Reading books might be wasted time

I have always wanted to be a reader. The endless supply of books available spans from our modern age to thousands of years back in time, each with their own message and wisdom. If we look at some of the most influential people and leaders throughout history, a lot of them were diligent readers.

But reading might also be a waste of time, with hours spent reading and none of it being remembered, or truly understood. In this post we will be taking a look at how diligent readers and writers are able to remember and understand the books they read, and make the most of their reading time.

Every chapter = One action

I recently stumbled upon a short Youtube video from a channel called "Askvinh". The creator, Vinh Giang is a international keynote speaker and was doing a lecture on his reading method.

He does not overcomplicate it, every chapter he reads has to lead to one action. So at the end of each chapter he writes down what action he will take after acquiring that knowledge and states "otherwise why did I read the book".

This is a great approach to reading self development and non fiction. If we all read hundreds of books without using the knowledge practically, we would all have wasted our time. We learn by doing, by taking new ideas and putting them into practical use.

Write down your thoughts

There are different approaches to making the most out of your reading time. Jordan B Peterson, a Canadian professor and author of bestseller 12 Rules for life has talked about his approach to remembering what you read.

Jordan says to read a number of pages or paragraphs in your book, then close the book and think about it. Write down your thoughts and what you remember separately to get a understanding of it. He also says that spending time underlining or highlighting text is crap and pseudo-work.

Jordan says that properly reflecting on the ideas in a book and comparing it to other ideas is why he's able to remember all the things that he talks about in lectures. So, following his advice, think it through and write it down.

How to be reading books like a billionare

Bill gates, founder of Microsoft and one of the riches people on the planet, is also a diligent reader. In a short video-interview with Quarts titled "How Bill Gates Reads Books" he lays down four reading rules.

1. Take notes in the margins.

Bill is a strong believer that note taking makes him remember what he reads. So writing down ideas from books and comparing it to other ideas you already have is key. He explains that if he disagrees with a book, he spends so much time writing about it that finishing the book takes a long time.

2. Don't start what you can't finish.

Bill has set up a rule for his reading habits to not start what he can't finish. Meaning that every book he reads he wants to finish. That is why books that are too long or not interesting enough wont make it onto his reading list at all. This rule helps prevent the common trap of barely reading the first chapter, then never return to finish a book.

Fun fact, less than 10% of people who read a book read past the first chapter.

3. Paper books > ebooks.

Paper books over ebooks... Bill favours physical books, just as I do. The reason I like reading a paper book is that I get a break from all the digital screens and technology. Reading on a digital device would only increase my screen time even more. Even though digital ebooks have a few advantages (not taking up space, cheaper cost) the feeling of a real book is superior to me.

Now when reading physical books, don't treat them like your grandmothers rare and fragile vase. Use them for their purpose, and if you own them underline and highlight the sections you find interesting, even though Jordan says it wont help you learn anything. To make it easier finding those sections again, when you decide to get back to a book.

4. Block out an hour.

For the final rule from the tech billionare, he says that to get through his books properly and pick up information well, he puts away 1 hour at a time to read. 5 or 10 minutes here and there is simply not enough to get deep into a book, and have some time for note writing. Bill reads 1 hour every night before he falls asleep. A routine that probably acts as a wind-down ritual that gets the body and mind ready for sleep.

Reading 1 hour at a time can be a pretty hard task since I usually get tired and need to rest my head after reading for a while. But the key takeaway is, dedicate a chunk of time for your reading. Reading 30 minutes before bed is better than reading five minutes six times a day.

What does Bill Gates, Jordan B Peterson and other smart people have in common?

They all read books, but not passively. They stop to think about what they read, take notes and write down their thoughts. This will organize knowledge into something your brain remembers, and makes it easier to put what you learn into action.

Reading books is a great habit to include into your life. Being able to deep-dive into any interest you have through people who have written books about it, can introduce new ideas and insights that improve your life. This is why we should make the most out of our reading time, and use strategies like the ones above to help us remember and understand what we read. To end it all with a fitting quote,

"The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest (people) of the past centuries.” ― René Descartes