In today’s highly digital, electronic-dominated world, most of us spend our free time in front of one device or another, be it our TV, our phones, laptops, or iPads. When we finally get time to unwind after a busy day, our go-to relaxation hobbies don’t tend to include reading. Most of us would admit to turning to Netflix, Instagram and TikTok to pass the evening hours, switch off our minds for a bit and just be entertained. But let’s be honest… who actually pays close attention to what’s on TV, or the hundreds of posts we’re scrolling through? Half the time we’re using more than one device, updating our Twitter while watching Bridgerton or typing emails while Too Hot To Handle plays in the background. Yes, we’ve all been there, juggling tasks and never really paying attention to much else.
While I am guilty of these habits too (binge-watching series being the biggest culprit), I’ve discovered that the good old hard-copy book is an even better way to spend my free hours, one that doesn’t give me a raging headache from too much screen-time. It’s kind of refreshing to focus on one thing at a time, and to be transported to other worlds and other lives, all while remaining on your comfy couch with a hot cup of tea in your hand.
“But reading is so boring,” you might think, having only been exposed to the agonizing deciphering of Shakespeare in school, where words didn’t even seem to come from the English language anymore. This may have been the case back then, but – trust me – there’s a lot more to the literary world than the star-crossed lovers your teacher forced you to study back in the day. If you’re like me and you’re tired of the endless mind-numbing hours online, here are some beginner tips to get into reading that’ll be sure to keep you just as captivated as any reality TV show on Netflix could do.
Find the Right Genre
You probably wouldn’t watch a horror series if you were scared of ghosts or demons, and wouldn’t be waiting on the edge of your seat for the latest soccer match if you weren’t into sports TV, so why would you read a genre that doesn’t interest you? Choosing the right topics to read about is what ignites that reading spark inside you, keeping you turning those pages until you’re transported into another world and cannot focus on anything else. Maybe
you enjoy the idea of true love and budding romances – then pick a Young Adults novel that brings two unlikely people together (try The Sun is Also a Star or They Both Die at the End). If you’re a fan of history and legend, read more about ancient myths in The Silence of the Girls or past tragedy in The Book Thief. An easy way to discover books about your interests, be it romance, comedy, existentialism, or anything in between, go to Goodreads and type in your chosen keywords. Boom, you’ve got yourself endless lists of recommendations, along with summaries and reviews for your heart’s content.
Start Slowly
There’s no point diving right into the deep end and committing to reading for several hours a day, in a desperate attempt to get through a book. We had enough of those cramming sessions before our English exams when half of us hadn’t read the setwork books. Putting that pressure on yourself will do the opposite of relaxing your body and mind, but rather send you into a stressed or bored cycle that’ll probably make you despise reading even more. Start with half an hour of reading before bedtime each night, and don’t beat yourself up if it takes a while to get into it. If you’re used to quick, 30-second TikTok videos, your brain might need some adjusting to a lengthy book of a few hundred pages. Commitment is what is needed, but slow and steady always wins the race.
Create a Bookish Network
A great way to become more of a book-lover is to fill your day with bookish things and fellow bookish people. Follow “bookstagram” accounts, “booktok” users and review pages. Schedule coffee/reading dates where you chat to friends about the latest novel you’ve been devouring. If you’re into writing, try your hand at ratings and reviews that can motivate you to finish more books, as well as help others who need some decent recommendations. You can even join/start a small book club, gathering once every few weeks with some dinner and wine to swap books, hear others’ opinions and catch up on gossip. This can be a great way to meet up with friends and to receive new books without having to pay an arm and a leg each time.
As you can see, there are many simple ways to kickstart your love of reading. You just need a little research, a tad bit of motivation and a spare 30 minutes each day and you’ll be transported to new worlds!