While our modern lives constantly pulls us in countless directions; urging us to multitask and consume bite-sized information, the beauty of reading longer has become an under-appreciated art.
This article will discuss the various benefits of reading for long periods of time. You’ll learn:
- What reading for longer could mean for your productivity
- What reading for longer could mean for job satisfaction
- And many other things.
Without further ado, here are the benefits of reading for longer periods of time:
Enhanced productivity
Reading for longer periods of time has many advantages but perhaps the most important one is that enables it you to be highly productive.
You can essentially go the extra mile and get more done especially if your work demands for it.
Longer reading sessions can improve your ability to concentrate.
For students, it is important that you try by all means to train yourself to read longer because it will improve your productivity by increasing your output..
Additionally, reading longer means greater attention to detail and a higher level of accuracy in tasks and projects.
Improved learning
If a book were written about how to learn, it would emphasize the importance of spending more time engaged in reading.
The reason is simple; learning is a long process and only those that take the time to immerse themselves in the process can truly enjoy its benefits.
Reading is one of the ways we engage into the process of learning; better understanding is usually the result of consistent and extensive reading and research.
This is especially true for complex subjects like science that just simply demand more effort and attention from the reader.
Therefore the acquisition of knowledge relies on our ability to read and learn about subjects extensively.
Increased creativity
Creativity comes from experience and learning. There are various forms of learning but perhaps the most powerful is reading because it is essentially self-learning.
When we engaged in extensive reading we provide ourselves with abundant information that can help us become highly creative.
This is one of the reasons why most well-read people appear to be smart and knowledgeable around various subjects.
The thing that separates them from you is that they have a wealth of information acquired through reading that they can produce and interpret to fit various situations.
For this reason, reading for longer periods is helpful in becoming more creative and innovative in both our lives and in our work.
Your ability to focus harder allows you to understand concepts in-depth; this fosters the development of unique solutions to the problems brought about by daily life and work.
Greater skill development
Reading for longer periods of time is a form of deliberate practice.
In simple terms, deliberate practice is a form of skill development that refers to practice that is purposeful and systematic.
Reading for longer provides the chance to be purposeful, systematic and intentional; this can be helpful in acquiring skills and developing them.
The key to mastery of any skill heavily relies on your ability to intentionally engage in the skill for its own sake extensively.
Reading can be a great way to learn and explore skills of interest. Reading for longer is usually the effort required to move from rookie to master.
Accelerated goal attainment
One of the reasons why some students do better than others is because they’ve learnt how to read and study for longer.
Engaging and interacting with the material more than the average student allows them to better handle assessments and perform exceedingly better.
There’s no magic bullet to goal attainment and this is not only true in school. This is true in both daily life and professional work.
Reading extensively is important in increasing focus which is necessary in goal attainment.
Improved attention span
Consistently engaging in reading can strengthen attention spans, leading to better concentration and sustained focus in other areas of life.
In today’s world it’s important that we develop the ability to concentrate because we have access to so much information and we can learn anything we pretty much want to.
Improved attention span allows you to complete tasks faster by eliminating time wasted on distractions and interruptions.
Reduced stress and anxiety
Life can be overwhelming and stressful at times, it’s therefore important to develop good habits that can help you deal with and handle stress.
Reading is one such activity.
Engaging in reading for longer can result in flow which can alleviate stress and anxiety therefore giving you the freedom that comes with a clear head.
Additionally, focused, immersive work like extensive reading enhances information processing and retention, leading to improved long-term memory.
Higher motivation
Reading for longer is essential because it boosts your confidence and this can make it easier for you to find the motivation to read.
Therefore reading can be the perfect gateway to becoming well-read.
And cultivating such a positive habit is essential in your intellectual growth.
Personal growth and development
Deep work activities such as reading for long periods of time provide an opportunity for introspection, self-reflection, and continuous improvement, fostering personal growth in various aspects of life.
The fact is, the more focused you can get yourself to be, the lesser mental chatter you have to deal with and the more clarity you have.
Furthermore, the more you understand yourself the more you’ll understand others.
Builds discipline
Any form of work that requires focus and concentration builds discipline. Reading extensively helps you build discipline and resilience to stick with projects until completion.
Focus is a hard skill to learn, however, reading regularly and slowly increasing how much time you spend reading can gradually help you improve your overall ability to focus.
This ability to focus allows you to build inner discipline required to set boundaries and resist the temptations of distraction.
