A large part of learning how to speed read is developing the ability to focus. There are two aspects of focusing in speed reading: the first is focusing your eyes (you need to learn to take in more than one word at a time), and the second is focusing your mind. And one of the biggest obstacles to focusing your mind is distraction. In order to increase reading speed, you’ll need to decrease the amount of distraction in your life.
Some distractions are present in your environment. If you’re sitting in a room with several other people who are talking to each other, or listening to music you can hear from their headphones, or even just turning over the pages of a book, the added sounds will make it hard to focus on what you’re reading. In addition, you’ll be tempted to look directly at movements that you see out of the corner of your eyes, which takes your focus from the page in front of you.
Even if you’re alone in a room, you might not be truly isolated if there are some of the electronic technological gadgets we enjoy these days in the room with you. If you’re sitting at your desk with your computer on, you’ll hear the pings and dings and other notification noises from your IM or e-mail – and you’ll have to avoid the temptation of getting on line and surfing instead of concentrating on the reading work you need to do. Your cell phone will ring, you’ll hear the buzz of an incoming fax, the television in the corner that you left on will flash colorful advertisements and distract you. Even the music you put on in the background will take up your brain’s time and energy, though you might not consciously realize it.
There are physical and mental distractions to deal with as well. If your chair is uncomfortable, part of your attention will be focused on that – again, probably unconsciously, at least at first. On the other hand, if you’re a little too comfortable, you might start dozing. If you’re tired or hungry, your body will not cooperate and your brain won’t have the energy to effectively process the information. Your mind will also wander if you’re thinking or worrying about something else, instead of thinking about what you’re reading and what you want to get out of the material.
To solve the problem of distraction, do your important reading and your speed-reading practice in a quiet place where you can be alone. Turn off all of the electronic devices around you, and close the windows and curtains if necessary to eliminate noise and visual clutter from the outside. Get rid of the clutter inside your brain as well by setting aside all of the other things on your mind. It will help if you write down everything you’re thinking about on a piece of paper and set it aside; this physical action will prompt you to mentally set those things aside as well.
Make sure you’re not hungry or thirsty, and that you’ve had enough sleep. Keep your body and mind relaxed by taking regular breaks to rest your eyes and mind. Focusing on anything is work, and you need to stop to rest before you continue with that work. By getting up and stretching or taking a quick walk around the block, you’ll get your blood moving and that will send oxygen to your brain. Try to rest, stretch, and get a drink of water or a bite to eat for five minutes out of every half hour, and you’ll find that the time you do spend focusing on your reading will bring the results you want.
