Why I Create Time Every Day to Read
For most of my life, I’ve been an avid reader consuming everything from Lord of the Rings to the story of Ernest Shackleton and the crew of The Endurance. Most of the time I was just reading when time allowed. Sometimes that was on a plane, sometimes before going to bed or sometimes while waiting on my lovely wife to get ready. However, about two years ago I made the conscious decision to make reading a regular part of my day.
If you read my last post (and if you haven’t — what are you waiting for? Click here to read it!), you’ll know that I spend 30 minutes every morning reading a personal development book, although I use the term personal development very loosely here. For me, a personal development book means something that expands my mind and makes me think, not necessarily a book on self-improvement. That can mean books about Stoic philosophy, biographies of successful people, nitty gritty books on negotiation strategies or self-help.
When I Read
For the most part, I read early in the morning over breakfast and a cup of coffee. I find that by reading before my day begins, it gives me a chance to absorb the information much better than if it was later in the day after I have 348,677 thoughts swirling around in my head. Also, by reading early in the morning, it doesn’t allow me to come up with excuses not to read. There’s no “I’m tired” or “I need to be working on X or Y.” Instead, my brain has a clear slate with no distractions, and that allows me to set aside the time I need to be able to read.
In addition, about two or three nights a week, when I’m not exhausted from the day, I like to read a fiction book at night in bed before falling asleep. I only read fiction at night because it helps me shut off the thinking part of my brain. It’s a nice wind-down from the hectic day, and it seems to help me fall asleep faster.
Why I Read
I read for a variety of reasons — let’s dig into some specifics:
- Reading expands my mind, allowing me to think of new things or read about interesting people. I’ve read books ranging from the life of Robert Moses, one of the most influential people in New York City in its history, to comprehensive books on how to change your habits or become a better negotiator.
- Increased vocabulary. It’s amazing the number of words I’m still learning on a weekly basis from devoting time to reading.
- Reading allows me to get my mind off of my own life for a bit and enter into some else’s world.
- I can take ideas, perspectives, and concepts that I’ve read about and apply those lessons and insights to my life.
- Reading uncovers truisms that have resonated across time and the globe. It’s utterly fascinating to read thoughts from Marcus Aurelius and others from thousands of years ago and have those same life lessons apply today.
- I want to make writing a pillar of how I communicate my thoughts, ideas, and opinions with the world. I want to use my writing to build up my brand and make money (eventually). And if you listen to Stephen King and many others, they will tell you that the best writers read a ton — usually more than they write.
- Ultimately, I find reading fun, engaging and interesting.
Odds & Ends
I am always coming across new books to read, so I created a list on Amazon titled ‘reading list’ that allows me to keep a log of books that I want to buy. This makes it much easier to pick out my next book.
As a matter of preference, if I am buying a book where I think I’ll be doing a lot of highlighting or note taking, I’ll buy the physical version versus an eBook. I find that the physical act of highlighting or writing in the margins helps me absorb the information better. For my fiction books or fun reads, I almost always buy the eBook, especially if I’m going to be traveling.
Finally, here is a list of the last six books that I’ve read in case you were curious:
I’d love to hear from you — are you dedicating time each day to read or is this a habit that you are trying to create? What was the last book you read and how did it impact you?
