter. Make the best possible use of your time.

Do not overload yourself with too much work. You’ll find that there’s a limited amount of work you can do before you get exhausted. Exhaustion won’t help you at all. Mix it up with a few fun activities and work that you enjoy. A monotonous routine will only make you bored.

And whenever you feel like you can’t concentrate anymore, just take a break. But don’t go too easy on yourself! If you want to get things done, you better expect to run into at least a little bit of difficulty. Try to keep your breaks short. Long breaks may make you lose interest in what you were working on, and increase the likelihood of procrastination. And during your breaks, remember that the goal is to relax - not to have fun. Have a snack, meditate, lie down for a bit. Don’t turn on the TV. You’re still working, you’re just on a quick rejuvenation break.

It may take some time to find the right balance between work and other activities, but it will be worth it in the long run. So experiment, and find the schedule that works for you.

What They Don’t Tell You About Speed Reading

2009 March 23

Speed reading. The whole world’s talking about it these days. These two words are causing havoc throughout the internet. Some say it takes months of practice, others say it takes just an hour or two. Others say that they learned speed reading naturally.

It’s simply the natural step up from regular reading.

It is accepted knowledge that the average person reads at a rate of 250 words per minute. If you’re a top-notch speed reader, that speed will come to about 1000 words per minute. Yes, as high as that, Sometimes more. But just reading fast is not enough. The reader has to have good comprehension of what he or she reads. An average reader like you and me has a comprehension rate of about 50 to 60 percent, while an advanced reader will have something around 85 percent.

The advocates of speed reading have always commended it as a massive time saver. This is absolutely true, considering how much time people usually spend reading, and how much faster they’re able to get through the text they have to read… From a top executive to a high school student, speed reading can help immensely.

But there’s one thing they don’t usually point out: once you learn speed reading, you’ll want to read more.

You won’t spend any less time reading - you’ll read more and more and more, just because you’ll love it so much. You’ll go to the library and pick out 10 books you think look interesting, and you’ll sit at home and charge right through them.

Speed reading will completely change the way you think about non-fiction books. At a regular reading speed, they’ll seem boring and not worth your time. But when you learn how to speed read, they’ll be the best thing on earth. You’ll be amazed at how much you read. You’ll feel like there’s a whole world of information just waiting to be consumed - and indeed, that world is out there.

It’s up to you if you want to take advantage of it. The only thing that’s holding you back is your reading ability.

And you’re in luck, too, because it’s never been easier to learn speed reading. You can get yourself started now with the Speed Reading Manual - you’ll be speed reading within an hour.

When Should You Speed Read?

2009 March 22

Speed reading is a wonderful skill to master. There are a lot of advantages associated with speed reading, but should you always read fast?

The important thing to figure out here is your purpose for reading. Be it an article in a magazine or a book, you should always ask yourself the question “Why am I reading this?”

If you’re reading just to pass time, or if you’re reading something before you go to sleep, you probably don’t need to read quickly, as your main aim for reading is to feel relaxed. In a situation like this, you should take your time while reading. Why hurry? For many books, you’ll want to extend the experience for as long as you can!

On the other hand reading up on various topics for your school assignment, or a set of reports for work, you’re probably going to have to absorb what you read and keep in mind facts, figures and all the important points. This is where speed reading comes in handy. You need to maximize your reading speed and comprehension if you want to understand the material as best as possible.

Speed reading will especially be useful if you are in the middle of an exam where a lot of reading is involved. In situations like that, then speed reading is key! Whenever time is limited, that’s your hint to “turn on your speed reading.”

Therefore, identifying the purpose for reading is what is important. You should only speed read when the situation calls for it. More often than not, for most of us, speed reading will be called on more often than regular reading. But it’s important to pay attention to the situation. If you try to speed read just before going to bed, you either won’t be able to (because you won’t be alert enough), or it’ll completely wake you up, and make it difficult to fall asleep.

But the main point is this: don’t speed read everything. When you’re reading a really good novel, just take it slow. Enjoy every last second you spend reading it. Speed reading is for consuming information - so use the skill accordingly.

Reading Comprehension and Speed

2009 March 21

Reading through material and not understanding it is a common issue for a lot of people. Sometimes  you have to read through the same sentence three or four times before you can be sure you understand the full meaning. This problem affects people all over the world - sometimes reading is just difficult. And taking a lot of time to read documents can mean a lot for some people; in today’s world, time is money. …Continue reading about Reading Comprehension and Speed