Do you have the desire to read more but just can’t seem to ever get to it? If your answer is yes, then this post was created for you. Reading has several benefits including helping you learn new things. Reading more can make you think deeper, think bigger, teach you more about your field (this makes you more marketable), sharpen your skills, curb your anxieties and generally just help you grow as a professional. Whatever your field or interests might be, it’s very important to create a consistent pattern and habit to read beyond your horizons.
So, wIth that said, here are 6 great ways to get into the habit of reading more that you should try out for yourself:
#1 Pick out the chapters you want to focus on for non-fictional books and the articles you want to read in magazines or on websites
We get it. Sometimes you just want to get to the good stuff. The stuff you cared enough about to purchase that book for or the article from the table of contents in that magazine that caught your eye. So just do that! It’s a start in the right direction.
#2 Set a goal for each week
Set a goal and hold yourself to it. For instance, three chapters of a book or two blog posts a week. Just be realistic with yourself. You can start low and build your way up.
#3 Block out time on your calendar to do some research
Whether you use Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook Calendar, be intentional about getting into the habit of reading more and carve out sometime, whether its 30 minutes or an hour, to do some research. If you’re not using a calendar to manage your workflow or work week in general, we highly advise that you do so.
#4 Minimize the noise around you
You can turn off the TV, put on some noise cancellation headphones, turn down the volume on that laptop, or get away from noisy family members/roommates/friends. If you don’t have a place like this, create one or go to one, like a library — which leads to our next and final tip.
#5 Go to coffee shops more often
If you live in a metropolitan city like NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle or Atlanta, venture out to some of your favorite coffee shops in your neighborhood or elsewhere in the city that have are as quiet as they can possibly be and have a vibe you like. Coffee shops are a great space to be in to get into the habit of reading more because of the environment. People around you are more likely to also be reading in coffee shops and it can be contagious!
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