There’s no point in
reading something if you don’t take some of it with you. This simple exercise,
when used with diligent note taking, can help you retain more of everything you
read.
On his blog, James Clear talks
about the importance of taking notes while you read, as well as making those
notes organized and searchable. But Clear also
recommends you practice a summarizing exercise every time you finish a book.
It’s simple: as soon as you finish a book, try to sum up everything you’ve read
in three sentences. The
practice forces you to go back over your notes and pull what was really
important about the book. Now, in the future, you don’t have to read the book
again to regain any lost knowledge. You can simply review your notes and read
your summary to unlock all of that blocked off knowledge. This can be used for
anything you read too, not just books. So do a little writing to improve your
reading.
When
you're learning new material, it can be overwhelming when you think about how
much time…Read more
Staff Writer, Lifehacker.com