Reading and writing skills are absolute needs in daily life. Texts are read from blackberries and iPhones as one brews coffee. On the way to work, when one is on the bus or driving, signs are read for directions and then noted so as not to miss one’s turns or stop. At the workplace, staff is expected to read, comprehend, and analyze market reports, summaries of meetings, and trend updates.
For a Virtual Assistant (VA) as well as for other professions, reading is equal to breathing. The two goals of reading are to find information, for example, procedures in electronic filing. Then there’s the other purpose of reading, the understanding aspect. These two occur at the same time so that the reader discovers or acquires something new. Getting the information and relating it is vastly different from having the information then being in a position to explain its relevance, where it is connected, and how it may impact the task at hand.
In the current professional environment, acquisition of new information along with sharp administrative skills is a foundation of success in the workplace. But this is also the era of information overload where choices have to be made on which reading materials take priority.
Whether immersed in fiction, non-fiction, annual reports and other reading materials, consider the following:
- Reading contributes to improving writing skills. Certain authors can influence vocabulary and sentence construction. Successful authors of books such as The 4-Hour Workweek show concise writing that is easy read for audiences.
- Reading is good training for focus and concentration. Multi-tasking is not possible when reading as it is an activity that requires attention.
- Reading improves retention of information. In a novel, there are several characters and plotlines that must be recalled to keep track of the story. The same is true for non-fiction book reading. It must be noted that new memories that are created result in new brain pathways (new synapses).
Perhaps the best value in reading is found in Vera Nazarian’s words:
“Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.”
Written by Yoli P.- The Help