I recently watched a YouTube video where the host discussed a long-term study conducted in the UK. This study followed a cohort of individuals, tracking their lifelong habits, and found that those who read regularly tend to become more intelligent over time. The core takeaway is that reading is beneficial for cognitive development.
Reflecting on my own reading habits, I noticed a decline in the number of books I’ve read over the years. In 2017, the furthest my reading stats go, I read 20 books. Since then, my annual reading ranged between 3 and 9 books. Not even the COVID shutdown managed to increase my reading. I used to consume much more literature in earlier years. My reading frequency has diminished to the extent that maintaining a Kindle Unlimited subscription no longer seems worthwhile as I don’t get much value, financially speaking.
A significant contributor to this shift is the overwhelming presence of social media. Like many, I find myself spending an excessive amount of time watching YouTube videos, and scrolling through blogs and X. This digital magnet detracts from the time I once dedicated to reading.
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Interestingly, before watching this video, I had already noticed a downturn in my mental sharpness and enthusiasm for learning. Focusing on a book has become challenging, with my mind easily wandering. This lack of concentration is particularly apparent when reading nonfiction, which often leads to tangential thinking and requires multiple rereads of the same paragraph or chapter. It can take months to read through a book.
As an aside, I realize that speed reading is not as simple on a Kindle as it is with a physical book. For example, you can’t easily flip through the pages to read chapter titles and headings to create a rough mental map of where the book is heading. If you know the author’s direction, you can pay less attention to some details.
Reading fiction proves less demanding, allowing me to finish books, like thrillers, within just a few days, assuming I stay consistent. Fiction still provides an escape for me, given the lesser cognitive load compared to nonfiction works.
To help counter the decline in my reading habit, I’ve started also listening to audiobooks. For instance, I’m currently tuned into 'The Creature of Jekyll Island,' a comprehensive 24-hour narration about the Federal Reserve's inception. This listening activity complements my driving gigs with Uber and Lyft, filling the voids between rides with valuable listening time.
On my Kindle, I juggle between numerous unread nonfiction titles and a plethora of fiction books—many of which were free First Reads from Amazon Prime that piled up over time. Despite this backlog, I'm starting to make progress.
While I’m not completely disappointed in my current state, there is room for improvement, particularly in improving my focus and task adherence. Social media remains an obstacle. A practical approach could be scheduling daily reading sessions, perhaps dedicating an hour in the morning or evening solely to reading, ensuring consistent progress through my reading list.
Audiobooks present a flexible option for long nonfiction books. I can listen to them between rides. Some days are busier, offering less audiobook time but yielding higher earnings, which balances out. Ultimately, my ideal outcome is to regain the ability to immerse myself in a book for hours, enhancing my attention span and concentration.
I am trying hard to fight the YouTube and social media algorithms in the attempt to cultivate a more disciplined attention. Part of this requires limiting my attention to one subject by blocking out time to focus on that subject. My days need more structure, which is challenging without outside structure being imposed on me at this time of my life.
You can view my reading profile at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/shainemata