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A lot of the skills necessary to improve your reading speed will not come naturally to you, so you will need to practice them everyday until they become second nature. Even 15 to 20 minutes of practice per day  can make a huge difference to your overall pace.  Improving your reading speed will take time, as you are learning how to read in a whole new way. Remember it took you years to learn how to read well as a child, so be patient with yourself this time round. A good way to track your progress is to time yourself on a regular basis. Set a timer and count how many words you read per minute. The more you practice, the higher this number should become. When you are training yourself to read faster, it's a good idea to start with easier material -- something that you enjoy or gain immediate value from -- until your abilities improve.  Something like a travel book or memoir of famous figure, for example, might be a good option. Starting with something very dense -- like a physics textbook -- can throw you off and make the whole process seem more daunting. Once your skills improve and you learn what to look for in a text, you will find yourself much better equipped to deal with longer, more complex material. By this time, you will have developed a good grasp of which techniques work best for you and learn to recognize which parts of a text are most important. It's a good idea to use your finger, a pen or an index card to mark your place on the page as you read. And while using a pointer prevents you from losing your place and having to make regressions, this is not the only benefit.  By moving the pointer quickly across each line and down the page you can set the pace you wish to read at, as your eyes will be forced to keep up. Think of your eyes like a magnet that's attracted to the pointer on the page -- wherever it goes, your eyes will follow! Your brain needs some time to sink into the rhythm of reading, especially if you’re coming from another activity that’s more active. Encourage yourself to read for at least 15 minutes at a time to ensure that your brain has time to adjust its focus.  You’ll get progressively better at finding your focus with practice. It’s OK to take breaks when necessary, as well. In addition to implementing specific techniques for increasing your reading speed, it's also important that you revise your attitude towards reading in general.  Rather than seeing reading as a chore or something that has to be done, you should look at reading as an opportunity -- to be entertained, to learn something new, to expand your horizons. It doesn't matter what the subject is -- it could be a book on statistics or a historical account of mining in Colorado -- as long as you approach the topic with an open mind and a willingness to learn, you'll find the whole process much more enjoyable and easier to get through. Despite the benefits of reading faster, it's important to recognize that there will be times when you need to slow down and really make an effort to fully comprehend what you're reading.  There's no point skimming through a text if it prevents you from fully comprehending the material or retaining any useful information. Therefore, one of the most important skills you can develop is the ability to recognize when you should read slowly. In addition, there are certain types of texts that should never be skimmed through or glossed over too quickly. This includes works of fiction, classic literature, poetry and plays. These kinds of texts are works of art and creativity, where each and every word is intended to be read and even analysed. You will lose much of the value of these texts if you attempt to read them too quickly.
Practice a little every day. Start with easier material. Use your finger or an index card to set the pace. Read for longer periods of time to improve your focus. Change your attitude towards reading. Know when to slow down.