In my previous blog last year, I shared my vast interest in self-improvement books. If you allow me to be frank with you, reading a book was not what I wanted. I don't consider it as my pastime as I love to watch senseless videos on the internet rather acquiring more knowledge. Sorry if I will also be honest with you that I'm not a certified bibliophile. However, as I heard from other readers, you can improve more if you are inquisitive in gaining more ideas.
As Mark Manson stated in his book A Subtle Art Of Not Giving A Fuck: A Counterintuitive Approach To Living A Good Life, "The man who believes he knows everything learns nothing." Therefore, as ordinary individuals, we should recognize that we don't know everything to learn something. And to understand that something, one of the factors that will help me fulfill them is reading some books.
Based on the title above, I will share what I've been doing habitually to understand my books on the shelf. I believe there's no specific way to read a book as it depends on our habits.
Two Minute Rule
My cue in reading a book always begins with a small step. As stated, I'm not a fan of reading. It makes me a bit overwhelmed. To rid those negative thoughts and avoid procrastination in reading, I'm using the "Two Minute Rule" that I read in Clear's top-selling book. Instead of aiming for bigger goals, we should start first with the smaller task. This ritual (or routine) helps me to comprehend the concept and to avoid cramming. Therefore, instead of aiming that in scanning ten pages of the book, I will start on accomplishing a page.
Reading alone with music
For some, reading with music makes them distracted. I can't argue with that since I assume I was one in a million with those characteristics. Listening to music while reading self-improvement books aids me in boosting my mood and concentration. Maybe some of you were curious about how I could still understand the context I'm reading if something interferes with my environment. As I said, music aids me in boosting my concentration and mood. It is an effective approach for some readers, but some are not.
Higlighting important details (using a highlighter and sticky pads)
What if I did this trick in reading the Atomic Habits book? Do you think my reading experience would be better? Every time I study my notes and reviewers, I use yellow markers to highlight my notes in physical or soft copy. Based on what I searched, using it is a good medium for retaining information because it is the best color for our memory. After highlighting them, I rewrite them on the sticky pad and put them in the corner of the book. Therefore, if I want to recall the advice I learned, I won't be obliged to search for them again in the manual. Sad to say that I only did this technique when I was in the middle of reading the orange version of TSAONGAF. It is better to regret rather than not do them at all.
Before I forget, let me share with you my five additional books. More books to come! What do you think I should read next after the "The Power of Habit." Let me know in the comment section below. I can't believe that this blog has been in my drafts for almost a month since I'm lazy to publish it. Thank you for reading.
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