Rob’s 5 Reading Rules (inspired by Michael Bhaskar)
September 3, 2009 by Rob
Filed under Featured Posts
Inspired by Michael Bhaskar’s excellent post on the Picador blog, in which he introduces his five new rules for reading which will hopefully help him to tackle his ever sky-reaching book pile, I thought I’d play along on this occasion and offer up five of my own ‘rules for reading’, all of which have me ‘find’ a ton of reading time:
1. Lose the TV. At number two in Michael’s list of reading rules is cutting out the TV, and I wholeheartedly agree with him on this one; so much so that cutting out TV time is the absolute #1 on my own list. As we all know TV is an accomplished leecher of time, even though 99% of the stuff offered up is pointless and of little value. So if it’s reading time you’re looking for, and the TV is still a biggie in your life, then the biggest favour you could do yourself is to push the TV power button to off. You’ll be amazed at how much reading time magically becomes available without the draw of the goggle box. And if you still need something in the background in the way of noise, then go and buy a nice DAB radio, or tune into any one of a gazillion free radio channels on the Internet. I went for the former, and I haven’t looked back since.
2. Find your favourite reading place and use it as often as possible. Everyone has a favourite place for reading right, where they feel most at ease and completely receptive to the written word? My ‘place’ is usually in the bath or at the library, but I’ve also got a favourite place in the woods where I can wile away an hour or two, and get some serious, undisturbed reading done. So if you don’t have a favourite place then now may be a good time to go find one, and retreat to it whenever you can and as often as you can. Trust me you’ll find yourself flying through the pages at a rate of knots.
3. Find the most appropriate place/time for reading certain things and exploit it. I find that certain types of reading fit in better at particular times and/or places. Short stories over breakfast, where the reading is quick and the session contained. Flash fiction on the loo (perhaps that should that be flush fiction, eh folks? 
), where the reading is even quicker. Thoughtful or difficult reading in the bath, in the evening, where it’s quiet and distraction-free (unless my rubber ducky’s there ). It makes a huge difference fitting particular reading into a particular time/location. Try it and I’m sure you’ll see I’m right.
4. Plan ahead. I tend to get a lot more reading done if I plan it ahead of time. I know planning for reading isn’t for everyone because some people prefer to ‘go with the flow’, but for me, planning ahead is an absolute must, and not just because I’m a book reviewer.
I mentioned in #2 that I read short stories over breakfast. Now I don’t know about you but first thing in the morning I’m a complete zombie (I’m a zombie most of the time but later in the day I’m more of an awake zombie), and decision-making isn’t high on my list of early morning abilities. So I plan the night before what I’m going to be reading the next morning, and I even go as far as to put the chosen reading on the breakfast table the night before too. Then, bleary-eyed and stumbling, I can plonk myself in front of my cornflake’s bowl in the morning, and all I have to do is reach for the book and start reading.
It’s not just breakfast reading I plan out though. I tend to think ahead all of the time, fitting in my reading as best I can. It’s a ‘rule that fits in really well with the previous rule #4, and it also fits in really well with the following rule too.
5. Harness every opportunity. How often do you find yourself hanging around waiting for something or someone, with nothing to do but clock watch? Waiting for a train. Standing in a queue. Sitting in a restaurant waiting for your hot date Sandra Bullock to turn up (I can dream. Just don’t tell Mrs. Rob ). Everyone one of these situations and more, offers an opportunity to fit in a bit of quality reading time (plus it makes you look pretty cool and composed when Ms. Bullock finally arrives, and you can look up at her nonchalantly ). This harnessing of every opportunity is where my Sony Reader has actually revolutionised things for me. The reader is so light and unobtrusive that I always have it with me, and as a consequence it’s helped me to fit in loads of reading. Big queue in the post office? No problem. Out comes the Sony! Train’s been delayed for 20 minutes? Hey, it happens! Out comes the Sony! ‘Mind if we pop into H&M for a look around the clothes Dad?’ ‘No worries, I’ll wait outside.’ Out comes the Sony! Every…opportunity…harnessed, and all thanks to the ereader.
Do you know another great opportunity, provided you don’t suffer from motion sickness? It’s a little activity I like to call ‘walk reading’, which, as the name suggests, is reading while you’re walking (pretty cryptic eh? ). Sure it may look a bit goofy walking down the street with your face in a book (or better still, an ereader because the pages don’t flap about), and there may be a bit of a knack to doing it right without causing injury to yourself or others, but if you do a lot of getting from A to B on foot (or you have a walk-obsessed Labrador like me), then there’s a load of reading opportunity to be gained from engaging in the art of ‘walk reading’.
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So there we have it folks. A quick run through on my own five rules for reading. These may not be as good as Mr. Bhaskar’s (I particularly like his #1), but these are all ‘rules’ which have helped me greatly to increase my own personal reading time. Hopefully one or two of these will be of help to you too. So what about you guys? I’m sure each and every one of you beautiful minds have your own rules for gaining a bit more reading time. And I’m also sure they’re a lot better than mine. So feel free to share them. I’d love to hear if there’s anything else I can do to squeeze out a few more hours in the week, to devote to my most precious of pastimes.
My thanks again to Michael Bhaskar, both for sharing his great ideas and for giving the inspiration for this post.
Disclaimer: Rob takes no responsible for any injuries that may be sustained while engaged in the act of ‘walk reading’. Whilst walk reading the walk reader must take extreme care not to bump into the following – people, prams, small children, dogs, other walk readers, lamp posts, bins (especially important on bin collection day), cars, trees, buildings and any other infinite number of objects.
