Do you struggle with reading?
Have you found that your attention span and ability to focus isn't what it used to be?
If you are like me, social media and the internet in general have destroyed your attention span.
It has happened to most of us.
And if you are like me, and have a touch of ADHD, it's probably worse. I know because my attention span was already bad to begin with.
For creativity this can be a blessing, but at the same time, it can be a curse, like when you sit down to read, anything.
Chances are that when you do, you'll put down whatever it is you're reading before getting through it, or you'll skim and won't digest the full meaning. You'll miss things.
It can be frustrating. I get it.
It's hard enough to focus when there's not a lot going on, but it's even worse when there are so many distractions available...
But if you really want to start reading, even if you never have, I may have figured out something that can help you and I'll share it with you now.
Over time you will often hear me use the phrase,
"It's Just like going to the gym..."
I like this phrase because I think metaphorically, regularly going to the gym, or exercising to get stronger, over time, relates to so many things in life - and I think it is very relative to the topic of our attention span.
Think about it like this.
Athlete or not, anyone who has let themselves go o get out of shape knows that it absolutely SUCKS getting going, or starting over again.
And in a lot of ways, if you haven't done anything for a while:
- The first days and grueling
- The first weeks are brutal
- The first months are challenging
And then, something magical happens...
Your body adjusts. You get stronger. You become accustomed to the workouts, and it all gets easier. Your mind begins to change about your ability to stay focused and do what was once difficult.
Attention is much the same.
If you find yourself scrolling, on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, CNN, FoxNews or just about any site like I do, you are giving your brain seconds or even milliseconds to pay attention to any given subject.
You think you're learning about what's going on, but deep down inside you know you aren't and that you are really wasting your time!
And we've only got so much time so we just end up frustrated.
And like most people, seldom do we read the full article or post anymore, unless it's a video. And even if it's a video, it better be really captivating to lock us in.
And because we've slowly trained our brains over time, perhaps even years, to pay fragments of attention to things, it's no wonder that we're unable to pay deep and focused attention to just about anything in our lives!
And when I say everything I mean it. We text rather than talk, and we browse rather than engage.
So if you want to start reading again, and you want to start truly learning again, or simply reading for entertainment so that you can exercise your imagination,
I want you to start by reading just "a chapter a day". That's it. Just one single chapter.
If you find it easy, try two. But if you find that to be a struggle, read 2-6 pages. If that's hard, start with just 2 minutes for a few days, and add a minute every every few days to build up.
Relax... Feel the ease instead of any pressure. And if you do feel pressure or anxiety, stop for few minutes, get up, walk around and come back to what your reading.
Did you know the average book has just 10-12 chapters.
Yes, it's true. The average book has just 10-12 chapters.
There's no need to read an entire book in one or two sittings like you may hear your friends doing. That's a lot of pressure.
Instead, think about my wife's approach to anything that seems big.
When she sees me looking at a mountain she always asks me, "How do you eat an elephant John?"
The answer? One bite at a time.
Well, think about each chapter, or even every few pages as a bite.
And I'll tell you something really great...
If you manage to read a chapter a day, chances are you'll get through 2 books a month and maybe even 25 books each year.
When was the last time you read 25 books in a year?
You'll also be exercising your ability to concentrate and focus, all while increasing your reading speed.
So start today with a book that you really want to read.
Read one chapter, or 2-6 pages a day - whichever is comfortable for you.
Do this every day until it's done. Then repeat.
Then pick another book...
Do the same thing, and keep going at that pace until it occurs to you that you're comfortably reading more than one book every month.
That's when you start to double your pace and read two chapters per day - or 3-6 pages a day.
You can do it, but it is not going to be easy at first. You will grow bored, and find yourself looking for distractions - this is where your discipline comes in.
Just keep on it. Little by little.
Have a great day.
