How to Read More When Busy: A Reflection on Lost Pages and Years
Reading is one of my greatest pleasures. Actually, that might not be true. Reading used to be one of my greatest pleasures when I was really young, and I think the same applies to many people. In our phoneless primary school days where internet was a home-only luxury and homework was manageable at worst, reading was the one pleasure that seemed universal. I remember talking about different kinds of books with my classmates back in the day, such as how gripping the latest Geronimo Stilton was. Truth be told, this extended to later primary and early secondary school as well, where instead the focus shifted from kids books to YA classics such as Percy Jackson and Harry Potter (I'm counting it as YA, sue me).
And then it stopped. Maybe it was the integration of smartphones into our society. Maybe it was the excessive amounts of schoolwork that made reading a time-luxury we could not afford. Regardless, young Singaporeans just stopped reading at point in time where books are able to influence us the most. One professor at Nanyang Technological University expressed the issue succinctly:
It is always a surprise then that every year during admission interviews when I ask students, “What is the last book you read and what was it about?”, the question generally draws a blank.
The same was true for me at the end of IB. Beyond my literature books, I can't even name a book I had read right off the top of my head. I had perhaps read one or two books every year at most. Providing some contrast, National Service for me was an escape from the constructs of time at some certain points (despite being on time being the most important part of it), and I was able to "let go" enough to get a Kindle and start reading again during my off time. I remember thinking how fun reading is again, with books such as Murakami's Kafka on the Shore tickling my brain in the best way. When I entered university, somehow I stopped again. My excuse is that I was ridiculously busy, and I couldn't afford to spend time reading.
Halfway through 2021, I picked up reading again, and I read 6 books that year. In 2022, I read 11. So far, in 2023, I have read 21. This year has been the busiest year of my life, where I try to juggle work, a part-time Masters, my sleep, health and social life. Reading wasn't even a priority to me, and yet, I found myself finally achieving my reading goal of 20 books in one year. I'm well-aware that this number might not be high to all those one-book-a-week folks, but to me, considering the context of my life as of this moment, this is an achievement worth celebrating. Like many things, I've realized that going from 1 book a year to 21 isn't actually that difficult, and it mainly involved tweaking a few habits to try and fit reading as much as possible into my lifestyle. This is how I read more in the busiest time of my life.
Get an e-Reader
Yes, a good physical book looks better, feels better, and smells better. I cannot deny that, and I also cannot deny that I keep buying physical books even though they are undeniably so much less convenient to read. A device that provides almost paper-like reading quality with the ability to store literally thousands of books offsets the joys of that good whiff in my opinion. Also, in the long run, you can definitely make back your initial investment, especially if you borrow books from the library with it. Some people also feel that buyer's guilt that motivates them to make good on their purchase, which encourages reading as well. (Consumerism and the sunk cost fallacy. Name a more iconic duo.)
Borrow books from the local library
I haven't entered a library to borrow books since I was in primary school. Paradoxically, this statement is still true. My colleagues know how aggressively I promote the Kobo as a worthy alternative to a Kindle (I'm sorry), and Overdrive is the reason why. Overdrive gives Kobo devices the ability to connect to local libraries to borrow e-books. Singapore's National Library Board (NLB) literally has free e-books anyone can borrow with a smartphone, but why read on a smartphone and strain your eyes when you can read on a proper e-reader?
Borrowing books also saves you money, and e-books are fungible so you won't be experiencing secondhand the physical turmoil the book has gone through over its past x years on the shelf. Beyond e-books and physical books, you can also borrow audiobooks! Speaking of which...
Don't just read. Listen!
Audiobooks aren't overhyped or underhyped. They're exactly as hyped as they should be. I consider myself an auditory learner, so learning about complex topics through audio makes sense to me, but listening to fiction doesn't really work out, and I tend to zone out. Everyone has a different preference towards audiobooks, and it might not work for some people at all. Some might view it as an issue of opportunity cost: why would I listen to a book when I can listen to music? Fair enough.
All that being said, while my total time listening to music has dropped as a result, audiobooks provide another vector for book completion. Typically, I read one book on my Kobo and listen to one book through my AirPods (not at the same exact moment). Sometimes, when I feel like I don't want to read a book, I listen to whatever audiobook I have instead, and this sensory switch allows me to grow less fatigued as I read more.
Read multiple books at the same time
The previous point ties in nicely with this one. It really is an issue of fatigue. One book I'm reading now is Human Action: A Treatise on Economics, Ludwig von Mises' critical contribution to the Austrian school of Economics (which the Mises Institute provides for free from the above link). It's mind-blowing at times, but also extremely slow to get through and I find myself getting mentally exhausted ever so often. To accompany me on this journey, I have also been reading audiobooks, with my current one being Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman, which so far seems like a chill and unique self-help book. Juggling different genres and mediums keeps reading fresh, and encourages me to read more.
I've also noticed that, at around the 50-70% mark (earlier for fiction, later for non-fiction), reading the book becomes almost effortless as you're already well-acquainted with the writing style and the topics so far, while also being excited to get to the end. Reading multiple books makes that feeling of excitement more consistent, as you are more likely to be closer to finishing at least one book at any given time.
But adding many books to your "Currently Reading" list on GoodReads isn't any good if you don't have any time to read them.
Read when you can
I read on public transport. It takes me a good 45 to 50 minutes to get to work, and the journey is made that much more enjoyable knowing that I've learnt something in the process. I also read on vacation if my main goal for the vacation is to relax. If you catch me on a jog, you can bet I'm listening to an audiobook. Generally speaking, I don't really read at home, but I never felt like I needed to; there are many other periods of the day I use to read, and that leaves home time to do things I really can't do on-the-go or at work (like my assignments or catching up with friends through call).
This is what made me realize that the arguments of me being too busy in the past were just excuses. As long as I am reliant on public transport in any way, I have those golden opportunities to read, and that is already discounting the reading (listening?) I do when out for a run.
Bonus tip: Give up
By this I mean, give up on a book if you know it isn't for you. I don't have much to say regarding this one, but it deserves an honorable mention nonetheless. Knowing that a book isn't your cup of tea, and actually prioritizing your enjoyment over completion is an important step in keeping reading fun. In the long run, enjoying reading more means you'll end up reading more.
I could have started much earlier. Every tool and technique has always been available, and I just didn't realize the potential that was there. It takes more than hour to get to my secondary school, after all. If I had never lost that reading habit, I might have read a lot more by now. But I hardly regret the decisions I have made in the past, and this is no exception. What's important is that I have started to read yet again, and I have grown in the process.
From what I can see, if you are genuinely interested in reading more, you can make it happen. So go for it!