How to Read More - 100+ books a year!

Summary

This video shares practical tips for increasing reading habits, emphasizing the importance of reading for personal growth. The speaker suggests reading before sleep or in the morning without phones, choosing books of personal interest, using physical books for better retention, and having multiple books to cater to varying moods. They also recommend making reading easy and rewarding, utilizing audiobooks, and being willing to quit a book if it's not enjoyable. The key takeaway is to enjoy the process of reading rather than setting a numerical goal.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker read over a hundred books last year and shares their tips to help others read more.
• 🛌 The best place to read for the speaker is in bed before sleep or in the morning to calm down before the day starts.
• 📵 The speaker's number one tip is to keep the phone out of the bedroom to avoid distractions and improve reading focus.
• 📖 Read what you want, ignoring the pressure of reading lists or what others are reading, to make the process enjoyable.
• 📘 Prefer physical books as they are less distracting and easier to remember information compared to digital reading.
• 🤔 Have multiple books going at once to suit different moods and ensure continuous reading.
• 📚 Make reading easy by having books visible and accessible, such as a stack next to the bed.
• 🎉 Make reading rewarding, like stacking finished books or using a tracking system like Goodreads, to stay motivated.
• 🎧 Utilize audiobooks for multitasking, especially for fiction and memoirs, but be aware that they might not be as effective for dense non-fiction.
• 🚫 Don't be afraid to quit a book if it's not enjoyable; it's better to start a new one to maintain reading momentum.
• 🎯 Avoid setting a specific number of books to read; focus on developing the habit and enjoying the process of reading.

Q & A

What is the speaker's goal with the video?

The speaker aims to share tips and ideas that helped them read more books in a year, with the belief that reading is a valuable hobby that can improve various skills and perspectives.

Why does the speaker suggest keeping phones out of the bedroom when reading?

The speaker believes that phones are designed to steal attention with notifications, bright lights, and noises, and keeping them out of the bedroom helps maintain focus on reading before sleep and in the morning.

What does the speaker recommend ignoring when choosing what to read?

The speaker advises ignoring lists like '100 books to read before you die' or any reading list recommended by celebrities or influencers, and instead, read what genuinely interests the reader.

Why does the speaker advocate for reading physical books?

The speaker mentions a book called 'The Shallows' by Nicholas Carr, which discusses how physical books are less distracting and easier to remember information from compared to digital formats.

What is the speaker's opinion on having multiple books on the go at once?

The speaker encourages having multiple books going at the same time, such as a non-fiction and a fiction book, to cater to different moods and maintain reading momentum.

What habit does the speaker suggest making as easy and frictionless as possible to start reading more?

The speaker refers to the book 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear and suggests making the act of picking up a book and starting to read as easy as possible, such as having books visible and accessible.

How does the speaker propose making the reading habit rewarding?

The speaker suggests visualizing the progress, like stacking up finished books, or using a platform like Goodreads to track books read, and giving oneself a treat upon finishing a book as a reward.

What is the speaker's view on using audiobooks?

The speaker finds audiobooks to be a fantastic way to consume stories while doing other activities and mentions that they can be obtained through various platforms, including Spotify and local libraries.

Why does the speaker advise not being afraid to quit a book?

The speaker believes that forcing oneself to finish a book that isn't enjoyable can kill the love for reading, and it's better to quit and start another book to maintain reading momentum.

What is the speaker's final tip regarding setting a reading target?

The speaker's final tip is not to focus on a specific number of books to read, like 100, but rather to develop the habit and love for reading, which will naturally lead to reading more.