Too many books, not enough time: Here's a solution

In the iconic science fiction movie, The Matrix, Neo--played by Keanu Reeves--has kung-fu skills uploaded directly to his brain through a cable.

If only we could do the same with books! Particularly with the thousands of titles that are published each year containing new information and insights promising to make us smarter, more well-informed, and, as many claim, happier.

Reading does make you happier--and it's not just the practical knowledge and advice you gain from books. There's a growing body of research that shows the very act of reading--whether it's fiction or non-fiction--makes you happier. The New Yorker tackled this topic in much depth in an article a few years ago, "Can Reading Make You Happier?" It had this to say about the psychological benefits of reading fiction: "Reading has been shown to put our brains into a pleasurable trance-like state, similar to meditation, and it brings the same health benefits of deep relaxation and inner calm. Regular readers sleep better, have lower stress levels, higher self-esteem, and lower rates of depression than non-readers."

But the pressure to read more--much more--is on. Articles with headlines like "10 life-changing books that [insert name of successful person here] recommends you read" pop up frequently in my news feeds. I've also noticed an uptick in the number of requests from people in my network on LinkedIn looking for techniques that will help them to read faster so they can consume all of the books they've been meaning to read--but just can't find the time to even start.

I believe, as you acquire a deeper understanding of a topic and greater familiarity with the terminology used to explain it, you can speed up the pace at which you read. But I also believe there's a natural limit to the pace at which anyone can--or should--read. 

In the seven years I attended college and graduate school--except for my attempts to cram information at the last minute just before an exam so I could do well --I did not consciously try to learn how to read faster --nor do I think it would have helped me. I also never recall hearing any of my classmates talk about trying to read substantially faster, either. 

Instead of trying to push your reading speed beyond its natural limit, focus instead on developing reading strategies that will enable you to understand the material better--and, importantly--retain it for a longer time. 

1. Underline.

A super simple technique I've used for many years, I'll underline a few key sentences or paragraphs in chapters that I want to remember. It also helps me to quickly locate key passages later when I'm trying to recall specific parts of the book, either to enhance my recall of it, or to use it for an article or report that I'm writing. 

When I don't have a print version of a book in hand, the Kindle app on my iPhone allows me to highlight passages in one of four pastel colors. I make ample use of this function.

2. Annotate.

Writing notes summarizing key points in the margins of a book, or in a notebook, is a good way to synthesize and retain what you're reading. If I'm not reading a print book, my Kindle app allows me to insert digital notes.

3. Ask questions.

Unless you're in a classroom setting, or belong to a reading club, you probably don't have someone you can talk to about the book you're reading at the moment. You should still ask yourself questions about the text as you read it. Or you can use your questions to do some quick research if you need to explore a topic in more depth.

(Photo by Darwin Vegher on Unsplash)

4. Reread.

My mind often wanders when I read. Reading triggers associations with thoughts that are not always related to what I'm reading at the moment. These often start to take hold of my attention and make me lose focus on the text. Once I've snapped out of my trance and realize I've read through paragraphs or even pages without really paying attention, I flip back to the point in the book where I started to go off track. 

5. Read selectively.

I used to obsess over reading a book from beginning to end. While that feeling hasn't entirely subsided, I've come to accept that I don't need to read every single word of every single chapter of a book. Some chapters speak to me, some don't. I'll read the ones that I like best and maybe, someday, I'll return to the chapters I didn't read. Or not.

6. Put it down.

There's no formula I can think of that will help you determine how much of a book you should read before setting it down, but you should definitely put it aside if you find your mind wandering, or if you're just plain tired. I'm not a neuroscientist, but from my own experience, letting the content simmer in your unconscious for a while is a useful part of the reading process. 

None of these techniques promise to speed up the rate at which you read. More likely, they will slow you down. But if you're like me, and you're seriously pressed for time due to work and family commitments, there are only so many books you can get through in a given week, month, or year.

What would you rather do: Read a handful of good books each year that you can both enjoy and remember? Or try and race through dozens of titles that you're more likely to forget?

What tips do you have for remembering more of what you read? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for reading! Please reach out and connect or follow me here on LinkedIn. And check out my podcast on #writing, Write With Impact, available on Apple Podcasts here.