How to Start Reading Again?
It is a common sentence that I hear from people; I haven’t read a single book for… Years! When I ask why, all the answers are in one category; time management. When I dig deeper, I found out that there are usually two main reasons; social media/phone or too much work, often a problem with them working harder, not smarter.
Why is reading important?
Reading keeps your brain healthy and active. You keep your vocabulary rich, you improve your imagination, and you learn. Even if you mainly read fiction, you know to be empathetic, things about human nature and relationships. The more you read more you can take in. It makes your memory better, and on top of all these things, it also relaxes you and reduces stress. And then you sleep better.
Especially for kids, reading is crucial. They will learn their language through words and images they create from them. It starts with grown-ups who read for them. Children keep asking questions, see the pictures on the books, hear their parents pronouncing the words and sometimes explaining them the meanings of those new words.
Why don’t we read that much anymore?
According to many studies, such as the European Union’s study about time spent reading books or share of people reading books clearly shows that all areas are declining. People still prefer physical books over e-books, says this article , and for a good reason, people like to touch what they own and feel the book when they read.
The main problem that takes our time from books seems to be the time itself.
We are busier than ever, and we live in a constant bubble of information that clogs our brain everywhere. Our life is hectic, and we are more and more goals orientated. If we are not at work, we are doing sports, taking care of kids, pets, busy with hobbies or stressing about stress and worrying about how we don’t have time to relax.
Yet, we spent, on average, 4.3 hours daily on our phones. It cannot be explained purely because people use phones in their work. Shopping, social media and games can mainly explain it. Some people use their phones for video calls and meetings, but let’s not lie, we know how much time we spent on social media, games, etc.
It is a way of relaxing as well. People also work with social media; I do as well. But staring at your blue light from your screen keeps your brain active and doesn’t let it rest. Even after you stop using your phone, it can take up to 1 hour before your brain is in a state where you can fall asleep.
You can download a full report about how COVID-19 affected the mobile usage here.
How to start your book reading journey?
There are lots of ways to get you back on track! Unfortunately, no one tip fits all, but you need to try and find the best way for you.
- Put it in your calendar. It might sound funny or stupid, but it also might work like a charm. If there is a 30-minute slot in your busy calendar, you remember to take the time and read. You can do it every day or 3 times a week; you do you! It takes some time to find a comfortable and quiet spot and start reading, but even 15 minutes is a start.
- Read while commuting. Not everyone is using public transport these times, but some of us still do. No matter if you sit in a taxi, tram or metro, open your book and read.
- Join a book club, or better yet, start your own! It can be physical or online. The most important thing is that you get support, and you have the motivation and reason to read and finish your book.
- Remove your phone. Ask your family member, friend or if you are strong enough, do it yourself. Put your phone down where it’s out of your reach and silent. You can also remove apps that you know take too much of your time and don’t give anything back. You will find out that it becomes easier and more comfortable every day and every week and soon you don’t need your phone when you get bored. Instead, your itchy fingers are looking for your favourite book.
- Read on the bed before switching off the lights. It might take 5 minutes before you already start closing your eyes, but it’ll be 5 minutes every night and guarantees you a good night sleep. Keep your book on your nightstand, and don’t put stuff on it! You want to see your book at all times!
- Start a challenge with a friend. Someone wants to break a record, whereas someone else wants to start slowly. Set a target with your friend and prize that the winner will take home. Maybe it’s 1 book per month, and in the end, there will be a 100 euro gift card at a bookstore that your friend has to provide you. Make the challenge to look like your own.
- Use an app! You can use an app that helps you create a habit, such as Momentum Habit Tracker or specifically for readers such as Goodreads that enables you to track your reading.
- Start with audiobooks! If you are a busy bee, then try out audiobooks. But beware not to give up too quickly. It takes a while to get used to them or find a voice that you want to listen to. Sometimes, you might need to rewind a sentence or paragraph, but in the end, you will have so much fun! Check out Audiobooks, for example.
After the first book, you will remember why you love books so much. You will new things to talk about with people around you, you feel rested, excited and most of all, it feels like you have new friends just one book cover away.