Speed Read Your Way Through 52 Books Each Year... Effortlessly

I got a lift to work from a friend the other day and the first thing she said as I got in the car was that she reads 52 books each year... in her spare time.

Knowing how busy she is – with work, family and seemingly endless child commitments - I thought at first that she was having me on. I was even prepared to bet on it (and I don't normally bet). But she insisted that it was true and even offered to prove it, though she gave me a hint that she didn't technically read them but had them read to her with feeling and emphasis. I had visions of her lying back eating grapes like the Romans while one of her man servants did the honours but, of course, soon realised she was talking about audio books. She slipped a CD in the car cassette and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the story telling as the narrator 'acted out' a particularly tense part of the story in hushed tones.

As we listened, she explained that this was how she had almost any book she wanted read to her as audio books while she was getting ready for work in the morning, while she got her kids ready for school, while she did her exercises each day, while she drove to and from work and any free time she had on hands. She also mentioned how much calmer it was at breakfast time!!

I've got to say that I was impressed at her organisation but slightly embarrassed by my own morning routine which involved watching a bit of telly, then listening to the same old radio station I'd listened to and shouted at for years. All of a sudden, my mind felt a bit flabby and dull. I worked out that my journeys alone to and from work took at least 5 hours a week which is more than enough for a book each week and that's not taking into account my lunchtime stroll, exercise time, washing dishes or ironing time.

What if I decided to learn a new language, or improve my thinking skills or even find out how to be more motivated? All of a sudden, I couldn't wait to give it a try. Even better was when I found an audio book site that allowed me to download books instantly to my MP3 player. It meant I could get what I wanted when I wanted without going out searching for them and much cheaper than in the shops.

From what this friend of mine explained to me, I knew I had to give audio books a try.
Now, I can proudly say I also benefit from the reading 40 to 50 books each year and I feel much better for it.

For those of you still unconvinced, then if an audio book takes 4 hours, you can easily have it read to you in just four days - 1 hour of spare 'dead' time each.

So, if it takes you 4 days to get through one audio book, then you will get through 5 books in 4 weeks on just the work days. Work 48 weeks a year and you've got through 60 books!! Now they don't have to be 60 different books because if you're learning a new language like French, you could replay chunks and become really fluent.

Perhaps it's better to say that you'll recover 240 hours – or ten full days – of time you usually waste. Time you'll never get again.

If that won't change your life, what will?