Another turn of the calendar is a great time to think about how you’d like to enrich your life. So why not resolve to read more in 2019?
The goal sounds simple, but it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of life and forget about reading. So here are a few tips that might help:
First, realize that you’re never going to find time to read – you have to make time. Consider the hours you spend online or watching TV, and divert some of that toward books. Author Austin Kleon puts it more bluntly when he says, “Throw your phone in the ocean.” You don’t have to go to that extreme, but definitely limit distractions.
Next, take a book wherever you go. This is easier these days, with e-book and audiobook options, but just keeping a book in your purse or briefcase helps you take advantage of little pockets of time. Stuck in a waiting room? Read another chapter.
Thirdly (and this is a tough one for many people): If you’re not enjoying a book, toss it aside. Find another one. Reading for pleasure should be just that – pleasurable. Unless you’re reading something for school or work, there’s no requirement to read to the end.
And lastly, join a book club, like KMUW’s Literary Feast, or consider a reading challenge like the #ReadICT Challenge, which you can find at kansas.com/books. Being part of a bookish community makes reading even more enjoyable.
