Add Rhythm to Your Reading

To Develop Reading Speed, Try Using a Metronome (or understand its concept)

All reading, especially effective, efficient reading, involves a rhythm. You can create this rhythm by using a metronome. (A metronome is a rhythm-keeping device used by musicians.) If you do not have one, you can create a rhythm for your eyes on your own.

Much like the tick of an old grandfather clock, a metronome ticks back and forth rhythmically. The benefit of a metronome is you can set the speed.

Try this: Select any general reading material with narrow columns such as a newspaper or a magazine. Set the metronome to start at a slow pace. Start at the beginning of the first line on the first tick and reach the end of the line at the second tick, then go to the beginning of the next line on the third tick and so on. As you become more confident and find you are reading faster than the ticks, increase the speed of the metronome.

Challenge yourself by forcing the speed for a paragraph or two. You may be able to go faster than you think!

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Abby Marks Beale is founder of The Corporate Educator, a professional speaking and training company specializing in helping with busy people work smarter, faster and just plain better. Go to www.TheCorporateEducator.com.

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Rev It Up Reading is a subsidiary of The Corporate Educator. Since 1988, we have been teaching faster, more effective reading to busy professionals, educators and students in a wide variety of corporations, associations and schools. We offer speaking services, on-site and online training programs, teleclasses, books and audio recordings about how to manage any reading workload and how to read better and faster. ALL of our training is practical and immediately useful to your life and work.