minimalist_coach t1_j64s9y3 wrote on January 27, 2023 at 6:35 PM

A few things came to my mind as I was reading your post.

Why do you read? Are you trying to improve something like language or understanding other perspectives? Do you read for entertainment, relaxation, or to escape? Is it just another thing on your To-Do list?

Do you set any goals or join any challenges? I do both of these things to help guide my reading each year. I have infinite choices so focusing on a theme, genre, or my TBR pile helps narrow choices for me.

It's also OK to take a break from reading, we all have seasons in our lives when it's more stress than benefit to do certain activities.

I used to read to be better at my job, so my books reflected that and I rarely read for pleasure. Now, I'm retired and I primarily read for pleasure, but I also want to continue to learn things, so my book choices reflect that.

I find getting clear on the purpose of any activity is helpful to decide how you participate in that activity and how much time you dedicate to it.

Classics aren't for everyone. One of my goals last year was to read some classic books, ones on the everyone should read before you die lists, and for me it was torture. They weren't hard, they were just annoying, but I slogged through them because they were part of a goal I set. I no longer feel like reading these books will enhance my life in any way. I may try more in the future, but I will DNF them if I don't enjoy them.

sburg88 OP t1_j650i1g wrote on January 27, 2023 at 7:27 PM

Thanks for your post. A lot of great points.

To be honest, I’m not someone that gets a ton of joy out of reading. It can be a grind for me. I do it because I think it’s really important. Not only to learn, but as an escape from the internet and its nonstop stimuli. In my 20s when I felt like I was working a dead end job it made me feel like I was still improving myself and not going backwards. Now I want to get better at my current job and try to understand the world a little better. I read a lot of history.

There are times when I’m really into a book and get into a flow with it where I can read for a while without noticing how long it’s been. I think I’m chasing that readers high every time, but it rarely happens.

I suspect the lack of a passion for reading is why I can’t quite get into fiction and the classics.

I’ve tried setting goals and it does help. Even just a modest 15 pages a day let me feel like I’m building momentum with a book.

minimalist_coach t1_j65bl4v wrote on January 27, 2023 at 8:37 PM

There are lots of kinds of goals. Reading a specific amount per day is a good one for people who want to get into the habit. But a goal can be anything, I have a goal to DNF books without guilt if I'm not enjoying them. Even when I'm trying to learn something new, I know that there are many books on the topic and if I find one that I'm struggling to finish, I'm happy to quit it and find another that may be better for me.

HappyLeading8756 t1_j664at9 wrote on January 27, 2023 at 11:49 PM

Since you read mainly for self-improvement and learning, then perhaps you could:

Research and create a list or lists of books that fit your criteria.

For example, many classics give us better understanding of history, society, culture, etc. Yet, they are not all equal when it comes to influence, education, being topical or offering interesting insights and food for thought. And it is also true for the contemporary writing. So it is worth to check various lists and go for those that are on school/university obligatory read lists, suggested by various experts or recommended by newspapers and magazines.

Many authors have also written shorter novels, stories or essays. So if you struggle with reading longer books by influential authors, those may be a great option for you. It's like a tasting menu.

In your list, you can also add keywords or notes on why did you choose this topic.

This way you will have your own list(s) that will not only make decision making easier but also will motivate you to actually finish the book because you will know that it is beneficial.

Choose reading challenge that fits you and stick to it.

I found that reading challenge is a great motivator to actually choose and finish a book. There are so many to choose from - generic, only fiction or non-fiction, genre specific, etc.

Finally, if you only enjoy reading historical fiction and non-fiction, then there's nothing wrong with that. There are plenty of people who read mostly 2-3 genres and that's okay.

Edit: specifications