How to Build the Habit of Reading
To me, reading, writing, and thinking are food for the soul. And what better time than a journey, whether by bus, train, or plane, to read, write, and think? As I write this mini blog, I’m currently on a train journey.
Who doesn’t love stories? If we look back at the history of human civilization, we see it filled with stories about religions, great humans, science, and so on. One can start by reading short stories.
Building a new habit has a formula, as discussed in the book The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. You need a specific cue and a reward. When someone finds a particular motivation to do something, they can definitely turn it into a habit.
So first of all, you need to have a clear motivation. For example, if you enjoy reading books, the activity will trigger the release of dopamine, which can lead to more reading.
However, there’s a twist. If you get dopamine from other sources, like mindlessly scrolling through social media or watching reels, you get an instant dopamine boost. If this happens continuously then you may fail to build a habit of reading. This is a common issue nowadays. A famous book called Dopamine Detox is also written on this topic.
To build the habit of reading, ensure you have a reward after finishing a book. Then what kind of reward it might be? The knowledge you gain, and the abilities or skills you acquire from the book can serve as the reward. Visualizing these rewards is important.
But how do you visualize? You can write or draw a summary. Writing is the best option. Reading fiction can enhance your writing skills, while nonfiction offers a critical perspective. So if you can visualize these capacities, this can work as a reward.
There are more options for rewards, such as standing out from the crowd and staying always updated. There’s also financial value; increased learning capacity from reading can lead to higher pay (though this may not directly apply to government jobs unless you pursue extra work).
For students, reading can improve competitive performance. One of the most appealing rewards is the ability to escape into different worlds through books, leaving your sorrows behind without the health risks associated with tech-based escapes like gaming. You will find this as a salvation.
By following these tips, you can definitely build a reading habit. Remember, the first few days of making any habit require mindful and strong willful effort. But the result might surprise you when you become a completely different and upgraded human being by cultivating such a positive habit of reading books.
Happy reading 🤗
