Not everybody out there enjoys reading and that’s a fact. People have their own preferences when it comes to hobbies or habits.
This is true, but most of the time being a reader is something that is sought after by most people.
People want to be readers but are usually either not clear on how they can create a habit out of reading or they may be simply to busy to read or let alone become a habitual reader.
Some people on the other hand may feel reading books is a total waste of time and it’s okay if you’re one of those people.
This post will actually discuss whether reading books is an actual waste of time or not….
..so… is reading books a waste of time?
Reading books is not a waste of time whether you read for pleasure, entertainment or out of necessity. As with any hobby, you need to understand your intent behind reading books. If you wish to learn through reading then go for books that are meant to teach something. If you wish to only read for entertainment then go for books that offer such.
Reading is only a waste of time if you fail to recognize and read books that don’t offer what you’re looking for.
There are various benefits to reading and it’s up to you to take it up as hobby or not. All in all, reading books is not a waste of time…in most cases.
How to NOT waste your time with reading
Have Goals
If you don’t want to waste your time reading books then I suggest you have some sort of reason behind why you’re reading.
People new to reading always make the mistake of picking any book they find without actually planning what they want to read.
This can make reading a total waste.
If you plan out what you’re going to read and why you’re going to read it, you basically escape the trap of reading for no reason.
So start off by figuring out what you like to read and then possibly find the best book you can in this genre…
Then, have structure toward how you’re going to go about reading the book…
Planning your reading can help you allocate time and figure out how long you need to spend on that book.
Pick value
Books are almost like any other form of product that is meant to give you value…
If you want to be a productive reader then I’d advise you to pick out books thats offer unique value.
Most books out there are just catchy titles with generic content. Therefore it takes a certain level of research to separate these kinds of books from one’s that offer value.
There are various ways you can research books and one of them is Googling the book or simply skim reading through the book to get an idea of what it’s about.
Online reviews are great for researching the quality of the material in the book.
Pick books that offer the best value so you don’t waste time on low quality.
Research books
This point is correlated with the previous point…but it is necessary because research here means researching a wide variety of books…
Most readers end up reading below par information because they don’t take the time to research the books they wish to read.
Take time to know what you are about to read so you don’t waste your time. There’s of garbage out there.
Don’t be the person that just reads for the sake of reading.
Good research is a great filter for good and bad books.
Utilize it.
Ignore “myths”
Another waste of time is really falling for myths. There are a lot of myths that surround reading books..
If you follow these myths you’ll not get the chance to figure out certain books on your own.
for example, many self help or personal development books are known because they’ll “improve” you but it takes a certain level of clarity to actually figure out whether these books help or not..
For the most part, some self-development books can help, in other cases the content in them can be somewhat generic and hardly applicable to real life.
So, if you’re going to read a book. Make sure you’ve done your research and try to form opinions based off the experience you had after reading the book.
don’t think every book out there will improve you.
Learn how to read
Most people don’t know how to read books and when I say this I mean, they don’t know how to align with the writers words and understand them in the way they are meant to be understood.
This often times will lead to people just reading books with porous comprehension.
Read books by understanding how the book is structured, why the book was written and how every single chapter fits into the full puzzle.
This way you get the proper reading experience rather just flipping through pages and forgetting everything you read in a previous chapter.
Understand books.
Stay away from hype
nothing scares me away from a book than when it is over hyped by the masses.
Hype doesn’t usually translate well when it comes to r books.
Therefore don’t leave the book you’re currently reading just because a new book has hit the market and people are “in love with it”.
Read at your own pace and read stuff you know will make a difference becease you’ve done the research.
Don’t follow the masses, follow your heart and you won’t waste your time on books that don’t provide any value.
Research your authors
Writers are just people like you and me. They all have their strong and weak points.
This is why it’s very important to research your authors.
Most authors have, not only the credibility but the reputation so before you crack open your piggy bank and start spending on books.
Atleast know your authors so you get general insight with regard to what to expect.
Read for self-validation
Reading books should always be personal. Many people waste their time trying to seek validation from people by reading certain books.
You’re better off reading what is valuable and only seeking inner validation.
Every book you read is about you and the author. The author communicates their message to you directly.
You then have to understand their message by using your own power of analysis as well as judgement.
This is very fundamental if you really want reading to make an impact in your life.
it’s not about being perceived as a reader of books, it’s all about personal gain and how that personal gain can make you a better person.
Stay away from gurus
One of the red flags that you should always be aware of are people that claim to be gurus in fields.
Those kinds of authors usually offer hollow content that will be of very little use for you….
This is why I emphasised on not reading books that are too over hyped or highly praised.
Read material that is valuable because you deem it so through research and reading.
Avoid books that are just meant to best sellers because they’re usually a waste of time.
Fiction and Non Fiction
Reading fiction is not really a problem if those are the kind of books you like.
But you have to understand that all they merely offer is entertainment and pleasure.
You shouldn’t really expect more than that or you’ll be wasting your time.
Fiction books are a great way to get into reading and build up a reasonable habit that can propel you to read other material.
Non Fiction on the hand is more to do with reality. So these are books you’d typically expect to learn from and gain some knowledge or useful information.
So always determine what’s a waste of time for you.
Apply what you learn
Books are only as useful as you allow them to be. I know many people that are stuck reading books that have the potential to change their lives but they don’t necessarily take any action so all that knowledge goes to waste.
Don’t be those people.
Realise that you read books to gain understanding …this way you can easily apply concepts and knowledge in your own life.
Think of it this way… it is utterly pointless to read a book about business if you don’t end up actually starting your own business.
Relate Articles You Should Definitely Read
Can Reading Books Make You Smarter?
Do Business People Read A Lot?
Helpful Resources
Is Reading A Waste of Time? (10 Reasons It’s Not) – The Cold Wire
Is Reading Books a Waste of Time? | illogicalscript.com
Reading 100+ Books a Year to ‘Upgrade’ Yourself Is a Waste of Time – Business Insider
Are books a waste of time in this digital age? – theSundaily.my
