How to Read More...

At the outset let me confess I’m a voracious reader and I enjoy reading hence it comes naturally to me, so it is no surprise that I am able to read more books than an average person would normally do. In 2019 I decided to read 25 books (about 2 books per month) however I ended up reading lot many (40+). In 2020 year I had resolved to read 100 books and managed to read more than 100. Very often I have been asked – how do I manage to read so many books? Do I have a plan through which I do this? Any pattern or schedule I follow or do I have some secret? Some even reconfirm that if I have really read. Let me tell you this with utmost sincerity I have none of it but I do read for sure. As I had said I have no set routine or magic formula for it however I do follow some simple rules which have served me well so far in my quest to read well. I am sharing them below; I hope these resonate with you. 1. Read when you want: I live by this rule. One should read when one should feel like. You can’t force yourself into reading. One needs to be in an appropriate mind space to read and to make sense of what one is reading. Enjoy the experience, no point afflicting misery on oneself. 2. Read what interests you: Read on a subject which appeals you. Something that will engross you. It makes reading enjoyable and subject relatable. As an added bonus pace of reading is also good in such scenarios. Personally, I have wide range of interests hence I’m able to read on varied subjects like philosophy, politics, history, religion, economy or for that matter fiction (this also adds to the volume I read). One can try reading about what one is intrigued about. 3. Read quality books: Research on what you want to read. Always good to start by knowing what options you have. What all books are available in your interest area? Look at book reviews, recency, language, and other information to judge the quality of book. Weird but sometime length of book can also make a lot of difference in your experience. 4. Reflect on what you have read: Analyze what you learned and did it give you a new perspective or line of thought? Do you have any questions post reading for which you seek answers? Ruminating on your reading can guide you to your next read. Seek alternate views on what you have read to have an equitable understanding and to get rid of any biases that you may have developed. 5. Read new authors: Do so to encourage new voices, to read new words and to know fresh take on existing things apart from getting to read some new topics or stories. Reading new writer also breaks the monotony as new creators have certain probity in their writing. 6. Read in parallel: Sooner or later weariness of reading same book catches up. To tackle this I always read in parallel. Meaning reading two or more books at the same time. So in case you feel exhausted and don’t feel like continue reading, change the book. You can read different genre, authors, or style without sacrificing on your reading.

Another thing that has profound influence on my reading (though might not be the case with others) are happenings in my personal and professional life. If I’m working on a new project that needs me to upgrade my knowledge or skill I shall be reading a lot on that or if I went somewhere and found something interesting I have to read more on that. All said and done reading for me is liberating and gives me a chance to augment my knowledge on topics that I want to know more about. Most important part for any reader is to go with the flow. Keep Reading!! Happy Reading!!