You are not alone! The hardest part about reading a book is actually opening it. And with your phone in sight, vying for your attention, it can be a nearly impossible task to achieve. But never fear; Books Charming is here to save the day. We have rounded up the seven best strategies that will hopefully turn you into the latest Hermione Granger.
1. Start Small -
If you are not a voracious reader and do not have the habit of reading large amounts of text at once, then start small. Avoid making lofty goals you know you cannot achieve. Instead, you can start by challenging yourself to read a page or a chapter a day before moving on to your next task. Then, raise the bar a little higher as you progress.
And before you know it, congratulations. You have finished your very first book of the year! Here is why the method works: a page a day is not too long to be daunting. Most people can read 10 pages in half an hour or less. And if you do it first thing in the morning as you enjoy your favorite coffee at home or last thing before bed, the day's demands will no longer interfere with your concentration.
2. Partake in Reading Challenges -
A reading challenge, to loosely translate, is a type of learning event in which people are given a list of books that must be read within a set deadline. The goal has always remained the same: to provide communities with the opportunity to rally toward the same goal while fostering a deep love for books.
Goodreads, for example, hosts a challenge each year. Every January, you get to set a goal of how many books you want to read that year. You can also share your challenge with your friends on your social and compete for your reading numbers with them.
3. Read Wherever and Whenever -
Keeping books on hand at all times is an effective way to keep you reading. It can be done while commuting from one place to another or even while waiting for your daily dosage of tea to be served. Those minutes, albeit only a few, are too valuable to be squandered on pointless activities.
If lugging a physical book everywhere bothers you, consider purchasing an e-book. Do you know that reading with an e-reader actually comes with many benefits? Your reading device is lightweight and portable, but it also saves a lot of space. You can download thousands of books without worrying about your storage running out. An absolute must-have!
4. Keep Tabs on Your Progress -
Have you ever heard of the phrase 'energy flows where the attention goes?' We pay attention to things that are essentially important to us, whether it is monitoring our blooming outdoor landscape, tracking our daily workout, or even as simple as checking in on our family. So, if we want the momentum to gain traction over time, we must continuously heed it.
Scribbling things on a notebook or a sticky note does have its charm. But nowadays, bookworms are opting for a somewhat interactive version such as Goodreads or The Story Graph. But if you want your reading list to be exclusive for your eyes only, try a bookish spreadsheet. You can keep track of titles, publishers, ratings, and reviews. The best part is that you can convert the data into valuable statistics to assist in deciding on your next book.
5. Practice Speed-Reading -
It is pretty simple. If you want to read more in a short amount of time, you can train yourself to read at a quicker pace. There are several speed-reading strategies that you might want to practice, like word-chunking, which is the act of reading numerous words simultaneously. Or even by rapid finger movement.
This strategy forces your eyes to move quicker by keeping your finger over the page without pausing or going back. For starters, set a timer to help you speed up reading. Set it for at least one minute and read your book as you normally would. When the timer beeps, monitor how many pages you have read. Then, using the tactics stated above, restart the timer. Continue doing this until you have surpassed your previous score. You will surely be able to boost your speed in no time!
6. Get a Reading Buddy -
Buddy reading is top-rated in the book industry. So it is when you and another person simultaneously agree to read the same book simultaneously. Think of it as a mini-book club with the flexibility of becoming a one-time event or a recurring activity. It is also a fantastic chance to get acquainted with new genres you might not have explored otherwise.
Once you have decided who you will be reading with, it is time to choose a book. There are several approaches to this. You can either exchange a list of books you want to read, scout reach other's to-be-read list, or choose an unread book by an author you both adore. Choosing the best book for a buddy read is similar to selecting your life partner! You are searching for something that can start a conversation and pique the interest of both parties.
7. Read with Your Ears -
It is worth remembering that listening to audiobooks constitutes reading a physical book. Humans absorb and store information in different ways, and one of those ways is active listening. You can hear it while doing your chores, walking your cat in the park, or even eating your midnight snack. Ultimately, it is an excellent way if you enjoy multitasking.
When you first start listening to audiobooks, getting acclimated and incorporating them into your daily routine will take some time. The simplest solution is to replace whatever you are listening to with audiobooks. So, if you listen to music while doing errands or other mindless tasks, switch to an audiobook.
Conclusion - The bottom line is, no matter how long you have been away from reading, you are only one book away from getting back into it. But if you still find yourself putting the book down after incorporating these strategies. Remember this. It is not you; it is the book. So, find another one that you like. But then, just never stop doing it. Because once you do, you might never go back.
seems quite helpful, will give it a try the way you described...
ReplyDeleteHope it helps you. Thank you for reading. :)
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