We’ve all fallen into the trap of saying we were going to read more, or finish a book that we started, and then it just never happened..
Why do we do this to ourselves? We’ve heard it our whole lives: Books make you smarter, reading books are the best thing you can do with your spare time, and learning is the the most important thing.
Yet, time and time again we find ourselves promising that we will do something, and we never do it.
LifeDaily identifies 8 Reasons You Aren’t Able To Read A Lot Of Books:
1. You have become a more social person
Reading a book requires a lot of solitude and isolation. If you are a social person, being alone for any amount of time might bother you. You tend to gravitate towards more social activities where you are surrounded by family and friends, hence you don’t have any free time to devote to reading.
Solution: If you want to read, start spending more time alone, or set a goal that you and a friend with start reading a book at the same time.
2. You have the wrong perception of books
In school we have been taught most of what we know from reading books, and from listening to our teachers. Therefore, many of us associate reading books with being something we are forced to do, rather than something we want to do.
Solution: Choose one book that you feel you would enjoy- one that pertains to your interests and things that you love, and then see how you feel.
3. You need to unwind in different ways
Maybe you feel a book is too much effort, and you enjoy unwinding by watching a movie or surfing the web. Reading a book can be intellectually challenging, especially when you are trying to understand what the author is trying to convey.
Solution: Read a book similar to the television shows or movies you watch. It might make you feel like you are getting the same entertainment, just in a different form.
4. You pick the wrong books to read
Maybe you took book suggestions from a person that has different taste than you. Or maybe you don’t know what kind books you like yet. Also, it’s easy to be captured by a title, and it’s discouraging when the book doesn’t meet your expectations.
Solution: Know this comes a long with reading. Just like a movie, sometimes you will read something that doesn’t meet your expectations, so it’s best to buy books that you are familiar with and that satisfy your area of interest.
5. You never finish any book you start
A clinical psychologist named Matthew Willhelm distinguishes between two personality types: those who want to feel accomplished after reading a book, and those who do not see enough rewards in reading a book. Usually, these personality types change as we grow (depending on our environment of course), and the people we surround ourselves with.
Solution: Start hanging around people who like to read, and ask them just how much they get out of it.
6. You are heavily distracted
Perhaps you live in an environment that isn’t too quite, or maybe you have your phone, email, Facebook and Instagram notifications going off constantly.
Solution: For 30 minutes, begin reading with no distractions. What will likely happen is you will be so engaged in the book that you will continue reading for longer.
7. You can’t afford buying books
Your intentions might be to read, but what if you can’t afford buying books, which can be expensive. Maybe you can only afford a few, and that is as far as you can go.
Solution: Sign up at a library, or buy used books. Libraries now have the option to read the online version, which is very convenient.
8. You haven’t made reading a habit
Reading more books requires mastering it as a habit. When you read more often, it becomes routine for you, and something you will enjoy doing. Don’t get discouraged if it takes you a while, because it takes about two months to program something as a habit.
Solution: If reading is something you want to master, make reading more books a goal. Have a book with you everywhere you go, and with time, reading will become a huge and happy part of your life.
Happy reading!
[Featured Image Credit: vibe.com]