Posted on 08/29/2019 2:27:35 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
Up until the last thirty years or so, reading was the most common form of entertainment. These days, technology has been steadily replacing the entertainment of reading a good book. According to a statistic from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Center for Educational Statistics, fewer than half (48 percent) of adult Americans read literature for pleasure.
Reading on a regular basis, however, provides amazing benefits to the health of our brain and our mental well-being.
Reading has the power to reduce stress, whereas other forms of media tend to increase stress. TV and the Internet require short bursts of attention and come with tons of distractions, noise, and fast-paced visuals...Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson, of the Mindlab at University of Sussex in London, conducted a study that demonstrated how reading impacts our stress response. Subjects’ stress levels and heart rates were increased through a variety of tests and exercises, and then they read for a mere six minutes. The results showed that reading reduced stress levels among participants by 68 percent, with some seeing stress levels lower than before they had started the experiment.
Reading also enhances our creativity. As we read about new concepts, ideas, and information, we engage our imagination and are more creative in the real world. Although a book or story may provide lengthy descriptions of characters, plots, and scenery, our imagination and creativity bring them to life in our minds. From a social standpoint, reading makes you a more informed and engaging person. No matter the genre you enjoy—novels, biographies, nonfiction, self-help, or any other—you always gain new knowledge and insight and something new to talk about with others.
(Excerpt) Read more at chroniclebooks.com ...
1. Schedule it in - Designate a block of at least twenty minutes during the day when you think you will have time to read. The longer the block, the more you will benefit. Reading at night before bedtime helps you wind down. Some enjoy reading during breakfast or lunch, others during their commute. Choose a time when you are least likely to be distracted.
2. Go for length - Although reading blog posts and short snippets in magazines may “feel” like reading, it isn’t going to give you the amount of content that will allow you to fully reap the benefits of increased focus and concentration, relaxation, and stress reduction. Instead, opt to read books and articles of decent length.
3. Choose for pleasure - Choose books and articles you want to read. Reading books or literature because you think you should will not be pleasurable. If you start a book and find your mind wandering or interest lacking for several days in a row, consider abandoning it for something you’ll enjoy more. The more time you spend reading what you love, the more interested you will be in doing it.
4. Expand your horizons - Although you may be tempted to read romance novel after romance novel, broaden your horizons by exploring new genres. Not only will you learn more through exposure to new concepts, information, and vocabulary, but it may even help you develop new interests.
5. Go digital - With the influx of devices and eReaders, reading on the go has become easier than ever. You can instantly download a book, a magazine, or a newspaper any time you want. And if you are enjoying more than one book at a time, you can take your whole library with you.
6. Have book, will read - The easiest way to read more is to have something to read with you at all times. Bring a book, magazine, or eReader with you in your briefcase or purse. Keep a book in your car. Anytime you have five or ten minutes of downtime, such as at the doctor’s office, you can squeeze in some reading.
7. Create a reading ritual - Create a ritual that makes you look forward to reading. Find a comfortable place with no distractions. You may enjoy reading on a park bench or at the beach or in the grass under a tree. Finally, consider sipping a beverage—such as green tea, a latte, or a glass of wine—or nibbling on a snack while you read.
8. Set a goal - Set a goal to read a certain number of books within a certain time frame. For instance, maybe you want to read two books per month or twenty-four books within a year. Whatever goal you choose, make sure it (1) is realistic and (2) doesn’t take the fun out of reading. You want to remain inspired to read, not dread it as a chore. Go a step further and create a reading log to document each book you read, how long it takes, and your thoughts about it. Tracking your reading will give you a sense of accomplishment.
9. Join or start a book club - Joining a book club offers many benefits. It provides you with a sense of community and the ability to make lasting friendships with people who share a common interest. Being part of a book club keeps you accountable to complete books, making you more likely to read on a regular basis. And being part of a book club gives you further intellectual stimulation because the books read are discussed and analyzed by the group.
10. Read to children - Reading to children benefits both parent and child. For parents, it provides an opportunity to spend focused quality time with your child. Children benefit from increased vocabulary, language, and speech development. Reading also prepares them for school and education advancement and develops listening and attention skills. It can also help them develop a passion for reading, as well as curiosity, creativity, and imagination. Discuss the books you read and ask them questions. If your children are older, create a family reading night. You could even create a “family book club” and choose the same book for all of you to read and discuss.
No. 1 - “Kill your television”
Just go on yahoo and type in AOC.
No more. My mind can no longer settle down to read longer than 10 minutes or so. Makes me sad. It was a huge source of joy in my life.
BookMark
I try to set aside a specific time to read during my day. Sometimes I’m not able to stick to the schedule because of other pressing issues. I usually have four books going at once...all different genres, and I try to read at least 20 pages from each one of them. At night before I go to bed, I read from at least two books I have going on my Kindle...that is, if I can keep my eyes open long enough to complete a chapter, or at least stop at an appropriate break in a chapter.
all things come back eventually.
Pick up a book.
Who needs 10 steps?
‘Computer reading’ leads to a shortened attention span.
I have read dozens of books ‘online’ but I rarely give them the attention I give a real book.
I read a novel every day for 10 years back in my school days, I read at a freshman in collage rating when I was in 3rd grade...I was just really good at it.
Hienlin, Asamov I read them all, voraciously.
There were days I read 2 books after school before dinner.
There is a real benefit to reading paper books as opposed to online or ebooks.
I have read the king James bible 3 times in the last 5 years...a good thing.
Since I retired I have sought to read more ‘paper’ books.
Hoping I am not too far off topic, but I like going to the used book emporiums more than the Chapters/Indigo (Canada’s answer to Barnes and Noble). There’s one not far from where I live that’s filled with all sorts of treasures ranging from the literary classics to all sorts of things under the sun. Among the ones I found were a compilation of Solzhenitsyn short stories and a 1960s produced book on British inn signs and their history (a little gem I found about two weeks ago).
No. 2 — Abandon FR
No. 2 Put your phone away
I think that the technology was perfect between mid nineties and 2005
I am trying to design my home so it replicates that time.
Home phone,
Cell mostly unused
DVD player
CD player and great speakers
an tablet for emails and research that is always on and tied to the wall.
a full computer for work.
I don’t find that the case for me. I read from a tablet for convenience sake. The problem my wife and I both shared at first was too many books made us a bit “flighty” (we’d start one, go to another, go to another, etc; not so much a shortened attention span as a “Wait! I wanna read this one more!” thing). Ended up keeping a single book in the device until done, then going onto the next. We read a book or two a week.
Just started in on Heinlein again after a Sax Rohmer break: “Number of the Beast”. Which, I suppose, completely negates my opinion. ;)
I occasionally watch a Blu-Ray or play PS4, but quitting watching tv shows, news, and sports was one of the best things ever.
I didn’t read the article. What did it say:?
I’m not flighty...I pick up a book....read the last 2 pages....and then start at the beginning. This way, I’m engaged in the trail....not guessing.
“I used to be able to read for a long time in one sitting .... before computers came on the scene.
No more. My mind can no longer settle down to read longer than 10 minutes or so. Makes me sad. It was a huge source of joy in my life.”
Same here. Zero attention span due to internet. I have 3 books I started and read a quarter way though each and my attention span went kaput and I stopped.
Have not read a complete book in 10 years or more
Their programming is so BAD--so pathetic-- they leave their viewers with nothing else to do but read, garden, do housework, or exercise.
It’s too long, playing Clash of Clans instead...
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