5 Ways to Become a Better Reader

We read up to 3000 words a day.

We go through countless texts, emails, and books but how much information do we remember?

It’s quite a shame when we read a book but forgot the main themes of it after a few months. For this reason, here are some actionable steps you can take to becoming a better read.

Take notes

Everyone has a different style of learning but we memorize better by writing things down. Whether you read on an iPad or paperback, use a highlighter or write down small notes about the chapter you read. This will help your brain process the themes of the book.

Keeping a public or private journal will be a great reference for when you want to revisit the themes of the book. A suggestion is to write them in your Notes App or publish them on Medium / Substack.

Slow down and Speed up

Changing your pace of reading throughout a book is useful in different contexts. It allows you to identify which parts of the book to skim or slow down.

Skim: If you understand the main point, move on.

Slow down: When the argument is hard to understand. Try re-reading it again.

You don’t have to keep reading