How To Read Effectively (And Actually Remember The Day After)
Reading is hard.
Everybody can read. But do you remember what you read yesterday? A week ago? Probably not.
I started the year with one goal: read 12 books. So far, I’ve read 10 books. In 4 months. And I remember the major takeaways of each book. I use the majority of knowledge in my writing. That’s how most of my ideas start.
By reading efficiently, you can remember what you read in a book, article, comment. Anywhere. And anytime.
This is how:
Annotate While Reading
Be an active reader.
Don’t just scroll your eyes through a screen full of words. Active reading is when you are actively thinking on how a piece of information relates to you.
I remember the first book I read. It was Atomic Habits. That book has so much wisdom. Unfortunately, the first time I read it, I didn’t make any annotations. A week later I tried remember what I learned. I couldn’t make any argument in my favor.
We consume so much information daily. Our brain can’t handle the overflow. It’s crucial to annotate while reading. So you can actively analyze information.
And create connections in your brain.
Make Connections Between Sources
The brain remembers through connections.
Recently, I’ve been reading Contagious. The author dedicates a chapter about triggers. And how our environment makes connection for us.
For example, everytime you see a big yellow M, what do you think of? The brain works in connections between information. It’s the only way to keep up. Therefore, to remember what we are reading, we must make connections between sources.
Maybe you read about triggers. And then you saw a video about sociology. Make a connection between the two. Work with your brain. Don’t leave it to work by itself.
Connections is the only way to remember all the information we consume.
Use a Software To Revisit Old Annotations
Don’t be afraid to use technology.
This might seem ridiculous. But there is a lot of people that don’t like new technology.
They believe it’s distracting and harmful for their productivity. However, it can enhance your learning. Only if you learn how to use it properly. There are programs like Readwise that remind you of old annotations. Every morning, you get 5 to 6 old connections in different books.
It’s incredibly time consuming to read an old book. And search for old annotations. A software can help you remember. And save you time,
Technology is a powerful tool to enhance your learning. Use it in your favor.