Reading Twenty Minutes a Day to Massive Improvements
Few things can be changed in twenty minutes – and you are one of them!
Over the next couple of months, I will share reading gems that have significantly impacted my life. Today we will begin by revisiting an earlier article on this website about the importance of a daily reading habit.
You owe it to yourself to be reading – online, on your device, or with a paper book in hand!
Phil, I Don’t Like Reading!
I didn’t always love reading! Looking back on my school report cards (yes, I kept a few of them), I find it hard to understand why I love learning as much as I do. That was not the case back when the report cards were handed to me. In school, I could be, and often was, described as a mediocre student at best. I showed glimpses of potential. Teachers often said the same thing; I was distracted and demonstrated a lack of focus.
Not everyone enjoys reading books, so I always suggest that there are other ways of baiting your curiosity and finding new ideas.
You can listen to audible books, watch TED talks, or tune into beneficial podcasts. When was the last time you watched a documentary?
I encourage you to try printed books – even for 2 pages daily! Science tells us that it is a powerful potion for our brains.
Seven Reasons to Try a Printed Book
- You absorb more information.
- They help children become better readers.
- They’re easier on the eyes.
- You’re less likely to get distracted.
- They can help you sleep better.
- Having a library at home is linked to higher academic achievement.
- Reading is contagious.
No doubt you could list other reasons. I favor my ability to re-read over and over and think about what I just read. Or the brilliant use of colored pens and how things stick with me better when I take the time to mark and make personal notes.
A Plan to Read A Book A Month – Or a Week
The arithmetic of reading shows us that if you read at an average speed of 300 words per minute, you can read a 300-page book in 3 hours. If you could carve out 10 minutes a day – every day – you would read Atomic Habits, James Clear’s brilliant book, in only 18 days.
Most non-fiction books are between 350 to 400 pages. Another favorite of mine, The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, is 270 pages.
At 10 minutes a day, you would read 2 books a month which is 24 a year!
Just imagine what you would learn in a year from reading 24 books. It’s not only information you gather – ideas can change you, and you can change your life – and the lives of others.
For each of the six modules of our Leadership Accelerator Program, I share a list of twenty-five books to inspire the students to grow, learn and evolve.
At the Sonar Leadership Seminar 2022 ( happening on Dec 01, 2022, in North Vancouver), I will have a table full of books, and I would be happy to discuss any of them with you!
