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Whether you want to study more efficiently and have more time left over to enjoy yourself, or you simply want to be able to read more books, you'll find that the technique of speed reading is quite indispensable. While many people worry that the ability to read faster is beyond them, the reality is that almost anyone can learn to speed read and moreover, they can improve their speed in a matter of days, if not less. Take a look at a few tips for learning how to speed read below.

Speed reading requires thinking a little differently about the act of reading. While there are some (your English teachers/professors, for instance) who would have a quarrel with this, roughly half of what appears on the printed page are irrelevant to grasping the meaning of the text. Training your mind and your eyes to search for the most important words, you'll find yourself scanning through pages faster in a matter of days.

Cue your eyes to take the words at a faster clip. One way that you can do this is to take a notecard and to place it right above the line that you are currently reading. Then start to move the notecard down, letting it cover the lines underneath it. You'll find that your eyes will do a lot to stay ahead of the thing that is blocking the text, and the faster you move the notecard, the faster your eyes will start trying to eat up the words. Take some time to practice with this technique; start slow and work your way up.

When you really want to move, think of your eyes as zig-zagging across the page. Essentially, this combines the two techniques listed above. Move your hand across the page in a zig-zag pattern across the page, encompassing about three lines apiece when you do. While your eye is following your hand, search out the words that seem the most pertinent. This is not a method you want to utilize when you are doing a close reading, but as a pre-reading technique, to understand what you are going to be looking at, and as practice, this is an excellent exercise.

Remember that like any other skill, speed reading takes time to work on and improve. Take your time and start with texts that are a little easier than what you are used to. This is a good way to build up both confidence and speed, so take as long as you like, but remember to push yourself. You'll find that with speed reading, you will be able to pick up the basics very quickly, but that you will continue to improve as you work.