I don’t have enough time to read
How to read more books?
Personal Development
There are two aspects of reading more books: reading consistently🤓 and reading faster⚡. Let’s see both the aspects one at a time:
Reading consistently 🤓
‘I don’t have enough time to read.’ Do you find yourself saying this a lot? Well let’s face it, we just have 24 hours in a day. And everything — eat, sleep, read, work, play — has to be done in those limited hours. Therefore to inculcate reading habit it's important to start with why? Why to read books in the first place?🤔 The simple answer is: every question you have (literally anything) has been answered or at least raised by an author through their experiences in life. Hence reading books (both fiction and non fiction) can help you get close to the answers you’re seeking.
I’ve laid out a four step framework for inculcating reading habit taking inspiration from one of my favorite books, Atomic Habits by James Clear:
Step 1️⃣: Cue - make it obvious - Design your environment in a way that nudges you to read.
Step 2️⃣: Craving - make it attractive - Why do you want to read? What’s your craving? Leisure? Gain knowledge?
Step 3️⃣: Response - make it easy - Pair reading with an already existing habit.
Step 4️⃣: Reward - make it satisfying - Give yourself an immediate reward when you complete your habit.
Let me take my case to explain the framework:
Step 1: I’ve got an iPad which I use primarily for reading and taking notes. It does not have apps like Instagram or Netflix. So, whenever I see my iPad it’s a cue for me to read. You too can create cues by putting books📚 where your eyes fall the most throughout the day.
Step 2: I crave knowledge. Whenever I have a question in mind, say: how to get better at dating? I simply do a google search: ‘dating books’. And voila!😀 I’ve got books on dating. I find a book with good reviews and I go for it!
Step 3: I’ve paired my reading habit to brushing my teeth before bed (an already existing habit). That way it’s easier to read daily because whenever I think of brushing my teeth in the night I think of reading and nothing else. For you it can be reading just after having lunch (an already existing habit). That way whenever you’ll finish your lunch you’ll think of reading.
Step 4: In the early days of setting up reading habit I maintained a calendar with two markers: green and red. Whichever day I used to read I marked it with a green swoosh✔ and with a red cross❌ if I didn’t. Over the time it became rewarding to see more of those green swooshes. It felt good!
Reading faster
Three ways to read faster.
1️⃣ Use index finger: It may sound childish but reading with your index finger👆 moving over the lines enhances your pace because you are more focused on the content and not distracted by your environment.
2️⃣ Use 10% rule: You need not finish every book you read. Read 10% of a book and then decide if you really are interested in what the author has to say in the rest. This way you’ll not be stuck with a book and not feel guilty😌 for not completing it.
3️⃣ Practice speed reading: There are various tricks to speed reading like skimming, scanning, skipping etc. To practice speed reading I highly recommend How to read better and faster? by Norman Lewis.
Book Alert 📗
I used to read roughly one book (other than academic books) each year before I came across How to read better and faster? by Norman Lewis. The book not only helped me read faster but also changed my perspective towards reading as a daily practice. At the end of the book Lewis challenges the reader to complete a book in just 2-3 sittings. I recommend the following easy to read books to take on the challenge:
Animal farm by George Orwell (135 pages)
The boy in striped pajamas by John Boyne(216 pages)
Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe (212 pages)
Resourceful 🔗
Although I believe an author deserves to get paid whenever someone wants access to their work, it may not always be possible to buy books as a student. Here are two websites where you can get books for free:
Watch time 🎥
An interesting video by Max Joseph, an American filmmaker on bookstores around the world and his take on how to read more:
Quote of the week
Japanese author Yoshida Kenkō who lived in the Medieval era on the value on reading books:
It is a most wonderful comfort to sit alone beneath a lamp, book spread before you, and commune with someone from the past whom you have never met.
Until next week,✌
Jainuine