A guide to building your reading habit.

 

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. 
—Richard Steele

Somewhere amidst the thoughts of quitting alcohol, joining the gym and getting your driver’s license lies the desire to develop a good reading habit. Reading holds some of the excellent benefits to the mental stimulation of a person, improving imaginations and one’s ability to grasp ideas far easily. The importance of reading is often analysed and discussed over and over. But cultivating a good reading manner and to integrate it as a routine can be really challenging. So I decided to breakdown some of the ways one can steadily incorporate reading into their lifestyle without making it seem like a chore.

Before we begin, you will have to know that reading is extremely entertaining once you have the right book. If you had to force yourself through a book, (Some books are intended for advanced readers or have lousy storylines) you might have to consider ditching the book and finding another that you would relish. We have all walked out of the cinema half way through, because it was too boring. It is completely normal.

Schedule

The initial requirement is to find the time. You might have noticed people reading through early commutes, in the bus, trams, trains, or in the park during the evening; which they have scheduled their busy days to fuse-in a little time to read. As a start, allocate 5-10 minutes after each meal as a compulsory reading break, including your evening tea. That leaves you with four sessions of reading and approximately 20-40 minutes a day. Set alarms, put them in your reminder apps and have a wallpaper that would constantly prompt you to pick up your book.

Accessory

A book is considered as one of the most exotic fashion accessories of 2019. Regardless, it is important that you bring the book wherever you go. That way, you can utilise any spare time in your day to read a page or two. This also helps cutting down time wasted on mobile devices. Even during my vacations, I never forget to pack a book or two so that if I find a place quiet and soothing, I might as well enjoy the book in a way it is meant to be.

Journal

Keeping list is a great way of tracking your progress that could motivate you to do better. Whether be it your physical journal, a notepad or your favourite word app; list down the amazing books you hear about and would want to read. Keep the list running and cross out the ones you are done with. Additionally, you can add your ratings and short reviews as you finish a book off the list.

Shelf

Designating a place to store all your books can be soothing as well as encouraging you to read more frequently. Find the right corner of your house where you can sit comfortably or curl up with a great book and read without any interruptions. Make sure the spot is as isolated as it can be, to avoid distractions such as television, computer devices, music or any sort of noises. Collecting books as trophies, is said to be a great way of relieving depression and anxiety.   

Genre

Get to know your taste buds. Once you have your way past the first few books, you will know what excites you the most. Picking the books within your genre is vital in order to keep up with the habit, or otherwise you will find yourself excuses to drift off from it. One of the amazing ways to keep you hooked onto your genre is to sign up for goodreads. This helps you go through number of books genre-wise along with their ratings and reviews. Once you have fully cultivated your reading habit, you can explore other genres for fun.

Shout 

As I mentioned earlier, integrating the habit into your lifestyle is equally necessary to sustain it. One of the greatest ways to form a habit is to blog about it constantly or to post updates of your current read on Social Media. From time to time, encourage yourself by posting pictures of libraries and other people’s book collections. Used book stores and charity shops are amazing places to purchase books in a more affordable way. Involve your family into it, build your bookshelf and build your reading community.

Remember, reading is always fun. Get yourself a treat as your read, a good tea or coffee, read by the beach or in your garden, moreover, make reading pleasurable.  

Feroz Mohamed

Feroz is an ardent reader who decided to write. Holds an associate in psychology on the side.

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