Yes Good : Reading visually Due How You Were Help ?

A favorite pastime of mine is to ask people what it means to "speed read?" Invariably the more people I ask, the more different answers I get. Usually their answers have something to do with reading faster than they currently do. Rarely does someone include in the definition mentioning comprehension, or understanding printed material along with the speed. Unfortunately if you do not understand material while reading it, then it is not reading! In fact, one of the most often questions I get concerns the possibility of comprehending at fast speeds, especially speeds over 600 words per minute.

There are 4 secrets to comprehension at what we would call "super fast" speed reading, with speeds above 600 words per minute. Below that speed threshold then the type of reading being done is pretty much faster traditional linear reading with the eyes moving generally left to right and line-by-line.

The four secrets to comprehension at high speeds are:

1. Reading visually - due to how you were originally trained to read you probably learned to sound out words aloud. In the beginning years of your reading life you also probably read aloud in order to get the reinforcement from an adult teacher or parent. Now, as an adult reader you are probably still sounding things out in your head. This is called sub-vocalization.

Sub-vocalization creates a problem for the speed reader because our minds can only understand spoken language up to about 450, and no more than 600 words per minute.

Reading is taking visual symbols (the print) and getting meaning from them. Comprehension does not require us to sound things out and hear them. So learn to read and rely on the visual input.

2. Read for meanings, not grammatical sequence - This will allow you to read above that 600 words per minute threshold especially for informational types of reading. Reading is a thinking skill, or cognitive skill. How often do you think in grammatically correct sentences? Thinking is comprised of images, feelings, ideas, and concepts. Seldom do we need to think in grammatical sequence. When learning to speed read, this becomes a challenge merely because of habit. Understand me you do? Yes, that sentence is purposely out of grammatical sequence to demonstrate that we can understand meaning outside of expected order.

3. Use Your Natural Dimensional Sight - Our sight is naturally dimensional. We see things as wholes. There is a vertical and horizontal axis that when applied to print at normal reading distances is usually about 1- 3 inches in diameter. If you look at a printed page and experiment by looking at a chunk of text without trying to understand it, you'll observe that you can clearly see all the words contained inside that "cone of sight." We refer to this cone of sight as dimensional sight.

4. Perceiving Wholes - Our brain naturally seeks understandings as wholes, not pieces or parts. For example, when you look at a chair, the mind understands "chair," rather than wood + legs + seat + seat back = chair. The latter is how most people approach comprehension and contributes heavily to the failure to read much above 450-600 words per minute. Perceiving wholes requires a complete shift in how we approach comprehension.

These 4 secrets are natural abilities of your brain/mind. However, due to your old ingrained habits you are not applying them to your reading. With proper training and practice you will be able to make the shift to becoming a dynamic speed reader with whatever level of comprehension you desire. From that practice a whole new world of learning will unfold for you. Will you take that challenge?

After several weeks of lockdown and social isolation it's fair to say that there are many diverse reactions to the easing of restrictions.

Now that it's coming time to venture more outdoors some people can hardly wait for the freedom to get out and circulate, catch up with family and friends, visit their familiar haunts, the bars, clubs and restaurants, enjoy some live music and a little relaxed shopping. They may have a job or business that needs to be focussed on and brought back up to speed.

There's pressure to resume trading in the post-corona world as quickly and efficiently as possible from day one. But what's that going to look like? Will customers be attracted back to a high street initially full of restrictions; of one-way systems, queuing to get in, no browsing or trying things on?

Understandably many people are cautious. They're nervous that the virus is still out there and has not fully run its course or is waiting to resurface. They may feel vulnerable and uncertain as to whether it's okay to return to work, to freely visit places. Shopping online has become the norm for many people, many of whom will continue to use it, feeling it's safer and is also a great way to save on travelling time, whilst removing the temptation to fritter money on random purchases made when shopping in-store.

Some will have lost their job or business, or be only able to return to work part-time and need to quickly find another route to earn money. Do they start a new business, look for another job? What's the best way forward?

How do we start to venture outdoors after so long spent indoors, detached from normal life, in lockdown and isolation?

- Many of us will venture outdoors with revised priorities, far more appreciative of our health, family and friends rather than any desire to return to working long hours or travelling miles. We may be less focused on money and status. Leaving our homes will be more about reconnecting with relationships, sharing time with family and friends, enjoying nature, valuing the cleaner air, reduced congestion and a modified pace of life.

