Learn To ‘Quit Books’, And Other Tips To Finally Make A Dent In Your Reading List

Learn To ‘Quit Books’, And Other Tips To Finally Make A Dent In Your Reading List

I often imagine the leaning tower of Pisa to be a physical manifestation of my ebook queue. I want to finish more books, but can’t seem to get through them quickly enough. As Harvard Business Review (HBR) explains, it’s not about reading speed, but about creating concerted efforts to read. Here are tips to do just that.

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[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/06/my-secret-to-reading-a-lot-of-books/” thumb=”http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18rastbxcahubjpg/original.jpg” title=”My Secret To Reading A Lot Of Books” excerpt=”My girlfriend says I have a thing for books. I probably spend more money on books than any other expense, aside from food. Walking into a bookstore with a good selection makes me want to rent a truck and haul their entire stock away to pile in my house so that I can read every single one of them.”]

Out of the eight tips that HBR suggests, the one that stuck out to me the most was about “quitting books” midway through. Some of us find it strangely difficult to leave a book unfinished, even if it doesn’t interest us. For me, it’s an odd sort of guilt that begets a stubbornness to quit and delays reading all these other books in my “to read” list. So instead of feeling bad about it, reframe it as a positive thing that you are making time and mental space for much better and more quality reads.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/06/why-you-feel-guilty-leaving-books-games-or-movies-unfinished/” thumb=”http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18qj26rbc9uvrjpg/original.jpg” title=”Why You Feel Guilty Leaving Books, Games Or Movies Unfinished” excerpt=”Ever find yourself feeling guilty because you put a book down halfway through? You’re still on the third level of that game you bought a year ago? Or maybe you left a movie in the middle of it? The guilt’s a strange feeling, and it’s not as much about the lost money as you’d expect. Here’s what’s going on when you’re feeling that odd guilt.”]

Additionally, you can carve out a spot in your home that provides zero distractions from reading (a room with no TV or computer, for example). Or commit to a reading list from someone you admire. Or if you’re only reading on your ebook reader, try reading a physical book to mix it up. Check the HBR article for more tips and get to reading (more books).

8 Ways to Read (A Lot) More Books This Year [Harvard Business Review]


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