Speed reading as life-style
For most people, learning to speed read means learning speed reading techniques, such as reading without regression or vertical reading. In the learning process you will change your old and inefficient reading methods with better and more rational ways to read texts. While this is absolutely true, speed reading can be also viewed at a broader scope. It is more than methods and techniques.
To benefit from speed reading techniques you should apply them into practice. In one previous post I discussed why most people do not learn speed reading http://www.startspeedreading.com/why-most-people-do-not-take-speed-reading-courses/
In addition to that there are many people who have learned to speed read but do not apply it in practice. If we test their reading speed then it is will be above the average as in case of a test they use speed reading methods. But while reading texts in their every day life they seldom apply speed reading. Some people are not confident in their speed reading skills, they worry about their comprehension. These people usually speed read only the easiest text or use it only for the reading tasks, which are not critical for their job performance or reading for leisure.
To benefit the most from speed reading you should apply it every day and for the majority of the texts you are reading. While it is not recommended to use it for non-fiction texts then you can use it virtually for every text you read on your job. Only if there are some texts, where you have to remember the context very precisely, you should slow you reading speed down, but for most of us this in not the case for the job-related reading material.
Regular application of speed reading techniques requires a change in ones mindset. It means that whenever you encounter a text you take an attitude that you will read it fast and focused. You are ready to attack the text, concentrate to it and read it with fast speed. It is a life-style, in which you want to be always fast and sharp.
If you make a decision to always apply speed reading when it is possible then reading at fast speed becomes natural to you. You do not have to tell yourself that now I am going to speed read. You just read the text and application of speed reading methods becomes automatic. Reading itself is so ordinary process for us that we do not even notice that we are reading. If we see a text, we just look at it and get the meaning of the words from the text. It is possible to achieve the same state with speed reading too, if you develop it into a habit.
The speed reading life-style allows us to read texts at fast speed, thus it enables us to work fast. We will be always attacking the texts and eager to complete our reading tasks in short time. Our reading process is active, our mind is focused and we do not even notice how fast we can fly with our eyes over the text. Being fast builds us confidence and reduces stress as we know that we can go through pig piles of texts in short time. It really makes our life easier and happier so it is worth developing speed reading habits in yourself.
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My name is Kristjan-Olari Leping. I am a speed reading trainer. I have an associated professor position at the University of Tartu, am a policy analyst in a policy research center, I am a trainer and I am involved in many other business projects. 