Reading is an unavoidable cornerstone of modern life. Whether it’s learning a new app, booking travel, or writing a paper, reading forms the foundation of
understanding and action. The challenge isn’t just in reading—it’s in reading efficiently, especially when faced with dense digital content. Here’s a short guide
to streamlining your approach so you extract information without being overwhelmed.
1. Skimming: The Quick Overview
Skimming allows you to get the gist of the material without diving into every detail. Focus on headings, subheadings, bullet points, and keywords. This can be quite effective when deciding whether a text is worth digging into.
2. Chunking: Divide and Conquer
Dense texts often feel intimidating because of their sheer volume (research papers, anyone?). Break them into smaller, logical sections. Tackle one segment at a time to make the information more digestible and less overwhelming.
This works nicely in many scenarios. Sometimes, reading the seemingly most relevant subsections is much easier than consuming the entire page, especially if you’ve skimmed.
3. Pacing: Consistent Speed Matters
Reading is not easy. Who has speed read till their eyes blurred? Maintaining a steady reading speed to avoid fatigue is necessary. Reading too slowly can cause you to lose momentum, but rushing may lead to missing critical points. So what to do? Adjust your speed based on the complexity of the text- sounds obvious? Yes, but it is helpful to remind yourself that not all texts are the same, and your moods, attention span etc vary. So do the needful for yourself: Pace yourself.
Also, after reading, take some time out—for me, it’s at least an hour—to refresh and let the brain digest.
4. Using a Screen Reader
Screen readers are invaluable for auditory learners, or for multitasking. Having texts read out loud while you absorb the content? Game changer. Think of it as creating your adhoc audiobook. I recommend Microsoft Edge’s screen reader; the voices are natural and there is a wide range to choose from.
5. Highlight for Clarity
Digital tools like PDFgear, Notion, or even Google Docs offer highlighting features. Use these to mark essential sections, phrases, or ideas. Just by highlighting, you often improve retention — also it helps when you revisit the text. In Notion, I particularly like the quote feature, it breaks up the page
6. Infographic Creation: Visual Summaries
Transform dense information into infographics. By summarising key ideas visually, you reinforce understanding and create a reference tool for later. Pen to paper, or whichever medium you prefer, just get it down.
In conclusion, dense texts are demanding but can be easier with these tips. This article should be thought of as a refresher, or give you ideas on useful tools. Use, remix and learn what works for you. Remember, the goal is to find a method that helps you focus on what matters most—helping you read smarter, not harder.