4 strategies that helped me keep up with a heavy academic reading workload 📚

Have you ever taken a look at your course syllabus and wondered, "How am I supposed to read 100 pages each week?" And on top of that, you're expected to read that many pages for multiple courses!

When I was in university, there were two things that I used to manage my heavy reading loads: smart reading skills and good time management.

Once you learn these 4 strategies for tackling readings, your assigned readings won't feel so challenging.

The first mistake I made was jumping straight into the assigned material and reading every single word of the chapter.

Skimming is a rapid reading strategy that can save you time by helping you understand the main idea of the text without reading every word.

To do this, you should:

1. Read the title, subheadings, and bolded terms.

These will give you an overview of the reading. The title tells you the main idea of the reading, the subheadings act as smaller topics that support the main idea, and the bolded terms are important vocabulary words.

2. Read the introduction and conclusion.

These are two very valuable paragraphs in the text. The introduction paragraph contains the background information. This is also where you will find the author's main argument.

The conclusion paragraph summarizes what was discussed in the chapter. This is where the author highlights important takeaways.

3. Look at the visuals.

Scan the chapter for visuals like images, charts, and diagrams. Read the captions as well. The author placed the visuals there to help you better understand the topic.

For more information, check out this learning guide for skimming tips and tools.

Once you get the general idea of the text (thanks to skimming!), you'll be ready to read the text in more detail for better comprehension.

It's quiz time! ⚡

For your architecture class, your professor assigned a reading titled The Impact of Residential Architectural Design on Community Well-Being.

Which option best states the main idea of the text?

A. The main purpose of residential architecture is to provide people with well-built homes.

B. The design of buildings can affect how their residents feel mentally, physically, and socially.

C. Thoughtful architectural design helps bring communities together.

D. Community well-being only depends on quality healthcare services.

After skimming the pages, you should have a good idea of what the chapter is about. Next, it's time to carefully read the text. To do this you will:

1. Set your reading goal.

To make large readings more manageable, chunk them into smaller sections. This neuroscience-backed learning technique supports quick understanding and helps plan your time realistically. For instance, if your reading is 20 pages long, you might divide the chapter into 5 sections of 4 pages each.

2. Take notes.

While reading each section, in your own words, summarize the important ideas in 1-2 sentences. This will help you to retain the information that you just read.

3. Take breaks.

Once you've reached your reading goal, take a break. This is to refresh your mind and eyes, and prepare you for the next reading session.

For short 25-minute reading blocks, take a 5-minute break between each one. For more intense reading blocks that surpass an hour, you should take breaks lasting 30 to 60 minutes.

Annotations are notes or markings in a book that help you better understand and remember your reading. As you read, annotate the text to make the information "stick." Aim to keep your annotations simple and clear.

Here’s what I did while reading an article called The Impact of Social Media on the Mental Health of Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review.

• I underlined unfamiliar terms including "displaced behaviour theory", "empirical evidence", and "socio-emotional functioning", and later looked up their meanings.

• I noted that "increased cell phone use can contribute to chronic sleep loss, which can affect school performance, thinking, social interactions and emotional development" on a sticky note to help remember this critical information.

• I highlighted a few key sentences that support the main idea. 

• Finally, I wrote a one-sentence summary of the author's main argument at the bottom of the page.

Keeping up with your reading load will require consistency. Make reading part of your daily routine to prevent your readings from piling up, eliminate the need to cram, and improve your understanding of the material. Here are some tips to build consistency:

1. Create a reading space that works.

Find a comfortable space to turn into your reading zone. Create a ritual by playing the same lo-fi soundtrack, lighting a candle, and limiting your distractions.

2. Treat yourself with a small reward.

After each reading session, celebrate with a small treat. Reward yourself with a special snack or a relaxing activity, like going for a walk.

3. Ask a friend to check on your progress.

Share your reading goals with a friend to stay motivated. Regularly check-in with them by talking about what you read, what you plan to read next, and sharing your overall progress.

While dealing with heavy reading loads can seem intimidating at first, using these reading strategies will help you to stay organized and in control.