Speed reading will make you more productive …but what if your boss will not reward you for it
Speed reading will allow you to start reading faster, which means that you will be able to complete your reading-related work tasks in shorter time period. It means that your productivity will increase. You can do more work in every hour and every work day. It can lead to a wage increase, promotion or more free time for you, but it might not the case if your boss will not approve it.
It you are working more productively then you should be paid more as you will create more value to your company, but your boss has to recognize it first. How can you show your boss that you have become more productive? You may make try presenting your speed reading skills do your boss but it may not work as bosses are typically interesting in your overall working performance and higher reading speed is only a means for performing better. Think what your critical work tasks are. If speed reading will allow you to work faster then you could achieve your goals in shorter time. It means that you can finish a market research in a lower number of days or you can go through your company’s accounts faster. At the same time speed reading allows you to work more, do little extra during your working hours. Present these results to your boss and ask for more complicated work-tasks. If you can be successful in them, then you are likely to impress your boss, which could lead to a wage increase or promotion. There are many techniques for getting a promotion and you can read about them in a “1,001 Ways to Get Promoted” by David E. Rye. http://www.amazon.com/1-001-Ways-Get-Promoted/dp/1564144305
Alternatively you may pursue for shorter working hours. If you are working more efficiently then it can be possible that you can handle them same workload even if you finish your day a couple of hours earlier. Again you have to discuss it with your boss and show him that you can work more efficiently due to your speed reading skills. You may even want to get permission for working at home on some days. You can find many ways how you can do it from “The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich” by Timothy Ferriss. http://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307353133
However in case of some jobs working faster could not lead to a higher income. Or it may be the case the boss will not understand the benefits of you working more efficiently and he/she will not reward you for working faster. In that case you may consider taking a side job, which you can do simultaneously while working on your main job. For example, if you are a salesman in a hardware store and during some hours there are very few customers, then you could do at the same time some other work with your computer like some research, data processing, etc. Of course you have to get an agreement from your boss for that.
If there are no such possibilities either then you can always consider changing your job. If you want to be efficient and get reward for that, then you have to consider it when choosing your job. Look for the jobs, where flexible pay systems are and where you have possibilities for getting bonuses for successful efforts.
Alternatively you can think about becoming self-employed and being your own boss. Usually it will allow you to get the biggest share of your increased efficiency. For example, since have learned speed reading and increased my working efficiency I have been more and more working as self-employed and less as a regular employee. Although many people are afraid of that perspective, it will provide you the biggest flexibility and biggest possibilities of getting money for your efficiency.
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. 