When I was much younger, somehow I remember myself devouring books at a much faster rate. I find myself feeling somewhat ashamed of myself for how much less I’m reading these days, and “read more” always makes it into my lists of resolutions and goals. Recently I’ve been trying to get back that spark for reading, so I’m making this post as an exercise for myself as well as to share with you guys some ideas and methods to consider if you’ve ever felt this way too.
put away that phone
Time flies about twice as fast when I’m on my phone, compared to when I’m reading. The seconds seem to literally trickle though my fingers when I’m on social media, and suddenly and hour or two has been chipped away from my life and I have nothing to show for it. This doesn’t mean that my interests online are worthless, but when I start to realize that all I’ve been doing is mindlessly scrolling for the past hour- yeah, I should’ve spent that time reading instead.
I also have this extreme fear that social media is ruining my attention span, but research is still split and paranoia about it won’t do any good either- moderation is key.
it’s not you, it’s the book
Some books are just harder to read than others. Sometimes it’s because they’re classics and the language used and it’s flow makes the book hard to trudge through, no matter how beautiful it is.
Other times it’s because you’re dealing with something like a Murakami book, where is gets so absurd at some point and deep at others, that you need a breather after each chapter.
If you feel like you’re stagnating, it might be because the book you’re trying to get through is one of these. Especially if you’re the kind to stubbornly refuse to start a new book before finishing your current one. Realising what kind of book you’re reading may help you be kinder to yourself about taking your time.
The solution which usually works for me is to resort to “lighter” reads, oftentimes rereading sections from some of my old favourites (this is why my copies of harry potter and the hunger games look horribly run down) or finding lesser known books from the local library that deal with a subject matter easier to digest.
busy life? try audiobooks
Our modern lifestyles seem to be doing their best to eradicate reading. Audiobooks are a good solution, if they work for you. They don’t require a physical medium, so they’re more efficient in that aspect, and they allow your eyes (which may have been straining to focus on a screen all day) a nice rest.
They’re good for busy people because you can get through a book while getting through more menial mechanical tasks, like chores and laundry- two birds with one stone.
maximize time
On trying to analyze what in particular I used to do to manage to burn through books so fast, I’ve found that I used to waste much less time.
Depending on your lifestyle, there may be more “empty” time in your day that you realize. For example on the bus, during meals if you eat alone, before bed, when you’re bored during certain events and just end up sitting in the corner on your phone, etc.
get the most out of it
Either by scribbling in the margins of the book (that felt sacrilegious to type) or by writing in a bujo or journal dedicated specifically to books, writing down your thoughts during and after reading a book will help you digest it. You can also write down any preconceptions or expectations you have for the book. This helps you process the book and discern the specific ideas that you understood through the book.
It’s also cool to read these reviews/logs/whatever you want to call them after rereading those same books in a couple of years, it may offer insight into how your perspective on life has changed and grown.
That’s all I’ve got! I’d love to hear if any of these has helped you, or if you have any ideas/experiences you’d like to share!!
Deep clean your room - I’m talking about stripping the bed, going through clothes, papers, and belongings and having no mercy. Sweeping and damp mopping the floors. Dusting surfaces. Finding new homes for those miscellaneous items that just sit there in the way.
Delete old contacts - I went from having maybe 30-40 contacts to 14. In other words, delete contacts you haven’t messaged or called in the last two weeks to a month (if so long). If they text you don’t be afraid or feel guilty for asking who it is.
Go through your music library - Play all your songs and if you skip a song delete it without hesitation. The next time you hit shuffle on your playlist you won’t even notice it’s gone. What if you get in the mood for the song? That’s what YouTube is for my friend… or just add the song back onto your phone.
Go through clothes - That dress you haven’t worn once in the past year- toss it. The shirt you swear fits if you don’t raise your arms- get rid of it. Those worn out clothes- dump them. *Of course there can be exceptions but within reason.
Journal - Write down any thoughts to cleanse your mind. Any ideas you might have. Good things that happened that day. Bad things that happened. Things you’re grateful for. It helps so much. Try it for at least three days straight and you’ll notice how much better you feel. Problems might not disappear completely but it’ll give you the strength to get through another day.
Don’t try to force things to work out - It’s so hard and it can be upsetting when things don’t, but sometimes the best thing you can do for you is accept the way (some)things are.
