The Secret Power of ‘Read It Later’ Apps - Forte Labs

The Secret Power of ‘Read It Later’ Apps - Forte Labs

Reading is a powerful tool that allows us to dive into the thoughts and perspectives of others. It helps us expand our own paradigms and gain new insights. In today's world, the ability to read is becoming a competitive advantage. The capability to sit quietly and direct focused attention for sustained periods of time is becoming scarce and therefore, valuable.

In a study conducted by Google, it was found that increasing the number of search results per page from 10 to 30 only took half a second longer. However, this small change caused 20% of people to drop off. This highlights the importance of being able to stay focused and engaged in our reading.

Dr. Roy Baumeister, as cited in "Getting Things Done," has shown that uncompleted tasks take up mental space and limit clarity and focus. This cognitive dissonance prevents us from even starting long articles or books. We are often overwhelmed by the idea of not being able to finish them.

This is where 'Read It Later' apps come in. These apps, such as Pocket, allow us to save articles and content for later consumption. They act as a task manager for our reading material, helping us prioritize and organize what we want to read. By having a dedicated space for these articles, we can avoid the mental clutter that comes with unfinished tasks.

However, it is important to note that 'Read It Later' apps are not just another form of procrastination. They should not be used as an excuse to delay reading altogether. Instead, they should be seen as a tool to help us consume long-form content more efficiently.

One of the benefits of these apps is that they increase the consumption of more substantive content. Instead of constantly being bombarded with short, surface-level articles, we can focus on longer, more in-depth pieces. This allows us to dive deeper into a subject and gain a better understanding of it.

Another advantage of 'Read It Later' apps is their ability to help us filter through the vast amount of information available. With so much content being produced daily, it can be overwhelming to find quality material. These apps allow us to curate our own reading list, ensuring that we only consume content that is relevant and valuable to us.

In addition to these benefits, 'Read It Later' apps also offer a way to learn faster. By assimilating and building on the ideas of others, we can save time and avoid making the same mistakes ourselves. Ideas are powerful, especially when they are arranged in highly cross-referenced networks. Our brain is the only tool capable of creating and accessing these networks on demand.