3. Glance back and forth to your left and right thumbs ten times without turning your head.

4. Repeat this three times each time you do the exercise.

Exercise 4 - Use a drawn shape

You can do this exercise using any shape, but the star works best because of the number of angles.

1. On a piece of paper, draw a star.

2. On each angle of the star, write a number from one to six.

3. Without moving your head, move your eyes around the numbers quickly from one to six.

4. Without moving your head, roll your eyes around the numbers backward from six to one.

Exercise 5 - Writing with your eyes

This will have your eyes moving in ways that differ from how you usually see. This exercises the extra-ocular muscles and increased the range of eye movement and the flexibility of the eye.

1. Look at a wall that is across the room from you (as far away as you can).

2. Now imagine that you are writing your name with your eyes on the wall.

3. Try it in cursive writing and block letters.

Exercise 6 - Hooded Eyes

Hooded means when your eyes are half-closed: this relaxes the eyes and is an excellent exercise to do a few times when your eyes need a bit of a break.

1. Close your eyes.

2. Concentrate on stopping the trembling of your eyelids.

3. Concentrating on the eyelids relaxes the eyes.

4. While your eyes are hooded, look at an object that is far

away, and you will find that the trembling of your eyes will stop.

Exercise 7 - Squeezing the eyes

Squeezing your eyes together relaxes your eyes, and makes the muscles of the eye a lot more flexible. When squeezing your eyes together, it increases oxygen and blood flow to both your eyes and your face, which improves their health. This exercise will take you around three minutes to complete.

1. While inhaling slowly and deeply, open your mouth and your eyes as wide as you can. This stretches all the facial muscles.

2. While exhaling, squeeze your eyes closed tightly as possible, and squeeze the other muscles of your face, head, and neck, and clench your jaw.

3. Continue to squeeze for 30 seconds while holding your breath.

4. Repeat the process another four times, take a brief break, and then complete a further five squeezing exercises.

Exercise 8 - Gazing at a clock

This is another excellent exercise for your eye muscles, and all you need is a chair and an imagination!

1. Sit in a chair with your back straight and both of your feet level on the floor.

2. Using your imagination, picture a very large clock fact about 12 inches in front of you.

3. Without moving your head, look at the number 12, then down to number 6.

4. Without moving your head, look up to number 1, then down to number 7.

5. Without moving your head, look up to number 2, then down to number 8.

6. Without moving your head, look up to number 3, then down to number 9.

7. Without moving your head, look down to number 4, then up to number 10.

8. Without moving your head, look down to number 5, then up to number 11.

9. Now rest your eyes by closing them or covering them.

Tips for Faster Reading Success

When you first start practicing faster reading, choose a wide variety of simple material for the first week. Something quite light to read and easy to understand. This will enable you to focus on the technique of speed reading without having to focus too much on comprehension.

From then on, begin to read books or materials that are more complex and challenging. You are still working on training your eyes without having to comprehend all that you are reading while you are practicing. Now you are starting to create a habit.

It’s essential to use a wide variety of reading materials and not just novels while you are practicing. But, it is helpful if you use the style you read regularly. You can even practice reading off a screen after the first week, especially if you spend a lot of time on a computer for work

or study.

Another tip is to practice with a book you have read previously, but make sure it’s one you are happy to reread it! This will make it easier for many. After all, you don’t have to think about the content as such because you already know it. Instead, you can practice your speed of reading.

By using previously read books, you will soon notice that your eyes are reading in groups of words instead of fixating on each word. Your head will work to process the reading information quicker because it already knows what is ahead in the book. When practiced, it will become easier for your eyes and brain to focus on groups of phrases and words.

An added advantage of practicing with the material you have read before is that it will help you work out what to prioritize when reading.

There are parts of a book or chapter that have higher importance than others, and if you can work this out before you start to read, it will be easier to prioritize and increase your reading speed.

When you are practicing these techniques, set aside approximately 15

minutes each day. While reading, look up every 20 minutes and give your eyes a rest. Look at something that is far away, and then something close, and alternate this for about 20 seconds. Then get back into your reading practice.

How to Scan

Scanning is an essential tool for faster reading, but because it is ingrained from a young age to read every word, it can be difficult for