3 Easy Ways Busy Business Leaders Can Read More in Less Time
No matter how busy we are, it’s imperative that we continue to learn and grow. There are a lot of great books out there, and reading is one of the best ways to level up your career and your life.
Ensuring you continue your own growth is made all the easier when you learn how to read books more efficiently and effectively. Here’s how I go about it, covering all three mediums — audiobooks, e-books and physical books — that I incorporate depending on my level of interest in a title. (I’m not affiliated with any of the products/services mentioned below — these are just what work best for me.)
Audiobooks
I listen on Audible at 2x–3x speed. It’s a bit difficult to get used to at first, but it’s amazing how quickly your brain adjusts.
Focus on two things: What are the main takeaways? Is this a quality book? Take the first two to three chapters to determine these key points, to find whether or not the book is worth your time. If it’s NOT, stop reading! Don’t give in to the sunk-cost fallacy. You can and should cut your losses as soon as possible. If you’re not that far into the book, you can often exchange the credit on Audible for another title.
Listen for the main overall message of the book. If you were describing it to a friend, what would you say in a sentence or two? Then, if there are one or two sub-takeaways, make a mental note. The inherent test here is this: Can you remember it without writing it down? Your goal isn’t to memorize every detail.
For the rare exception — something that really stands out and I want to be sure to capture it — I leave myself a voice note. Ex: “Remind me about asking the sales team what they get the most questions about and send those topics to the marketing team to make video content for the answers.” This adds a note on my Reminders app that I can reference later.
I usually listen as I’m working on projects around the house, driving, going through airport security lines, that kind of thing — any low-brain-power task that allows you to partially focus elsewhere.
Because it’s an audiobook, this can be done while you do other things and you can listen in the background, so it’s not a huge time investment/time suck.
E-Books
I have Kindle Unlimited, which has a large number of titles you can download, with other titles typically only a couple of dollars.
I download the e-book version of high-value titles I want to take a deeper dive into. This second round allows me to more fully ingest the information, while allowing assimilation through a different part of the brain —visual vs. auditory.
Here, I still usually do a pretty quick read/scan — I don’t read word-for-word, but it is a bit more in-depth than round one. I have a general sense of the structure of the book from Audible, so that helps me flip through the pages easily on desktop, iPad or my phone.
I really like the highlighting feature in Kindle. You can use your mouse or finger to highlight by clicking or tapping and holding and dragging. Easy! I can then see a list of all my highlighted sections afterwards. I use this a lot if I want to go back and quickly reference a point/page in the book. Or when I come back to a book after a while and want to refresh my memory, I can just scan my highlights.
Most of the time, I stop with the e-book. I have the info I need, and I’ve learned some details I can also put it into practice. But, for a select few, I’ll go to the next level.
Physical Books
I go with this format for books I’m really impressed with, that I want to add to my bookshelf. Also if I want to teach or summarize all or part of it to my team — sometimes accompanied by a short deck I put together. There’s just something about having the actual book in my hands that makes the information click in new ways.
I typically get the paperback version, unless hardcover is the only option. I prefer the feel of them in my hands, and they’re an easier, lighter travel option.
For physical books, I read them in full detail. Sometimes images and charts show up better on the page, making them more memorable. And I also physically highlight key passages. I have a simple two-color system. Blue for main highlights, green for wow-highlights — ones that really stand out and teach me something new. I also put a star or any notes in the margin next to key words or passages.
I do this at home during rare quiet times and Sunday football commercials, and on the plane when my eyes get tired of screens or the in-flight internet goes out. 😐
When I’m done, the book is primed for future reference. I can easily thumb through, looking for greens, blues and stars.
If a certain format of the book isn’t available, I just skip to the next one. But generally, the percentage breakdown of audiobook/e-book/physical book is: 100/50/10.
Some might say, “Emily, you’re system is flawed. You’re actually spending more time — and more money!”
But as you can see, only half the audiobooks I finish are even given a second pass. Remember, I listen to the audiobook very quickly, while still retaining the key takeaways.
As for the cost, I don’t mind the extra money for the second and third formats — they’re worth it. And many of the Kindle books are covered by my Kindle Unlimited subscription. But most of all, investing in yourself is never a waste. It’s one of the best ways to spend both your time and your money.
Want to try out my system? Check out my Top 10 Books for Leaders.
And stay tuned! I’ll be sharing some of their summaries here — so sign up for my newsletter now!
About The Author
Emily Sander is an ICF-certified leadership coach with more than 15 years of experience in the business world and the author of Hacking Executive Leadership. She’s been featured in several print publications, online articles, and podcasts, including CEO Today Magazine, Leading to Fulfillment, and Leadership Powered by Common Sense.
Emily has a passion for helping business leaders reach their full potential. Go here to read her story from seasoned executive to knowledgeable coach. If you want to send Emily a quick message, then visit her contact page here.