W hether we realize it or not, we spend a lot of our time reading. You probably read the newspapers everyday, scan brochures, read sign boards and advertisements, or check out labels at the supermarket. While at work, you read even more with all the reports, memos, notes, and emails to get through.
Whether we realize it or not, we spend a lot of our time reading. You probably read the newspapers everyday, scan brochures, read sign boards and advertisements, or check out labels at the supermarket. While at work, you read even more with all the reports, memos, notes, and emails to get through.
You probably read everything you need to without giving it a second thought, but have you stopped to consider, if you can sharpen your reading skills, so you can save time and understand better? Many of us are unaware that we’re practicing quite a few bad reading habits. If you’re keen to speed up your reading and improve your reading habits, try professional speed-reading programs which employ proven, reliable speed reading techniques.
Meanwhile here are a number of bad reading habits to look out for. Read on and find out if you’ve been committing any of these reading “crimes.”
Moving your Lips
If you’re in the habit of moving your lips while you’re reading, you’re not reading very effectively at all. What you’re actually doing is slowing down your reading speed to something like 150 words a minute (which is really low!)
By moving your lips when you read, you're actually slowing down your reading speed. Click To TweetPronouncing Words
Are you guilty of quietly (or not so quietly) vocalizing the words you’re reading? You may not realize that you’re doing it, so be aware the next time you find yourself reading an article or a book. Keep in mind that vocalizing does nothing to help your reading speed, so try to get in the habit of reading to yourself, silently.
Reading Everything at the Same Speed
When you’re reading material that is difficult to understand, your reading speed will naturally slow down. However, you may also be inadvertently slowing down your pace for material that is not very challenging at all.
Regressing
Regressing means re-reading a word, phrase, or sentence unnecessarily. You may be doing this when you read, believing that it may help you understand the reading material better. Sorry to burst your bubble, but this will just slow you way down!
A Word at a Time
If you’ve ever read to young children, you know that you tend to read slowly. In other words, you read one word at a time. Did you know that a good, adult reader actually sees several words at a time? If you’ve only been seeing one word at a time, you’ve unfortunately joined the ranks of slow readers.
Slow Eye Movement
Do your eyes skip quickly across the page as you’re reading? If they’re not, then you’re not reading fast enough. It also means that you’re not tapping into your peripheral vision to quickly scan across and down the page.
Poor Concentration
Many of us are guilty of multitasking while we’re reading. From watching television to thinking about what to cook for dinner, we tend to preoccupy our brains. To read more effectively, remove external distractions and shut down those internal voices.
To read more effectively, remove external distractions and shut down those internal voices. Click To TweetReading Linearly
If you pay attention you’ll probably realize that you read across a page and downwards to take in each and every word. A more effective way to read is to scan for key material and skim over all the fluff that the writer has added.
The list of common habits above may make you feel bad about the mistakes you’ve been making, but don’t beat yourself up! Identifying your poor reading habits is the first step in the path to becoming a better, more effective reader. Once you’re aware of these habits and make a point to stop, you’ll notice that you’ve become a much faster reader in no time at all.
photo credit: Luis Hernandez – D2k6.es via photopin cc