5 Reading Strategies for Those Short on Time

Nowadays, the most common complaint we hear is that people don't have enough time, especially when talking about reading, ignoring the benefits of this hobby and knowing that maintaining it is not easy. Even avid readers face their share of obstacles when allocating time for reading. In the era of technological progress, finding time to read is difficult in the presence of relaxing activities provided by the applications that load our devices.

Note: This article is taken from the writer ROCHI ZALANI, in which he talks to us about his experience in reading despite the lack of time.

I have set most of the goals for 2021 in my mind, the most important of which is reading many books and articles. However, I have found that reading novels at intervals causes me to lose the plot, which makes it difficult for me to continue.

Today I decided to pay more attention to reading and to develop some strategies that allow me more time to read.

Strategies you can apply even when your schedule is overloaded

1. Set a goal for reading

Goals help you get used to reading periodically. You only have to set a simple, achievable, and somewhat challenging goal. I have set a goal to read at least ten pages daily in February and then read for at least 30 minutes daily in March. You can also develop a plan that fits your schedule for this month and do your best to stick to it.

2. Decide not to read books that you assume are important

I often associate reading with people who read science books that everyone should read, which led to my frustration even before I started reading them. I gave up on this belief and started reading only books that interested me, which was the best decision I ever made.

3. Leverage mobile devices

Mobile devices are designed in a way that makes us addicted to checking the news without realizing what we are missing out on from the wonderful reading experience. On the flip side, technology has made books more accessible than ever before. I have replaced my addiction to watching videos with reading a book on my Kindle application by placing the app on my home screen. Some audiobooks enable you to practice this hobby while doing housework or other easy tasks.

4. Leverage existing habits

Your current habits can help you find other good habits because habits affect each other. If you already have a habit of browsing social networking sites before bed, replace them with reading and pick up a book whenever you think about unlocking your phone. You might follow my example and leave a book on the table next to your bed to encourage yourself to read before you go to sleep.

5. Track your progress

I used to mark my calendar at the end of each day on which I achieved my reading goal. Watching my progress helped me a lot to keep my spirits up. My primary motivation to keep making progress is to reach my ultimate goal. So congratulate yourself and always celebrate small victories to achieve your long-term goals.

In conclusion

I hope this brief list helps you increase your reading time this year. Remember that reading is not only a good habit but an essential source of pleasure, and that the right way to read does not necessitate increasing the number of books you read; you can enjoy reading 5 minutes of a novel, poem, or play, and you will be happy with the results.