It’s time to upgrade your reading

This post contains affiliate links, which means that, at no extra cost to you, I may get paid commission if you click through those links and make a purchase. For more information please read my disclaimer.

Reading is one of those activities everyone knows they should do more of but don’t always make a priority. The benefits of reading have been widely documented and its centrality in the schedules of the world’s most successful people is also a testament to its benefits.  

Many of us still approach reading as we were taught in primary school. Open the book and start reading from page one. I’m here to tell you that not every book needs to, or even should be, read like this and that it’s time to upgrade your reading skills. Whether you’re a voracious reader or haven’t read a word on actual paper for some time, find out how to build and boost your reading habits below.  

How to start reading more  

Just like with most things, to read widely and often you have to build up the habit by incorporating it into your daily life. Start with the following:

• Be consistent. Set aside time every day to read. It may be overly optimistic to try and finish a whole book at once but by making time to read consistently, such as before sleeping, you will make visible progress, making your reading goals more manageable. It’s okay to start slow. A few pages a day. A book a month. It’s something you have to ease into if you’re out of practice.
• Create a distraction-free reading environment. If possible, find a quiet place where you can concentrate and read. You’ll find it harder and more frustrating trying to flick through a few pages with the TV on in the background or your phone within arm’s reach. You’re better off committing to focussed reading for shorter periods.
• Remove any frictions to reading. Make sure your book is easily accessible. Don’t tuck it away out of sight. Leave it on the coffee table or where you normally spend your time. This will encourage you to pick it up.

An extra one for those of you who are really committed: carry a book wherever you go and slip in some reading at any opportunity you get. Instead of scrolling through Instagram while waiting in line, you could finish a few pages. Instead of watching some Netflix on the train, you could finish quite a few more pages. Getting through a few pages here and there will add up and before you know it you’ll have finished a whole book.

Reading techniques

Now you’ve started reading it’s worth exploring methods to take your ability beyond the ingrained primary school techniques.

Firstly, you have to decide what you want from each book you pick up. Is it the joy of the journey, to absorb the main takeaways, or something else? Below are some tips on how to approach and read different types of books.

Non-fiction and textbooks 

The following technique is for non-fiction books and textbooks, where it’s more about the destination, not the journey, and you may simply want to extract the key pieces of information.

• Start by going through the whole book, only reading the titles, subheadings, and chapter conclusions. This will give you an idea of what the book is about and improve familiarity with the main parts the text, meaning you won’t be slowed down by confusing or surprising sections when you come to them in your reading. 
• Go back to the beginning and start reading using a technique called Pseudo skimming. Here, you skim the text, looking for the most relevant bits at which point you slow down and take it all in.
• While going through the book twice might sound longer it’s actually faster as you gain a better understanding of the book’s content and can read more efficiently.

Tip: Stop and think about what you’ve read. It will improve understanding and let your mind explore the topic a bit further. Simply charging through the whole thing might mean you’re one book closer to your reading goal but no more knowledgeable than before.

Fiction and speed reading

For fiction, there’s not much to say. Take it slow and enjoy the journey. Unless you for some reason want to whizz through that as well in which case you can apply some speed reading techniques. 

Instead of boring you with the details of how to speed read without losing comprehension here’s a video summarising the main techniques (start at the 6-minute mark if you just want the key bits).  

Use technology to your advantage

Try listening to audiobooks with Audible. I am a massive fan of this service as it’s perfect for consuming books while doing something else – making breakfast, on the morning commute or while exercising.

You can listen to top authors narrate their books, toggle the speed to get through books faster and get access to Audible original podcasts as well. Give it a go with a 30-day free trial or if you already know you want to go for it get started with a 3 months membership for £3.99.

Blinkist is another great service which summarises non-fiction books into their key points. It’s especially useful for getting a general idea about a book before committing to buy it or to explore topics you know nothing about. Try it out with a 7-day free trial.

Extra tips

To make reading more enjoyable and beneficial here are some extra practical recommendations.

• Sign up to Good Reads and download the app. It’s a fantastic site with an extensive community that rate and review books. By signing up for free you can connect with friends, see what they’re reading and compare ratings. Once you get into it you’ll be hooked!

• Don’t be afraid to mark your books. I remember when I used to buy new books I wouldn’t write or highlight in them, so to keep them in pristine condition. Screw that. I would advocate highlighting key text, scribbling in the margins, doing what you like to get the most out of a book. It’s a great way to effectively engage with and critique the author’s thoughts and better understand the text. I use these methods described by Tim Ferris, author of the Four Hour Work Week.

• Making notes while reading. I find that I sometimes forget key content from books after a while and keeping notes is a great way to combat that. It not only is a bank of information to refer to but also helps me better understand what I’m reading. You could do this on any notetaking app.

• It’s okay to quit. If you’re not enjoying a book, don’t feel pressured to finish it just because you’ve started. Think of it as freeing yourself up to read more.

Lastly, you have to want to read. Do it enough that it becomes your natural fall back. As with anything, it will take time. No one particularly loves the gym the first few times they go either. The important thing is that you keep at it.

I challenge you  

If you haven’t done much reading recently then start. It’s okay to ease into it with a few pages a day or a book a month. Maybe try out different services to see what suits you best.

If you’re already a lover of reading then it’s time to upgrade your habits. See if you can squeeze in a few extra pages every day and get through books faster and more effectively with some of the techniques outlined above.

Oh, and make sure to check out The Book Club on this site for some of my book recommendations. I’ll keep it varied and share some of my top picks for leisure and personal development.

Happy reading!  

Ps. Don’t forget to join the mailing list for cool extras. This week I shared a website that recommends books and offers eBook deals – sometimes they’re even free!