This week I ran a session called "How to Read Faster and Remember More" at a big three day events industry exhibition at Earls Court in London.

It went very well and as usual I had loads of great questions at the end.

One of these questions was about how to improve levels of concentration because a big factor that gets in the way of most people being more effective readers is that of concentration.

I am sure you have had the experience of reading something, getting to the bottom of the page and not being able to remember a thing about what you have read.

Well whilst you might think it is your memory, it is your concentration that wanders off whilst you are reading.

So the question I was asked was "How do you improve your levels of concentration when you are reading?"

Well the first thing you should realise is that wavering concentration whilst reading is usually because you are reading TOO SLOWLY!

Yes it is because you are not reading fast enough to engage your brain sufficiently for it not to wander off and think of something else.

Think about this – you cross a deserted street you know well then your attention and focus levels are going to significantly different than when crossing a very busy street with multiple lanes of fast traffic especially if there are lots of taxi drivers around.

Of course the danger here heightens the need to pay attention, but I hope you will see the relevance on the analogy – your mind will be more engaged when it has more to do.

Learn to Read Faster and Your Concentration Will Improve Dramatically

It is the same with reading.

The first tip to improving your levels of concentration when you read is to learn to read faster.

Now the next recommendation to help improve your ability to focus and concentrate when you read is that of being very clear on your objectives when you are reading something.

If you get very clear on what you want out of what you are reading, then your brain will look out for written nuggets that will help you achieve your objectives.

This will keep it active because it has something to do – i.e. look for whatever it is that supports your goals and so you are less likely to find yourself day dreaming or thinking of something completely different.

Set Clear Goals To Improve Your Level of Concentration

 Of course a great way to get clear on your objectives is to set goals about what you want from the reading material.

If you write these goals down, then that simple act will programme your mind to seek out what you are looking for.

Is there a time when it is ok to let your mind wander off?

Absolutely there is.

The guidance I offer here on this blog dedicated to effective reading is mainly targetted at helping people in business to read far better saving them time, increasing their effectiveness and ultimately help them make more money.

That implies that a lack of concetration is not a good thing and in the business context that is generally true.

However there is absolutely nothing wrong with reading some poetry or a good novel in your spare time and allowing the mind to wander after savouring each word – that is beneficial to the brain.

Improve Your Reading Environment and You Improve Your Concentration

 And then the last point about developing higher levels of concentration is a practical one to do with the environment you read in.

It should be commonsense that if you read somewhere with many distractions, or in a place that is physically uncomfortable (or maybe even too comfortable) then you are going to have trouble maintaining your attention.

Finding somewhere conducive to heightened levels of focus, that is physically comfortable and free from distractions will assist you in concentrating on what you have to read.

You can go as far as looking at the chair you sit in, your posture, levels of hydration, time of day etc but really if you use your commonsense you won’t go far wrong.

So if you have a way of helping you keep focused to improve your concentration when you read then drop me a line and let me know.