Honestly the less things you do, the better the reading experience. But there are a few things you can do before, during, and after that can improve the quality of your reading.
Get all your senses on board so you can relax. Create a reading ritual that you can practice every day or a few times a week. Make yourself a cup of hot chocolate or tea, and maybe a small dessert to go with it. Then, pick relaxing music to listen to: a playlist of classical music.
Shut out the noise and everything that distracts you. Get away from environmental distractions. To make sure sounds from your environment don’t distract you from reading, get noise-cancelling headphones so you can hear your music, or silicone ear plugs if you don’t want to listen to music and you’d rather read in silence. Set your phone to Airplane mode. Don’t check your computer or mobile phone every five minutes.
Keep a log of what you read. This will give your reading experience more structure, boost your focus and concentration, improve your cognitive skills, strengthen memory, and engage your critical thinking skills. Dedicate a notebook to your reading. Focus on key concepts, ideas, and topics, instead of writing down every little thing. Write notes in list format to save time, which will allow you to skim the material when you need it.
Take the time to absorb the new information. In other words, don’t rush it. Some people seem to be racing and competing with others on how fast they’re reading a book. But it’s not really about the quantity of time rather, it’s the quality of your reading that will make a real difference. Remember, you are reading for yourself. You want to explore a new world created by the author, discover something new, and even have space to ask yourself questions, ponder, even daydream.
When you’re done, tell someone a story about it. Storytelling makes your reading material come alive. It’s a great way to take the next step in the learning process by being proactive about what you’re absorbing. Find your audience (a friend, roommate, study partner, spouse) and pick a time when they’re not in the middle of working. Keep it concise; nobody wants to sit through an hour-long monologue. What is the main plot, idea, or theme? Explain it in a few minutes. Then, use the opportunity to get your friend’s opinion and point of view. Ask them if they heard or read anything similar, and you might get a recommendation of what to read next.
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