Here is my reading routine:
- begin with the end in mind. After i finish reading a book, i will donate it to the paper recycling machine near my house. It earns me less than a cent, but it makes me feel great that I’m in control of the possessions in my house. Also, any withdrawal i get from the recycling app goes straight to my son’s college fund. So I’m motivated to read a lot.
- carry a book everywhere i go. I’m trying to curb my use of Social Mecia, so i bring a book around, hoping that my instinct is to open it up rather than scroll through my Facebook feed. Sometimes it works; other times, it doesn’t. But I always find that i will be so proud of myself if I manage to resist the lure of my phone. I just finished reading a chapter during my lunch period. (Yes, I’m the kind who can’t just concentrate on my food.)
- read multiple books at a time. My ENFP mind won’t allow me to focus on just one book, so i read several books at one go so that I can match a book with the mood I’m feeling at this point in time. So, definitely some light-hearted fiction during my lunch period.
- do book reviews. I find that i tend to forget what i read, so in order to strengthen my learning derived from reading, i take to Instagram and post my review. So more than one friend have commented on the usefulness of my reviews - I find that this ego boost keeps me going.
- highlight important parts or make dog-ears. Because i read several books at once, i highlight the words and sentences that cause pause for reflection so that i can just scan through them the next time i read the book and bring myself up to speed. I try to draw connections between the author’s thoughts and my own life so that i can incorporate new habits into my life.
That’s my reading ritual in a nutshell. But you do you.
