Reading is something that I enjoy doing and I know that most of my friends do not feel the same. However, books can be great when you find a story you love. But in order to find that story, you must start somewhere.
That is why I carry a book with me wherever I go. I’d like to start off by saying that I don’t always carry around a physical book with me. Sometimes I have an ebook on my Kindle app or an audio book. And before I continue, audio books absolutely count!
The first and maybe quite obvious reason why you too should have a book on you at all times is because there can be small lulls throughout your day where you can read a few pages of your book. These lulls can be sitting in a doctor’s office or if you arrive to class early where you have a few minutes to read. While you may only be able to read a few pages, that’s still something and they add up pretty quickly.
The second reason why you should have a book on you is because you may feel a good kind of pressure to read instead of scrolling on your phone. We all seem to wind up on our phones when bored but if you can turn that time into reading time then you may feel a sense of productivity. And, again, every page adds up and before you know it, you’ve read a whole book.
The third reason is no matter what you are reading, nonfiction or even fiction you can be learning and absorbing new information. Again, it doesn’t matter so much what you read so long as you are reading because you can pick up new words, information about people and cultures that you would not have otherwise learned.
The fourth reason is books are a great conversation starter. You never know who you are going to meet and some people are curious as to what others are reading and your book may spark a conversation. Books can be a great way to meet people with similar interests and maybe even make a new friend.
The fifth reason is when I exercise I am still reading. I like to go for a run on the treadmill everyday and most of the time I wind up listening to music. However, there are some days when I prefer to listen to a story. This is when it is nice to have an audiobook that I am listening to. The book I am currently reading I have as a physical copy but also as an audiobook so it is nice to switch back and forth. In the morning when I have breakfast I can physically read my book, but when I go for my run later in the day, I pick up where I left off but this time I’m listening to it and it’s nice to have that option.
The final reason is that lines are long! Sometimes I find myself waiting in line to go into the grocery store or waiting in line to get into my campus’s convenience store and I definitely have the time to read a few pages while I am waiting. And again, a few pages here and there really do add up.
Hopefully, these few reasons inspire you to download an ebook or pick up a physical book and keep it on you when you go out. There are so many opportunities throughout the day to get a few pages of reading in. And if you keep a book on you and take advantage of those opportunities you could find yourself reading a whole book in a week or two.