I recently took myself on a mini retreat with my children, and I left my laptop behind. Scary, I know… but we just brought books. The level to which we enjoyed each others company was incredible, we had so much fun diving in to new worlds together, and I made a vow to myself that we will continue to grow our book collections. My oldest daughter loves spending time in the library, and will happily read her evening away.
If you have been struggling to pull yourself away from your technological devices and yearning to flip through pages like ‘old times’, it is never too late to start back up. If the idea of a full blown novel is daunting, then start small.
You can read about anything that interests you and acquire virtually an infinite amount of knowledge. You might not ever be able to travel to Antarctica in real life, but you can “be there” in a flash with a book.
This is also a fine way to reclaim innocence… as in, bringing yourself back to your own childhood. Even if we do most of our reading these days with the help of technology, at some point, we are reading so many sites and have so many tabs open that it is virtually impossible to focus entirely upon that which we are intending to read through.
I found myself getting frustrated with this very thing. There were what felt like a million fabulous articles not only in my inbox, but also ones that I had on the proverbial ‘back burner’ meaning to read. Rarely did I ever get entirely through one of them… let alone allowing myself to actually enjoy them.
Reading a book allows us to focus on one thing, on one story, and on our own minds. We allow ourselves to take a window of opportunity to be entertained by something other than a screen.
And of course, young children love to read and to have books read to them. Then, to our own detriment, many of us lose interest or simply can’t find the time once we grow up.
Here are some tips to rediscover the joy of reading books:
Read Books That You Know You’ll Enjoy
Avoid reading something just because you think you should. Not everyone needs to read War and Peace or Paradise Lost. Read old Superman or Archie comic books, if that’s what you like. You’re not in school; you can read whatever you want – of course.
Create the Time to Get Some Reading Done
It might be 20 minutes before bed or during your lunch hour. We feel like we don’t have the time because we over-schedule our lives, watch too much TV, and spend too much time surfing the Internet. Let go of some of that stuff and read instead. Make reading a habit by doing it regularly.
When You Are Reading, Do Only That
This isn’t a time for one eye on the book and the other eye on the television set. If you’re going to get the most out of it, then really commit to what you’re doing. Just read books during your reading time. We actually have a reading circle – this is simply a circle of friends that are making a point of holding each other accountable to reading books. We have all been finding that it has become difficult to simply sit… and read.
Don’t Expect Yourself to Finish Every Book You Begin
We have to suffer through some things in our lives that are less than exciting, but your books don’t have to be one of those things. If it’s not exciting to you, get rid of it and find something else. I can honestly say that I have about three different books ‘on the go’ at any one time. Life is too short to be bored any more than absolutely necessary.
The Speed At Which You Read Does Not Matter
It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to finish a book. The important thing is to have a blast reading it. You’ll find you’re your reading speed will increase when you read regularly.
Read Book Reviews Before Making Your Choices
Websites like Amazon.com have thousands and thousands of reviews. You can usually read part of the book online. It’s a quick and easy way to figure out if you might like it before you buy.
Get Yourself a Library Card
Free is good. We like free. Your local library is a wonderful place. Take advantage of your tax dollars and check it out.
Pay a Visit to Your Local Second Hand Book Store
Not only can you find a lot of books that are at least 50% off, you can also sell the books you’ve finished reading. Books aren’t trophies that need to be kept on your shelves. If you’re not going to read it again, why save it?
See If There Are Book Clubs You Can Join in Your Community
You can read the book on your own and then discuss it with others. You’ll learn a lot more about the book and get a new social circle, too. Reading is a solitary activity, but there are aspects to reading that can be very social.
Remember the Possibilities Your Mind Opens Up to When You Read
There is so much you can learn, and with a library card, reading can even be free. Tonight we all watched “The Hobbit” together as a family. The movie was fabulous of course… but I realized that I definitely need to find a copy of the book for my children.
Find a great book that fascinates you and carve out some time in your life to read it. Believe me, you will be so happy that you did!
I have to be honest, I really don’t like reading at all. I never did. I know some people love it and can get lost in a book – for me, there is no enjoyment in it whatsoever.
Couldn’t agree with you more. Our electronic devices are way too distracting. We need to shut them off periodically so we can focus on more important things — like books!
My son and I just developed a new bedtime routine which includes me reading to him 1 chapter out of a book series we’re sharing. The book we’re reading now is Chosen by Ted Dekker. It is AWESOME. We are a reading family, and anytime I feel like things are getting out of control, we shut down everything and go back to reading.
I couldn’t agree more with you. Electronic devices can get out of control. Fortunately for me, my children have grown to love books. Not the books online, but the physical touch of a book. There eyes pop out like a kid in a candy store every time we go to the library. I think it’s because I’ve taken them there so many times when they were mere babies.
I’m featuring your post on my Feature Friday edition (tomorrow). I’m hoping more people will shut off their electronic devices and return to the good old book and enter new worlds of imagination. Plus, I love your pointers you provided and wish to share them with others. 🙂
Have a great weekend!
That is absolutely wonderful! Thank you so much, Cherie 🙂
This is such a great post! I love a good book and when I say book, I mean a REAL book in my hands, not something on a Kindle (although those are nice too). It takes me awhile to finish a book sometimes because I am so busy that’s ok! My kids love to read as well!
I love reading and taking that time out for myself. Just need to actually do it.
I love reading a real book. So relaxing!
I really need to get back to reading more. I find it so relaxing, but I never remember to put aside time for it.
I just was thinking this LONG winter that I missed reading- so I simply started again. I’ll do my online work, then I’ll settle down with a good book.
I love love love to read and I hope my kids continue to do so as well!
It is often hard as mothers to think of ourselves. We need to remind ourselves on occasion
I’ve had a stack of spanking new books to read, BUT I bought them 3 years ago! That is so sad huh??
It’s crazy how we all rely on our devices now for everything! We have a brand new library up in our town and so many people call it a waste of tax dollars. It’s so sad that good old fashioned books are being overtaken!
I wish I had more time to read, with 5 kids it’s almost impossible not to have distractions.
We read to the kids every night and those are moments we will cherish forever. I am a big reader… I read every chance I get, so I hope they see that and follow in my footsteps.
i do some kindle reading, but really? i like turning pages. i love the smell of a new book. i love the smell of an old book.
YES! Too many people think of reading as being a chore. Read those comics to your heart’s content and don’t waste time finishing lousy books – life’s too short!
I love to read! It is my favorite pastime
I am a huge reader and totally agree! Great post!
I am a big reader! Thankfully, I slowly got my husband back into reading, too. We often spend our Sundays reading or end our nights in bed with our books. I know it is something we will continue when we have kids, too. This is, of course, coming from a long time book nerd and former English teacher!
I adore this post! I love reading and I am trying to develop that trait in my children as well.
You make me crave reading a book even more than I already do. I love the escape it provides!
I Try To Read To My Girls As Much As Possible My Dad Always Said That Is What Makes You Smart & Learn!!
I get so overwhelmed with the things I need to do that I haven’t had time to read a book in such a while! These are such great tips though! I love going to used bookstores. There are definitely classics for such great deals!
These are great ideas. I like to read but for some reason, it’s hard to do it. This will help.