I cant leave a bookstore without at least one.
But I also have a tendency to buy books and not actually read them.
Somewhere along the way reading fell by the wayside in favor of other forms of entertainment.
I Made My Environment More Reading Friendly
My first priority was to make reading easier in general.
I am like electricity; I want to take the path of least resistance.
To fix this, I drew from a quote I once heard about software piracy.
Basically, I realized I wasnt buying into reading because I had made it difficult to access it.
My reading light was in a bad position where I couldnt comfortably reach the switch from my bed.
I would have to get up out of bed to turn it on or off.
And worst of all, I had a giant TV in my room.
Why read when I can fall asleep toBobs Burgersevery night instead?
So, I moved my reading light to a better spot andgot a Kindle Paperwhite with a decent backlight.
And I moved my TV out of my room.
The TV removal alone was a huge game-changer for me.
The perfect reading environment makes picking up a book your easiest choice.
My friend said, You know, thats baloney.
Who can do that?
But then, years later, he found himself in Maine on vacation.
His nose was in a book the whole time in line.
When they got into the theater, Stephen King was still reading as the lights dimmed.
When the lights came up, he pulled his book open right away.
He even read as he was leaving.
It reminded me that there are usable minutes hidden in every nook and cranny throughout the day.
So I started taking my Kindle almost everywhere I go.
Its hard to learn from other writers if youre only listening to them.
But thats all bullshit.
Enjoying books are no different than enjoying a TV show or a movie.
If you dont like a show, you stop watching it and watch something else.
If you dont like a book,you stop reading itand read something else.
Reading a book should be an experience that provides you joy and value, not something to labor through.
When reading stops feeling like labor, it feels more like fun.
And if it feels more like fun, youre going to do it more.
Its okay to give up onInfinite Jest.
Just put it down.
Nobody is going to judge you.
Now grab the book youwantto read and go to town.
I get bored and want to change the channel because Im a Nickelodeon-brainwashed millennial.
That said, I was doing this withtoo manybooks at once.
I either have to finish a book to move on, or drop it.
So I made books a high-priority topic of conversation instead of movies, TV shows, or games.
When Im chatting with friends, whatever Im reading comes first.
That makes me more excited about the activity overall, and oftennets me some great reading recommendationsfrom others.
If I dont actually read it, I cant enjoy having discussions about itwhich is my favorite part.
I applied the same concept to my reading habits and it did wonders.
When I sit down to read, I always aim to complete the cycle.
And the cycle can be whatever I determine before my reading session.
It could be finishing a chapter that Im just starting.
It could be reading a certain number of pages.
Whatever it is, I commit to it and follow through.
More often than not, I get absorbed in my book and read even more than I intended.
Im not a fast reader.
In fact, I often reread passages multiple times to verify Im getting the story straight.
But these adjustments have helped me make a decent dent in my backlog with minimal effort.
Hopefully these tips can help you too.
Now, if youll excuse me, I have some reading to do.
