Before we divulge the secret to finding time to read, we want to share with you from Lifehack.org, 12 reasons why reading is a crucial component to your success.
- You will optimize your brain power.
- You will increase your odds of success.
- You will immerse yourself in a new world.
- You will improve your vocabulary.
- You will have things to talk about at parties.
- You will entertain yourself for a low price.
- You will discover surprising new ideas that are interesting and engaging.
- You will eliminate boredom during down-time.
- You will strengthen your patience muscles.
- You will become an expert in your field.
- You will reduce stress and unwind into a good night's sleep.
- You will change your life.
Wow! These are some heavy promises that should make you want to cancel your cable subscription and dust off your library card. Even though you're now motivated to crack open a book, that doesn't change the fact that you're still a busy person feeling the pressure of the time crunch. The answer to how to successfully read books with a busy schedule is an ancient art called speed reading, and thanks to technology, becoming a speed reader is as easy as installing an extension for your web browser.
Spreed
There are actually several tools that will help you become a skilled speed reader. The one we want to highlight is Spreed for Chrome. To install Spreed, go to Chrome > Tools > Extensions > Get More Extensions, and then search "Spreed." You can also install it directly by going here.
Spreed is an extension tool that allows you to read the content in your web browser like a book. Spreed is able to take the words in an article and play them back in a separate window at a pace that you select. This will push your brain to read at a faster pace than what you're used to. You can select Words Per Minute speeds of up to 1600WPM. Of course, 1600WPM is a ridiculous speed since the average WPM is in the neighborhood of 200. Therefore, if you could use this tool to increase your reading speed by as much as 400WPM, you will be able to double the amount of content your brain consumes.
As with any discipline or art, the more you stick with it the faster of a reader you will become. A tool like Spreed only works with digital content. Unfortunately, there's not an app you can download that will work with an old-fashioned paperback book. However, if you train yourself to become a speed reader of digital content, then this new skill will translate to book reading.
Are you and avid reader? If so, what's your secret? Or, what's holding you back from reading all of those great books that you know you should be cracking open? Let us know in the comments!