Making time for words and ideas
Reading books tends to become more and more of a luxury as one grows older. Time is more in demand as it is split between work, social life and some much needed rest. Days of all night page turning and sneaking in a book under the covers are just not feasible when you have to come back from work or university after a hectic day. But the truth is, even the busiest of people can and do manage to find time to read books that are pleasurable, creative and mind enriching. So how do these people do it?
More is good
Have more books than you will read at hand or on your night stand. Chances are all books will not be equally appealing at all times, so you always have a choice to read something lighter or heavier according to your preference. Having lots of books around also serves as a visual cue prompting you to read.
Set goals and track progress
Whenever you get the time to read, make a daily goal of how much you will get through. Start small, 5-10 pages, or one chapter. Increase this every day as you progress through the books. Websites like Goodreads is your friend in this case. You can set which books you are reading, track progress and end up with an entire detailed list of your reading habit.
Speed reading
Speed reading aims not only to increase your reading speed, but also helps you internalise what you read faster. This involves being able to cluster together words into groups of 3 or 4 and then being able to guide your eyes to the central idea of a sentence. So if it is an important report or a detective story, you get through it in a shorter amount of time.
Embrace the digital
One of the most mentioned tips for making time for reading is to carry around a book at all times. In this way, you have the luxury of reading while on commute or during breaks. Take that a step further and download an e-book reading software on all your digital devices. Most smartphones these days have screens big enough for easy reading. Many also own tabs and notes, so having a reading software means, wherever you are, even if you don't have the physical book at hand, you can get some reading done.
The should and should-nots
No one should be told what to read. Lists such as "100 best books…" are good when you want to browse and get recommendations, but they might get you into thinking everything else is expendable. Read what interests you and your chances of getting into the habit of reading will be easier. Most people somehow manage to find time for books when they are hooked to it.
Schedule wisely
Most people say that the best way to get some reading done is to factor in time in between work – be it 5 minutes or half an hour. But research shows this makes reading seem like a chore to us and the complete immersion needed to truly enjoy a book is lost. What is suggested is to have a regular time every day for reading. Use this for nothing else – maybe take it a step further and read at the same place every day. This in time makes reading part of one's daily routine.
In the end, it comes down to the will to read. Busy, important people all over the world have always made time to. Chances are you can too – so muster up the strength to start and soon you will be back to your old bibliophilic ways.
By Moyukh Mahtab
Comments