People usually ask, 'how can we develop the habit of reading?', 'Which language should we read in?', 'Which genre should we start with?' Or 'Can you recommend us a book in simple language?'.
Everyone has a unique set of hobbies. Some are inheritance and some we need or wish to develop. Reading is termed to be a healthy habit. As mentioned in my last article, reading helps in various aspects of brain connectivity, vocabulary, empathy as well as in sleep.
This time let me help you with some tips to create a habit of reading:
1. Don't rush:
Never rush into selecting a genre, author or language. Simply choose a language you are comfortable with. A genre that is general & simple to understand like romance or viewpoint genre. And finally, an author who is local & uses a simple lexicon for writing.
Suggestion: Sudeep Nagarkar/ Ravindra Singh/ Sheeja Jose. 2. Set daily or weekly goals:
One does not need to take time out of the daily routine to make reading a habit. One needs to simply add reading as a task to complete in a daily routine to get into the habit. Set minor goals for a day and increase them every week or month. Let’s say you can start reading 5 pages a day and increase it by 2 pages every week or even month. Everyone has their own pace.
3. Find a time and a place to read:
Get yourself in your comfort zone. Create a space around you to do your thing like reading. The way we take tea breaks, create reading breaks. And once the routine is set your mind will automatically alert you when its your time for reading. 4. Get recommendations:
If you are unclear about the book or content you should start your reading habit with, ask for recommendations. Go around, ask your friends & family members who have been reading for suggestions.
Suggestion: Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner/ Unposted letters - Mahatria Ra.
5. Keep a reading record:
While or after reading your book keep a habit of recording your views. May it be in form of bookkeeping, a review posting on social media, a journal summarising the book, or a blog post. This helps you to relive the content of the book in the future and saves the time for re-reading the book again.
A healthy tip: take fine breaks from the routine of reading habits. Take a day or two’s break once you finish reading one book. Let the content or the story of a book sink in before starting a new book/story. Always start a new one with a fresh & clear mind to avoid misunderstandings & misinterpretations.
Written by:
Nikita Kapoor
Director, Peach Blink.