Background:
I’m in my 40s and I’ve always sort of beaten myself up over not being an avid reader. I go through phases where I read a bunch, sometimes I’ll finish a book in a months time, sometimes start a book and forget it, sometimes it seems like I go literally years without really getting into any book at all. But I still accumulate them.
Because of how important reading is and now I “fail” to prioritize it, I’ve always found myself in a poor relationship with reading. I feel this artificial pressure to read things that are only important and will somehow make me more useful. I feel this artificial pressure to start one book and read it to the end. I feel this artificial pressure to become a changed person by fully investing every bit of info from every book.
I’ve been learning that these pressures are untenable.
I’ve also noticed that I partake in all kinds of things without the same expectations: tv shows, games, podcasts, media and news outlets, social media, etc.
Right now I have 6 books that I am actively reading, and I am trying to remember that it’s for enjoyment and not some high level goal. Someone told me if I read 10 pages a day I would finish about 10 books a year. I found this so encouraging.
Taking the pressure off of reading has really helped me get more productive at reading, and I think it will help me convert my habit into a truly fruitful one.
So now I ask you:
- What are your reading habits like?
- What do you like to read?
- What kind of stage of life are you in, and how does that affect it?
- Have you made any changes, positive or negative, to your reading habits?
- What else?
3·1 month ago- i read fairly regularly. 60-120 minutes per day
- i like reading mostly nonfiction, generally textbooks or other learning material. I’ll also read whatever books my SO recommends, and whatever the current book is for a book club im in.
- I’m young enough that ill be working the rest of my life and this means I’m just trying to learn new skills and hopefully be able to retire someday
- I’ve gotten better over time. I set aside a dedicated block of time for distraction free reading. I make use of pomodoro timers to help stay focused.
- economics 101: time is a scarce resource. It is limited in supply and everyone wants more. Be very intentional with your time. How you spend time naturally shows what you currently value. Maybe that means you will value reading, but maybe that means you will value something else. Think about what you spend time on says about you, and if you don’t like what something says then fix it.