Picture Credit: The copyright for the image used in this post belongs to Ruben Bos. It has been released under Creative Commons agreement, which allows for the image to be changed and adapted for non-commercial use.
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Rob, a self-confessed bibliophile, is without any hope of rehabilitation. He gets unnaturally excited over anything book-shaped, and if book sniffing were a crime then he would have been locked up years ago (which wouldn't bother him in the slightest provided his cell were lined with books)
I wonder if women address reading differently, Rob? I’m used to constant noise, dealing with squabbles, indoor football/rugby/rounders/wrestling, so have developed a way of tuning out background noise. I can read with the tv/radio/washing machine/tumble-drier on. What I can’t do, is read in the garden or when it’s sunny because the outside noise is somehow more distracting than inside noise…. I can’t read in the bath (I always get the book wet) or in bed ( I always fall asleep before I turn a page). I read in a comfy chair with my feet tucked up; I read sitting on the floor with my back against the radiator; I read any time I’m waiting (which, as teen-taxi is a lot); I read on the train but not in the car.
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That Janette, is an interesting theory. Almost everything you list as being ideal reading conditions is ‘reading hell’ for me. Silence is a must or anything that can cancel out background noise i.e. music (classical or chill), large fan and even, strangely enough like you, a tumble dryer or washing machine (I guess it’s like a ‘white noise’ effect for me).
‘Nipper noise’ is a major distraction to me so I couldn’t deal very well with the indoor football/rugby/rounders/wrestling ensemble, and I’m actually a bit surprised you can’t read in the garden (although I suppose it depends where you line and what your neighbours are like).
I’m loving the reading while you’re in ‘teen taxi’ mode (hehe). That has to constitute a new reading rule.
Anyway thanks for the wonderful feedback
Warmest
Rob
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I’m with you on #5. I carry my book everywhere with me so I can whip it out if I have a bit of spare time. I read on the bus to and from work, on my breaks, in long lines, while I’m waiting for a friend to arrive at a meeting place… anywhere that I have some time to kill, really.
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I think my main rule is on Michael’s list – read in bed. I read at a much higher page rate and with much more retention once I get in bed at night and there’s no parenting to do, no meals to prep, no cats to shoo away or anything else. It also helps me fall asleep because my mind is focused away from the little stresses and on a story. I read until I can’t read anymore.
Though we may not all have the same rules, I think it’s important to consider what your own personal rules are to get the most (and the most productive) reading done. Love this post.
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I should have read your rules before wasting four hours watchinh Grey’s Anatomy reruns last night. Afterwards I was kicking myself thinking about how much reading I could have done in that time.
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Last year I pretty much gave up TV and it is one of the things that helped me read so many books. This year I have let the TV back into my life and yes the reading has suffered.
I try to make time to read at lunch time – but recently selfish people have made me attend meetings instead
Strangely though while I can read while eating my sandwiches I struggle to read over breakfast – I think it has something to do with being unable to read while sitting at a table!
I do however carry my latest book with me everywhere – so that I can whip it out during the dead time… waiting in queues etc
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Rob Reply:
September 13th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
‘Unable to read while sitting at a table” ?!?! Geez Clare. Aside from the bath, that’s the best place for me. Funny how we all read so differently.
Warmest
Rob
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While I basically agree with Michael Bhaskar’s rules, I think that it’s been helpful for me to read two or three books at a time. If I’m reading something heavy like The Inferno, it’s good to have a change-up now and then, so I don’t rebel and play on the Internet (TV is not my particular vice). I know my inner child.
I tend to read early in the morning at my desk over a couple of cups of tea, and then settle down to real business in my armchair in the evening. I get grumpy if I don’t get my armchair time!
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Tracy – Great of you to drop by! I haven’t seen (heard, read) hide nor hair of you for a while now. I hope all is well in your corner of the woods?
You know I agree with you on the multi-book reading. For me it’s the only way I can hope to even get within a mile of my reading target. The ‘rebelling against the book’ is another good reason for reading more than one book at once too. I hadn’t thought of that one.
Warmest
Rob
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I too have multiple books going at once. Then I can be in virtually any mood and still have something started that will appeal to me.
For me, the best reading spot is a wingchair recliner I got from mom (who was going to toss it out!). Not as huge as hubby’s La-Z-Boy (I’m short) and tucked near an end table and a lamp. I consider it a good day if it ends with me in the wingchair, feet up on the footrest, Kindle on lap, reading for hours. I’ve missed a lot of sleep this way, but haven’t really MISSED it, if you know what I mean.
I can’t read in bed anymore — we have a waterbed and I can’t seem to sit up in the dang thing and prop myself up right. So, the chair it usually is, although the couch works in a pinch.
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The biggest favor any person can do is turn off the TV, it’s amazing how much your life will change. We turned it off 13 years ago, and it only comes on for certain shows, our lives are quieter and so much more reading is going on. One of my reading “rules,” consciously set aside an afternoon to read, rather that make reading the squeezed in activity, sometimes I make it the primary activity and other things have fit around reading – these afternoons are a vacation at home.
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I can’t plan ahead but we lost the TV two years ago and I am happier for it. I actually plan ahead for movie and show watching now. I do that as a ‘when I can thing’ rather than OMG SUPERNATURAL IS ON RIGHT NOW sort of thing.
I get a solid 2 hours in the morning and another in the evening in the bath and 2 more before bed
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FLUSH FICTION
hilarious
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