Finding Focus: Five Ideas to Help You Build a Better Reading Habit
Reading is an anecdote to so much of what afflicts us. It can reduce stress, improve sleep, and build better brain health. It’s also a fun way to learn about new ideas, develop existing concepts, and further our understanding of anything. Like journaling, reading is a practice, and here are five ideas that I think about to maintain a healthy reading habit:
Schedule Reading Time
What gets scheduled gets done - Michael Hyatt.
I rarely miss a meeting at work and know I have to pick my kids up from school at a particular time. Why? Because there is a defined time when these actions need to be taken. I’ve put them on the calendar, set reminders, and, over time, built habits. I need to do the same for anything you want to succeed. I can’t just say I want to read before bed or during my lunch break. I have to plan for it.
Remove the Progress Bar from the Kindle App
I read on my iPad Mini most of the time, and I found having more than just the book's text on the screen while reading in the Kindle app distracting, so I turned it all off. I wrote about how I removed the clock and reading progress here. It’s easy, and I found it made a difference in my ability to concentrate.
Don’t Finish a Book That Doesn’t Work
Life is short, and while there’s something to be said for gritty determination, some books just don’t work for some people. If I’m reading a book that isn’t working for you, it’s okay not to finish it. If the topic is of genuine interest, I might try the audiobook or look at what other authors have written on the same subject. I’ll also give the author another chance if they’ve got other work that seems interesting to me.
Keep a List of Books You Want to Read
I’ve got a list of books I want to read, and I have a few ready. I’ve read Ryan Holiday say that he will always buy a book that interests him, but that won’t work for everyone. Find what works for you, but a good rule of thumb is always to have a book accessible, whether it's a paperback in your work bag or a reading app on your device.
Use Focus Modes on Digital Devices
I enjoy technology and the Internet, but I know it’s a distraction machine that pulls our focus from important and meaningful things to the entertaining and shallow. The reading focus mode I set up a few years ago locks everything down. The Home Screen on my iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPhone changes to remove all apps that might entice me to wander onto the World Wide Web, and the only text messages that come through are from my immediate family.
Reading is not a race for me. When I was a stay-at-home dad, I had more time. Now I’m back to work, so I read less. Life is a balance, filled with subtle or cataclysmic shifts. Reading is a constant through any chaos for me, and I hope it can also be for you as well.
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