When we’re at school and university, we’re like sieves for information. We’re immersed in new ideas, information and opinions every day. We experience some of our greatest growth during this time.
But then we leave this structured learning environment and our intake of new ideas slows to a crawl. We get busy with jobs and family, and we cruise on the knowledge we’ve gained for a long time. Our opinions often get set in stone.
I realised this was happening to me, so I did something about it. I committed to reading a book every week to fill my brain with new thoughts and ideas again. And the benefits have been huge.
It’s something you should consider too. It doesn’t have to be hard – I don’t have any more time than you do but I find sneaky ways to do it.
Why I read a book a week
I’ve gained so many benefits from reading a book every week:
- constant learning and self-improvement
- new ideas to help me make better decisions in business and life
- different people’s opinions and perspectives
- more focus and clarity – keeping my brain sharp
- self-discipline.
So, you’re wondering how to read a book every week? Recently, I wrote a blog post on self-discipline and this is a good example. Setting this goal and sticking to it will make you feel more in control of your life and confident about setting other goals.
How you can do it
OK there’s only 24 hours in a day, so maybe a book a week sounds impossible. But, it’s not. Here’s how to read a book every week:
Broaden your idea of a ‘book’
Audiobooks are the best invention ever. Audible is my choice for listening to audiobooks for only $16 per month. There are other places you can get audiobooks too.
Listening to books means I can ‘read’ when I’m out walking, at the gym and other places where a physical book isn’t practical.
You can also read electronic versions of books rather than physical books, if you don’t mind reading on a device. This way, you don’t have to lug a book everywhere and you can easily buy them when you want them.
Prioritise it
Plan the time to read. Block out your reading time in your calendar and don’t get distracted by other things when the time comes.
Use your time wisely
Think about the moments in your day when you could be reading:
- at the gym (audio obviously)
- on public transport
- at night instead of watching Netflix or YouTube videos
- early in the morning over breakfast.
We waste so much time that we’re not even aware of. With only 24 hours to spare, how are you going to use them?
Take a book with you
You don’t have to be in your favourite place to read. Sure, I love reading in my little sunroom in a comfy chair with a coffee, but that’s not always going to happen. If you have a book with you all the time, you can take advantage of a moment when it happens.
Choose books that interest you
This sounds obvious but, if you want to build a habit of reading a book a week, start with books that grab your attention. Later you can broaden your bookshelf and dive into new topics. But the important thing is to develop the habit first.
Be accountable
Tell a friend what you’re reading each week. And, if you’re really looking for accountability, start a blog where you review each book you read. That will definitely keep you reading if people are waiting for your weekly review.
How to start
Make a list of topics that interest you right now. Then jump on online bookstores or visit your local library (yes, they still have those!) to see what’s available.
Start a list of all the books that interest you and keep it handy. Add to it whenever you hear about a book or topic that interests you.
A note about bad books
There are some really bad books out there, and you’ll probably find them as you go along. Don’t let this challenge pressure you into finishing a book that is obviously going nowhere.
Life’s too short to spend on a bad book when there’s so many great ones out there! Got any questions? Feel free to contact me!