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Billionaire Warren Buffett said, “I just sit in my office and read all day, that’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it”. Reading plays a vital role in an individual’s life. In today’s world, it has become a necessity for a person to read a lot and remember large chunks of information. Many people dedicate 3-5 hours daily for reading. All the material that we read will be interesting and delightful only in a hypothetical world, as in reality, it is not the case.
Many times, a person has to spend hours reading a material that is of very little or no interest to that person. This can lead to poor concentration while reading. Reading not only stimulates the brain but also helps in stress management. It provides knowledge, improves memory, focus, and concentration, and builds vocabulary. A person should at least spend an hour reading something related to their interest. A person should read in such a manner that he/she should be able to remember what is written. If a person is just reading without understanding, it is useless.
There are a large number of ways to retain attention while reading. Some of them are given below:
1. The Building of Willpower- Voluntary attention and willpower are closely connected. Our willpower allows us to ignore distractions while staying focused and persevered on the task at hand. It will act as a great booster while reading. If a person is not willing to read, then there are very few chances that he/she will be able to understand the text.
2. Know the Purpose of Reading- A person should know why he/she is reading that particular text. He/she should be aware of the purpose and expected outcome of reading the text. A person should ask questions to himself/herself before reading about anything. This will prepare their brain for a more efficient and fruitful outcome.
3. Do Exercise- Researchers have found that people who engaged themselves in reading after exercising were able to retain more as compared to one who does not do exercise. Exercise strengthens the ability of the brain to ignore distractions. It builds will power as well. So, a person should exercise daily to stay healthy and fit and increase the retaining capacity of the brain while reading.
4. Be Curious- A person who is curious to know more and more will retain a lot while reading a text. The human brain automatically responds to the curiosity of a person. A curious person will analyze the text better than a normal person. So, it is recommended for a person to be curious.
5. Meditation- Meditation keeps a person calm, cool, and fresh. Studies have shown that meditation boosts attention span in a great way. Research has shown that just 10-20 minutes of meditation a day is enough for a person. The senses of a person after doing meditation become much more efficient as compared to a normal person. Hence, a person can grasp more after doing meditation.
6. Make it Interesting- Many times, the information a person reads is not presented in a way that is convenient for the person. One strategy to make such a thing interesting is to know more and more about that thing by surfing on Google, YouTube, and various other search engines. One should try to know interesting and shocking facts related to the content he/she is reading. After inspecting the supplementary material, the person will find the content very engaging and interesting.
7. Variation in Reading Rate- For an efficient reader, variation in reading rate plays an important role. The reading rate has to keep varying according to the difficulty of the content the reader is reading. An efficient reader quickly reads easier materials and slows down the pace while reading hard stuff. Materials like newspapers and magazines can be read quickly whereas legal texts should be read at a reduced pace. So, a person should keep in mind the variation in reading rates while reading anything.
8. Reading Games- Games make it very easy and engaging to learn anything. They activate parts of the brain that require entertainment and are willing to accept challenges. Some very popular reading games are Hedbanz, Boggle and Read My List. They help a person in increasing the retention capacity as the human brain automatically reacts to games differently. They not only develop problem-solving ability but also increase memory capacity and hand-eye coordination.
9. Make Notes- Making notes while reading will motivate a person to concentrate more. This could be done in various ways. One can use a highlighter or a pen to underline important lines and quotes. Sticky notes can be used to mark important pages of a book. It will develop the analytical skills of a person as well. During examination days, it will also help a person to quickly go through the content within a very short time by just going through the important points and the highlighted text.
10. Appropriate Study Environment- To retain more and more, the reading area should be free of distractions. It is recommended to read in a private room or library with fresh air, free of distractions. The studying environment preferences differ from person to person. So, a person should decide its suitable environment and enjoy reading there.
11. Thinking of Incentives- Rational people always think at the margin and respond to incentives. If you are not interested in reading a particular text, think of a reward for reading successfully. For example- after reading one-fourth of the text, a person you can watch your favorite movie or play some outdoor games. This will increase your retaining capacity while reading the text.
12. Follow a Proper Routine- A person should follow a proper routine for reading. This will help in developing a habit, making one more likely to stick to plans. You can fix a particular time for reading daily whenever you feel more energetic for the whole day. This will improve your ability to focus and concentrate while reading.
13. Staying Away from Distractions- Staying away from distractions while reading will increase the retention capacity of the reader. A person should keep away mobile phones, iPods, and all other electronic gadgets that may serve as a source of distraction for him/her. While reading, a person should wholeheartedly focus on what he/she is reading, leaving all other things aside.
These tips will improve a person’s retention capacity. A person should have a solid answer for why he/she is reading the text. Doing physical exercises and meditation will play a vital role in this regard. The reader should be curious and try to make the reading stuff interesting by learning additional information about it as important and exciting facts, events, etc.
Variation in reading rates, playing reading games and reading in an inappropriate environment is also very important for the reader. Since, people react and respond to incentives, setting up incentives at particular levels is required to make it more interesting. Following a proper routine for reading and staying away from distractions like mobiles and other electronic gadgets are also required to stay focused while reading. So, a person should keep reading new things to learn and know about thousands of interesting things in this world.
Written by - Vaibhav Sharma
Edited by - Deeksha Priyam Bayan
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