Habits are really important. Long-term goals are too but, ultimately, habits are what you are doing to yourself day in, day out. Your habits determine what goes into your body (your diet), your physical condition (diet and exercise) and your mental condition (sleep and everything else).
I think you should make reading one of your habits.
The benefits of reading are many. First of all, it’s a great form of entertainment. You can read anywhere; you won’t disturb anyone. I love films, but the books are almost always better than the films. Really. A good book can conjure images in the mind that a film could never capture and these images never age. You’ll never go back to a favourite book and be disappointed at how bad the CGI looks now.
But, even more importantly, reading is one of the most powerful abilities you have to understand and assimilate knowledge. Whatever your field of expertise, there is almost certainly a wealth of literature available that you do not want to miss out on. If reading is a habit, then you will have easy access to all of it. It’s easy to forget in this age of YouTube videos and podcasts but there is information in books that just cannot be distilled into a 10 minute video.
This is a self-reinforcing habit. The more you read, the easier it will become and the more you’ll get out of it. Before you know it you’ll be hooked!
Make reading work for you
So why are there so many people who don’t read at all? I think like any good habit you need to make it work for you. This should not, and cannot, happen through discipline. It needs to become a part of your life right next to eating, exercising and sleeping.
Here are some of my ideas, in rough order, which will help to make it part of your life.
Get books
Before you can read you need something to read. Get some books. They are everywhere. You don’t need to spend a lot of money. There are often book swaps where you can take books for free (don’t feel you need to deposit a book first; you need to start somewhere). Check your workplace, your friends and families houses etc. for books you can borrow. Check second-hand shops and online stores like Amazon. Just get some books.
Stop trying to read on screens
If you are reading this then you already have a screen device and access to the world wide web. But if you still don’t read much then this isn’t working for you. Personally, I can’t read much from a phone, tablet or computer monitor. Try reading paper books or an eReader (see next). The more general point here is to recognise what doesn’t work for you and try something else.
Get an eReader
Unlike most screens, eReaders use an “eInk” display which is much more like paper and can be read in full sunlight. In addition, they are usually far lighter and cheaper than tablets and phones and feature front-lit screens which can go really dim and warm which is perfect for bedtime reading. I take my Kobo to bed with me every night and usually fall asleep while reading it. I also travel with (it weighs as much as one small paperback), so I’m never without books.
The one problem with eBooks is they are hindered by DRM. Platforms like Kindle are built around DRM and I do not recommend using them. Kobo, on the other hand, will read any eBook file you put on it. Find out where to acquire DRM-free eBooks for your eReader.
Always have your next book ready
One thing I find great about eBooks is you can acquire many more than you will read without them being a burden. Use this to your advantage and acquire books as quickly as you can. One sure way to break the reading habit is to run out of stuff to read. This can easily happen with physical books if you are not careful, but there’s no reason for it to happen with eBooks. If you don’t get on with eBooks then a library, book swap or favourite bookshop can also help you to never run out.
Read easy books first
A reader and writer share a unique relationship and, many times, if you don’t get on with a book it’s not you, it’s them. Some people are put off by reading because they’ve tried to read a book that just isn’t for them. It might be too hard or just not your cup of tea. As you read more you’ll build your confidence as a reader and be able to say “I don’t like that” or even “this book isn’t very good” but it’s easy at first to think you’re a bad reader.
For this reason you should seek out easy books first. By this I don’t necessarily mean children’s books, but books that have broad appeal that everyone loves. Don’t listen to the snobs. Read Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code or Alex Garland’s The Beach. These are page turners and popular for a reason.
Try different genres
I read mostly science-fiction, but other people like fantasy, novels, thrillers etc. Read one of the most popular books from each category and find what you like. To get you started, try Foundation by Isaac Asimov (hard science-fiction), The Hithchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (soft science-fiction), Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (fantasy), The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (novel), and the aforemention The Da Vinci Code (thriller).
Get the classic works in your professional field
Get copies of these—real copies—and treasure them. But do bear in mind they might not be easy books. Knuth’s The Art of Computer Programming is a classic in computer science, but it’s not for the fainthearted. There might be easier ones to start with like Structure and Interpretation of Computer Systems (SICP).
Join your library
These still exist and they give you free access to many books. They also usually have eBooks too, but they come with a time limit (like a real book). It’s usually worth joining the library as it doesn’t cost anything.
Curate your own library
You shouldn’t keep every book you read, but you should definitely keep some. Curate a collection of books that you treasure and never want to be without and get rid of the ones you don’t need. Sell them, exchange them or give them away. Build your very own library.
Besides having your essentials and favourites at your own disposal it’s also nice to lend these books to friends and colleagues when you wish. If you recommend a book to someone there’s a much higher chance of them reading it if you also hand them a copy (and perhaps one day they might reciprocate!).
Let reading push out bad habits
I suppose it’s possible to read an unhealthy amount, but it’s not a common problem. On other hand, it’s very common to watch an unhealthy amount of TV or do an unhealthy amount of scrolling. These are usually detrimental to other health habits like sleep or exercise. Let reading push out the unhealthy habits and live in harmony with the healthy ones. As mentioned above, I read every night before sleep. My reading habit and sleeping habit are symbiotically linked. Do be careful about what you read, though. Fiction is great before bed, hardcore textbooks not so much.
Conclusion
Reading should be a daily habit that coexists with, and reinforces, your other good habits. But like every good habit it needs to start somewhere and it needs to continue unhindered. I thoroughly believe in making good habits a part of your life. I do not believe in using discipline. If you don’t like reading, you won’t do it. Hopefully some of the above will help you to get started, like it, build it into your life and never stop! If you don’t read then you are missing out but if you start reading, this could be one of the biggest changes you’ve ever made.