Today is the equinox, when the sun is directly over the earth’s equator, and the nighttime and daylight hours are equally balanced. It’s the time of the changing of the seasons, and a good time to think about changing your routines as well if you’re not feeling like you’re making progress towards your speed reading goals. Sometimes it’s something as simple as changing the type of texts that you choose to read. If you’re always reading the same type of book, whether that’s technical literature, science fiction, or romance, you’ll get bored after a while. It’s like eating nothing but brown rice, tofu, and broccoli day after day. It might be good for you, but you’ll soon crave a change in diet. You can spice up your reading list by looking for books on subjects you’ve never heard of, or follow your curiosity to a different section of the library. The challenge of reading something new will also challenge you to keep your speed reading skills sharp. Even if you’re required by your work or school situation to read mostly texts on the same topics, adding a different flavor now and then will make sure you always have an appetite for reading.
It’s important to balance work and play, too. If you’re getting bored with some of the more technical exercises that improve reading speed, try playing a game instead. The game doesn’t even have to be related to speed reading. If you’ve been doing the computer-based eye training exercises in the 7 Speed Reading program, you’ll be used to eye strengthening techniques that are similar to the experience of watching a tennis match and moving your eyes back and forth to follow the ball instead of your head. Go down to the local club and watch a game or two in the sun (but wear your sunglasses!), or find a community center with ping-pong tables for an even faster eye exercise.
It’s even important to balance the way you read. While you need to focus on improving your reading speed by practicing chunking, scanning, and widening your focus, keep in mind that reading should be a pleasurable activity that you enjoy, and that there are books and poems that benefit from a slower reading speed. Learn to relax and appreciate the author’s skill at description or the poet’s ability to combine words in ways that create complex mental images. You’ll finish the book or poem refreshed and ready to move forward in your speed reading program in the months to come.
