Get the message from the text
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One of the main reasons why we spend too much time on reading is that we have developed a habit of reading all the words from the text. We read texts in a linear way, word after word and sentence after sentence. We have always read the texts in that manner and we usually do not think that three are possibilities for reading faster.
What is the aim of reading texts? It is not reading the words. It is getting information from the texts. Words are a medium for delivering information and reading words is only a means of obtaining information, not the goal of reading itself.
You do not have to read all the words from the text in order to get to know what the text is about. In fact, many words in the text do not contain valuable information. Consider the sentence “What is the aim of reading texts?” and compare it with “Aim of reading?” The message from these two sentences is practically the same, but the first sentence consists of 7 and the second one of only 3 words. It will take only half the time to read the shorter sentence.
In the most cases you do not need to get all the information from the text, but you are looking only for the general ideas. You want to get to know what does the author say. Although the information density of different texts may vary, on the average it is possible to get the main message from the text when one third of the words are missing.
So you can skip every third word and still understand the content. It means that when reading you do not have to be limited by the habit that you read all the words. Let your eyes fly over the text and do not be worried if you miss some of them. As far as you can follow the text, it is ok.
Reading the message and not the single words from the text is a matter of mindset. If you want to read faster then you have to approach the sentences as whole entities not as they consist of single words. Read sentences and not words. Get the idea from the sentence with out paying attention to every single word.
How can you develop that kind of habit? Instead of reading the text, let your eyes move over the text. Move your eyes in a faster pace than you are regularly reading. Read what you can, but do not pay attention if you miss some words. Let your eyes fly and follow the main message of the author.
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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. 