Don’t be hard on yourself for messing up - It can be easy to physically or mentally punish yourself for making a mistake no matter how big or small, but I’ve learned that doing things like starving yourself, beating yourself up (literally), or just scolding yourself repeatedly doesn’t improve the situation and it doesn’t improve yourself.
Cut toxic people off - Remove them from your life physically (which sometimes takes time). Unfriend them from social media. Remove prominent traces of them from your life. It’s like suddenly a weight comes off of your shoulders.
Practice self love - I write/say this so often and sometimes I feel like it’s so hard to do sometimes but it’s not. I’m talking about taking a break when you need to. Drinking water. Moisturising your skin. Getting enough sleep. It’s the little things like that that count as self love.
Don’t runaway from your problems - It’s tempting and hard but it’s important to face any problems you’re facing. No one is saying you have to be strong 24/7, only that you should try.
Delete old files - Go through you computer, tablet, phone, USB drive etc. Delete old unimportant documents, old photos, music, apps and more.
i don’t like adding things onto posts normally and this has nothing to do with the normal contents of my blog, but as somebody who can only afford second hand clothes, I’d recommend donating old clothes (if you can) to a second hand store or charity rather than just tossing them, as long as they’re still in good shape! these are fabulous tips by the way.
If you’re not a morning person, you know the struggle. It’s not just about waking up, it’s about actually getting yourself to do stuff in the morning. While I usually recommend you adapt to your body’s own schedule, as you’ll work much better, school, work or other activities may not allow you to do so. Therefore, here’s a guide on how to get shit done in the morning.
The night before
Prepare whatever study materials you’re going to use that day. Open your notes and make sure you know where you should start (i personally lay a pen on the exact paragraph).
Put a bottle of water and some tea (with caffeine) or coffee on your desk so that you don’t have to go get it next morning.
If you’re usually cold in the mornings, get yourself a blanket. I promise you mine has made me more productive than all the coffee I’ve ever had.
Write a to-do list for next day. Then distribute those tasks in a schedule (you can either use a printable or just scribble it on some piece of paper). Take into account you’ll need time for breakfast and personal hygiene.
Other than that, don’t leave anything else on your desk, as it may be distracting.
Make an effort to go to bed at least an hour earlier. It makes a huge difference when you wake up
Actually waking up
if you struggle to wake up, try the following:
Ask someone to wake you up (a parent, a roommate).
Put your phone accross the room and inside a glass to amplify the sound.
If your phone has an option for voice alarm, use it. Make it something really motivating or, even better, really annoying.
Combine all of the above for foolproof results.
Tips to get stuff done
Chug your liquids! - The very first thing you should do after your feet touch the floor is drink some water and drink something caffeinated (yes, in that order) (caffeine because it will kick in by the time you’re done with breakfast and water because caffeine can be dehydrating + water will also jumpstart your body).
Put on some fluffy socks - okay maybe this is just a personal thing but I’m personally much less likely to go back to bed once i have some socks on.
Smol workout - do something that will send blood to your brain. It can literally be ten jumping jacks.
Breakfast? Not yet - you’ve gotten up, you want food, understandable. BUT remember that book/notebook you put on your table last night? Well, get to work on it for 15-30 minutes. You may be sleepy and not able to comprehend much of what you’re doing, but the important thing is that once you come back from having breakfast, you will already have started, which is the most difficult part.
Avoid anything with a shit-ton of sugar - it will give you a sugar crash in about an hour and all you’ll want to do is go back to bed. (Personal rec is overnight oats with some fruit on top - delicious, fast af and super filling and energizing).
A big breakfast can make you sleepy. Instead, make it a little bit smaller and have some healthy snacks (like hummus) throughout the morning. Look at them as your reward for studying.
Stay off the internet. During breakfast, I find that social media (especially youtube) tend to put me off working afterwards, as they give me something more insteresting to do. Therefore I reccommend you either find something else to do (write your to do list, read a book) or limit your Internet time to 5-10 minutes.
Remember that you control your mindset. If after doing all of this you still don’t feel like studying, it’s perfectly okay to stare at your desk for five minutes and have an argument with yourself about how much you do want to study. Seems stupid but trust me, it works most of the time.