- A 2020 survey commissioned by bottled water firm Evian, found that 70% of Britons expressed the desire to live a greener life as a consequence of lockdown and had become more aware of their impact on the planet. They wanted to fly less, reduce their carbon footprint, generate less waste, work more from home and be respectful in their behaviour.

- Consequently, many people will retain their lockdown discoveries; baking, spending more time outdoors, still doing their weekly food shop online. Online may have become a convenient way of shopping for routine purchases. Some will have found excellent suppliers of goods or services, and a preferable way to manage their time.

- Outdoor walks and bike rides have become increasingly popular, either being shared with family groups or enjoyed alone for a break. Finding local beauty spots and trails near their homes has been an unexpected treat and many intend to continue supporting their health with regular outdoor exercise and designated personal time.

- Over 50% of UK shoppers have voiced a heightened awareness of the need to shop local and support local farmers, traders and artisans after such a devastating year. Many local, independent bars, coffee shops, restaurants, salons and traders have been unable to work or have had to seriously modify their offering, threatening their future existence. Customers need to return to the high streets or risk them becoming empty ghost towns.

- From a work perspective now's the time to find a balance between working, running a business online and the requirement for more personal face-to-face interactions. Virtual meetings and networking via skpe or zoom have their place, but are exhausting when done too frequently, involve little eye contact or personal connection and require high levels of concentration when several people are included. They remove spontaneity and the opportunity for individual relationship building.

- Setting up an office from home can be a worthwhile investment for specific tasks, freeing people to work their own hours, allowing time to accommodate other areas of their lives, supporting the needs of both staff and the business as everyone finds their new normal. In-person meetings, trainings and seminars can eventually be arranged in co-working areas, hotels or sociably over a coffee or lunch.

- Becoming home based for some, if not all work requirements, could well be the way forward. Certainly as people return from furlough there may not be enough to occupy them full-time and a part-time option may not warrant a journey to the office, with all the safety and social-distancing considerations. Some tasks may now be deemed non-essential and trimmed altogether.

- Whilst many businesses have found moving more online very lucrative others rely on personal engagement and presence; hospitality, salons, hair-dressing, concerts are just some examples. And of those businesses who have successfully adapted for the duration of the pandemic, like online delivery or coaching services, they may now find that as demand readjusts, they need to revise their staffing levels and supply chains. Some with furloughed staff, may never be able to pick up where they left off, with various estimates forecasting up to 10 million staff could lose their jobs post-corona.

So, now that it's time to venture outdoors it will initially require that we stay alert and appreciate that there's much recovery time ahead. Sensitivity, patience and taking one day at a time are important in managing the first stages of this new era.

Susan Leigh, counsellor, hypnotherapist, relationship counsellor, writer & media contributor offers help with relationship issues, stress management, assertiveness and confidence. She works with individual clients, couples and provides corporate workshops and support.

She's author of 3 books, 'Dealing with Stress, Managing its Impact', '101 Days of Inspiration #tipoftheday' and 'Dealing with Death, Coping with the Pain', all on Amazon & with easy to read sections, tips and ideas to help you feel more positive about your life.

Delegating is a commonly misunderstood concept. Delegating is not about dumping problems or chores you dislike doing onto the shoulders of others, it is an invaluable tool for "motivating and training your team to realize their full potential." (Blair)

What an awesome power we each hold. We have the ability to assist another person (i.e., your spouse, kids, or coworker) in capitalizing on their full potential.

How many thousands of dollars do people spend on motivational tapes, programs, weekends, coaches, and training seminars on learning how to make best use of our abilities? Most people want true fulfillment, in all areas of life.

Therefore, it benefits you AND your loved one to learn how to delegate.

Make sure this person knows what you want done, they can actually complete the task, and they know how to do it.

Many people worry that if they let others do a job for them, they will lose control or the job will not be completed as well as you would have done it yourself. For example, I just gave birth to my second child. During these past two weeks, others have done my cleaning, cooking, and shopping. Have they cleaned as well as I might have? No. Did they buy the brands and specific products that I would have bought? No.

I told myself that the jobs that I delegated did not have to be done as well as I could have done them. They just had to be GOOD ENOUGH.

When you think about tasks you can delegate, decide what is "good enough". I decided that I can live with my clean but not perfect kitchen or the sandwich bags that were purchased without Ziplocs. For now, they will do. I took a breath and then let go of my high standards.

And you know what, I see how happy people are to help me and how good they feel doing a job that requires them make their own decisions. They feel empowered and I know my confidence in them only helps.

Give your children a chance at loading or unloading the dishwasher. Assign a special project to your subordinates at work. A toddler can help set the table. The forks may not be on the left but one day they will get there!