To Get the Most from Your Reading: Avoid Speed Reading.
When I started taking reading seriously, it would take me weeks, sometimes even months, to finish a 200-page book. My slow reading pace was primarily due to my limited vocabulary and struggle to contextualise unfamiliar words and phrases.
Over time, with extensive exposure to books, my vocabulary expanded, and I became better at grasping the meaning of unfamiliar words. However, despite these improvements, my slow reading habits persisted, and I couldn’t help but wonder why.
I had friends who effortlessly devoured a book a week, boasting about reading 40 or more books in a year. I wanted to read like them, so in 2004, I enrolled in a speed reading course and invested in books that promised to teach me techniques to read 1000 words per minute. Little did I know, this was an exaggerated claim, and attaining such speeds was nearly impossible for me!
Nevertheless, I completed the course and significantly improved my reading speed. I could easily read 500 words per minute, although it was a struggle initially.
For many years, I prided myself on my ability to read quickly, consuming numerous books in a short period. However, a few years ago, I made a startling realisation that despite my extensive reading, my ability to recall and retain what I read was flaky.
I often found myself revisiting books to recall specific facts, and my retention of the content was poor, with many details disappearing from my memory. This led me to question the effectiveness of my reading habits. I was investing my energy, resources, and time into reading, yet I wasn’t retaining the knowledge gained from these books. It felt like a waste of time and resources.
After critically reflecting on this issue, it became abundantly clear that the problem lay in how I read. I had prioritised speed reading over comprehension and long-term recall. As a result, I had two options before me: continue reading a vast number of books each year, thereby increasing the size of my library, but compromising my retention, or make a change. I chose the latter.
I implemented several strategies to improve my recall and retention of the books I read. First and foremost, I slowed down my reading pace. I began reading slowly and deliberately, allowing myself to absorb and comprehend the content fully.
Second, I started taking notes while reading. Instead of scribbling in the book’s margins (which I don’t recommend as it can damage the book), I used a separate notebook to jot down important points, ideas, and reflections. Finally, after finishing a book, I wrote a short summary, typically a page in length, capturing the key arguments, facts, themes, and personal insights gained from the book.
By adopting these practices for every book I read, I noticed a significant improvement in my retention of the content and knowledge. But, of course, the downside was that the number of books I read in a year appeared considerably smaller than in my high-speed reading years.
In 2022, for instance, I only read 26 books, a far cry from my previous reading volumes. However, this reduction is worth paying, as the benefits of retaining knowledge from reading far outweigh the alternative.
The alternative approach would involve reading a large number of books, which may look impressive on a CV or reading list, but ultimately results in retaining less of what you’ve read. Again, the depth of comprehension and the lasting impact of the knowledge gained truly matter.
Therefore, I advise the reader to avoid speed reading if you truly want to derive the maximum benefit from your reading endeavours. At the very least, refrain from speed reading books from which you wish to retain their contents for the long term.
Happy reading, friends, but this time slower
