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Well, I didn’t like reading when I was young. Back then, you would find people reading almost everywhere, be it on the train, coffee shop, mall, queues etc. Unlike today, when people spend more time on their phones.
Since reading books was the thing to do at the time, I had to change my attitude towards the book. Also, my parents had a bunch of books and dailies that I could not resist reading back then. That marked the development of my reading culture. With time, I developed an interest in non-fictional books and autobiography. My interest in these two genres was so deep that I unconsciously developed some skills or routines that would help me absorb much from the books I read.
Recently, am reading thrice as many books as I was reading back then. But it is important to note that, how many books you read I not as important as how much you absorb from the book you read. Very few people will have a strategy before they start reading a book. I had to develop my own strategy to help me retain the most from any book I read.
These strategies include:
1. Having a purpose for reading the book – before I pick a book from the books shelf, or order for it online, I love establishing my purpose for the book. I like listing (either mentally or on paper) what I would wish to achieve from the next book that I want to read. Doing this helps me to first of all select the right book for my goal. And secondly, it helps me in comprehending the content of the book because it is something I have anticipated.
2.Imagine yourself narrating the story to others – the wisdom you gain from books will only manifest itself and be useful to you if you use it or apply it in real life. When you share or teach someone else something that you have learnt and understood perfectly, you end up understanding the content of the book even more. Reading and narrating to others will help you have a shift in mindset that allows you to better internalize the content of the book.
3. Try to visualize and picture the scenes – I usually remember a book better when I put myself in the scenes. For example, for fictional books, I would pick a character I love and picture myself as that character. That way,
4. Summarize the book as you read – Another good practice that I developed is to take notes while reading the book. This should be done in a way that will not derail you from following the storyline. Writing will help you retain much of what you read. More so, if you review what you have written afterwards, you will notice that you will be able to remember most of what you have just read.
5. Read and Re-read the book – Just like watching a movie or a TV show for the first time, you will miss a lot of things. I noticed that when I read a book or watch a movie or TV show for the second time, I realize many scenes or aspects of the movie that I had missed when I watched it the first time. Also, reading a book the second time help you to connect scenes that you wouldn’t have linked in the first instance.
Well, I didn’t like reading when I was young. Back then, you would find people reading almost everywhere, be it on the train, coffee shop, mall, queues etc. Unlike today, when people spend more time on their phones.
Since reading books was the thing to do at the time, I had to change my attitude towards the book. Also, my parents had a bunch of books and dailies that I could not resist reading back then. That marked the development of my reading culture. With time, I developed an interest in non-fictional books and autobiography. My interest in these two genres was so deep that I unconsciously developed some skills or routines that would help me absorb much from the books I read.
Recently, am reading thrice as many books as I was reading back then. But it is important to note that, how many books you read I not as important as how much you absorb from the book you read. Very few people will have a strategy before they start reading a book. I had to develop my own strategy to help me retain the most from any book I read.
These strategies include:
1. Having a purpose for reading the book – before I pick a book from the books shelf, or order for it online, I love establishing my purpose for the book. I like listing (either mentally or on paper) what I would wish to achieve from the next book that I want to read. Doing this helps me to first of all select the right book for my goal. And secondly, it helps me in comprehending the content of the book because it is something I have anticipated.
2.Imagine yourself narrating the story to others – the wisdom you gain from books will only manifest itself and be useful to you if you use it or apply it in real life. When you share or teach someone else something that you have learnt and understood perfectly, you end up understanding the content of the book even more. Reading and narrating to others will help you have a shift in mindset that allows you to better internalize the content of the book.
3. Try to visualize and picture the scenes – I usually remember a book better when I put myself in the scenes. For example, for fictional books, I would pick a character I love and picture myself as that character. That way,
4. Summarize the book as you read – Another good practice that I developed is to take notes while reading the book. This should be done in a way that will not derail you from following the storyline. Writing will help you retain much of what you read. More so, if you review what you have written afterwards, you will notice that you will be able to remember most of what you have just read.
5. Read and Re-read the book – Just like watching a movie or a TV show for the first time, you will miss a lot of things. I noticed that when I read a book or watch a movie or TV show for the second time, I realize many scenes or aspects of the movie that I had missed when I watched it the first time. Also, reading a book the second time help you to connect scenes that you wouldn’t have linked in the first instance.