5 easy ways to read more and transform your?life
I have resolved to read 30 books this year. It is September 2018, and I am already on book 26. This is in addition to the two books I WROTE! Science tells us the innumerable benefits of reading — — it improves intelligence, increases empathy, helps you fight Alzheimer’s, makes you more successful, among many other benefits. Reading changes you and transforms your life.
Most people who I meet tell me they simply don’t have time to read. Here are 5 smart and easy ways, to get you back into the reading habit.
- Start with stuff that you love: Choose a genre which you really like. If something is your cup of tea, then you are likely to stick with it. Doesn’t matter what it is — romance, thriller, science-fiction, or even a book for young adults or even a children’s book that you once enjoyed. Start with something that you find interesting and hard to put down — then you are likely to finish it.
2. Set up auto switch off for your phone: Set up a time for your phone, where it switches off automatically and comes on at a particular time the next day, or after a few hours. You might find it hard initially to get used to not checking your phone every now and then (how dependent we become on it!). But this will take care of distraction which can cut into your ‘sacred time’. (Yes, the time spent for reading is always sacred time.)
3.Carry a book everywhere you go: No matter where you go, carry a book with you. While waiting to see someone, while traveling from one place to another, anywhere! If you get five minutes, open your book, not your phone .
4.Watch less TV: The equation is simple. Books > Television. Less TV means more books. TV watching is mostly a matter of habit. Observe when you plonk down in front of the TV. After dinner? As soon as you come from work? Tweak that to make more time. If you plonk down after dinner, go for a short walk instead. Trick your brain to jolt out of the auto-pilot mode it operates on.
5.Commit: Commit that you will read one chapter a day..or 50 pages a day. Then stick to that commitment. When you break down the book into smaller chunks, it is easier to stick to it — and before you realise, you would be done with the book. That will give you an incentive to do more..and with books, once you start, you just can’t stop.
Do you have any more to add? Tweet to me (at)preetishenoy and I will retweet your suggestion.
Professor of Dermatology at KMC Mangalore
3 年Thanks a lot. Will have to kick myself to do it. Will surely remember the tips when i start reading outside of my professional necessity. The pic though would make my wife excited,she being a University librarian.?
Career Workout Specialist | On a mission to help women repurpose their careers with bite sized actionable Workouts | onestepatime
4 年I have always been an occasional reader. Being surrounded mostly by family, friends and colleagues who read a lot at times made me feel intimidated of the fact that I don't read that often. I had always been interested in drawing, sketching and writing. Gradually, as I tried to work more on improving my writing skills, I realised that now is the time to become a habitual reader. This article of yours perfectly resonates with my feelings right now. I prefer reading on the go, with my kindle app, though I miss out on the impact of a paper back. One thing I did to make reading a habit was going back to what I loved reading - Stories by Premchandji, Rabindranath Tagore, Sherlock Holmes, Adventures of Tom Sawyer. All those which were a part of my schooling days. Fun filled and mysterious in their own way. Also, I have made up this deal that every time I read something, I make it a point to write something. And I love writing. So that gives me an extra motivation.
TEACHER at SMA 1 PADANG TIJI
6 年Highest tips
CONSTITUENCY ADMNISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
6 年This is true
Government Employee at government
6 年Good tips....