We’ve all heard that reading is a much healthier hobby to take up than watching TV and scrolling through our phones. But have you ever taken the time to know why exactly that is? What exactly are the benefits of reading anyway?
Well, according to Healthline, reading has many mental and physical benefits to our bodies. These include strengthening your brain, improved empathy skills, reduced stress, and a larger vocabulary. If you want to reap these rewards but just can’t get into reading, here’s how to overcome that initial dislike.
start small
When trying to form a new habit, it’s common to go all in and purchase the best-rated equipment or recommended essentials. However, the key to introducing something new to your life is to start small. Begin with reading articles from Her Campus at uOttawa! Or, maybe start by downloading a couple of news apps on your phone and reading one article each day! You may even notice that starting small makes you reach for more to read after. If you’re more of an auditory learner or just prefer a good podcast over reading a book, maybe your version of starting small will look like listening to the audiobook version of a book you’ve been wanting to read. You might find yourself enjoying audiobooks more than physical copies of books altogether, and that’s great! That, to me, counts as reading too!
Find your favourite genre
Where I got lost when getting back into reading consistently was picking books that were on BookTok or that my friends and family would recommend. This never worked for me because not everyone’s taste in books is the same. Just like with developing your music taste, you need to do some experimenting before you discover what you like to read. How do you find your favourite book genre? Pay a visit to your nearest public library or your university’s library and browse the books available there. If you want a fun jumping-off point, ProProf‘s What Book Genre Is Right For You? Quiz and Buzzfeed‘s What Kind Of Book Should You Read Next? Answer Some Questions And We’ll Give You A Genre Quiz can help!
try out bookstores
Once you’ve found your go-to genres that you can’t seem to put down, I suggest having frequent ‘outings’ where you go to the library or to bookstores. This way, it’ll be something you look forward to every day—taking time for yourself, grabbing a tea or coffee, picking out an interesting read, then getting back home and curling up in your warm comforters with a new book!
Bring a book with you
Finally, if you still find yourself not liking to read after the above steps, try faking it til you make it! Bring a book with you to a café or other destination you love or have been wanting to explore. Just having your book with you might make you reach for it during down periods, and it can be a great way to reduce your screen time!
Do you still hate reading?
Maybe some things were missed on this list to ignite a spark for reading. But, hopefully, this article is a great place to start if you’re looking to start reading as a hobby as opposed to scrolling through social media or watching TV.