Today, there is so much reading to be done it is unbelievable. Across the globe, people have often wondered what can they do to get the most out of their reading. When you are reading something that you have an interest in, reading can be fun, and very rewarding. Unfortunately, many people find themselves reading material that is very unfamiliar to them, and doesn’t hold their interest. The less you are interested in what you are reading, the less you will get out of it. Even though reading unfamiliar material may seem a difficult and arduous task, being able to understand, and ultimately comprehend unfamiliar literary material is not as difficult as many are lead to believe. People can easily improve their ability to digest new reading material if they keep a few things in mind. Just follow these five tips to getting the most out of your reading, and soon you will find yourself at the head of the class.
Start with a “motivational speech” before reading through the material
People take this for granted, but getting into a positive mood, and a focused mindset before reading any type of material can help make reading the material a much more pleasant endeavor. The motivational speech does not have to be long, and complicated. Give yourself a list of reasons why you are really looking forward to reading the material. Also, tell yourself that regardless of your present beliefs, you will find many useful bits of information contained within your reading material. It is not necessary to fully believe all of this right away. Just telling yourself these things will get you into a much more receptive frame of mind which will make it easier for you to read through the material, and comprehend it. Keep in mind that comprehension doesn’t have to happen immediately. Sometimes, getting a good night’s sleep will give your mind the time it needs to process the new information in order for you to understand it. The more you work to give yourself a positive mental environment to work from, the easier reading will be.
Reduce the amount of distractions even if it means you have to go someplace else to read
Reducing, or eliminating distractions is very important when reading, especially if you are reading unfamiliar material. You will probably already have several reasons, or excuses not to do the required reading, so being around distractions only makes things even more difficult. If you are in a noisy area, the best thing you can do is move to a much quieter location. If that is not possible, do something about the things that can be dealt with, such as turning down the radio, or television. If that is not a possibility, then try listening to some soothing music to help drown out the distractions. You will still need to discipline yourself not to look away from your reading material, but if you have given yourself the “motivational speech” before beginning your reading, you will find it much easier to ignore the surrounding environment. If necessary, postpone your reading until you can get to a much quieter location.
Give yourself permission to be intrigued by your reading material
When you are reading something new that others are also reading, you may not want to play “follow the leader” when everyone else has a negative attitude towards the reading material. Instead, adopt a curiosity for the information contained inside what you are about to read. The easiest way to accomplish this is by asking yourself some thought provoking questions. For example, if you have to read a document on the processing of corn, you might ask yourself these questions:
What are the different ways corn can be used?
If we suddenly were without corn, how would that effect the global economy?
Are there products at present that would be able to replace corn?
What are the different ways of growing corn?
Can corn be stored for an extended period of time?
These are just example questions that you could ask yourself about the subject matter. By asking yourself questions before reading, you engage your brain into looking for the answers to your questions while reading, and thus making it easier for you to pay attention to what you are reading.
Take notes while reading
This is a tried, and true method for making it easier for someone to retain the information that they are reading. If you are actively taking notes while you read, you mind will become more focused, plus you will have notes that you can refer back to at a later time. Your notes do not have to be elaborate. A few keywords to help jog your memory about a particular section of your reading will suffice. In fact, it may be best to keep your notes short, and simple. Writing notes that are too wordy can sometimes detract from the impact that the reading material can have on you. Just make sure you write legibly so that you can read what you have written when you get ready to review your notes.
Take a speed reading, or speed learning course
While many people read at a fairly decent rate, there are many that read at the same speed that they speak. Technically, you should be able to read something almost twice to three times as fast as you can say the words on the page. There are many benefits to learning how to speed up your reading speed. By being able to read the material at a faster rate, you will be able to give yourself more time to go back through the material again if need be. There are many speed reading, and speed learning courses out there. One site to check out online is SpeedReadingMadeSimple.com. They offer a free speed reading lesson which will help you to determine if speed reading is right for you.
Making the most of a reading assignment is the best way to be successful at it. Even if the reading material is not something that you find all that interesting, you can make almost anything more interesting by getting into the right frame of mind, and preparing yourself ahead of time before going through the reading assignment. Many people take for granted what they can learn from an obscure piece of literary material, but by staying focused, and establishing a goal beforehand, you can make even the more boring reading material something that can enrich your life forever.