11 ways to make the most out of your reading
written by jasmine irven
I loved books when I was younger, but lost touch with them at some point in high-school.
When I began my self-development journey though, and began listening heavily to podcasts and trying to learn from others who were already where I wanted to “go” (whether that was that they were running their own business, travelling lots, living a sustainable and healthy lifestyle, etc.), I continued to hear about the ways books and reading has impacted the lives of so many of the people I considered successful.
So, I started picking up books again (this time less Harry Potter, more Brene Brown) and quickly rediscovered my love for reading.
Unfortunately, I still don’t read half as much as I wish I could, but I do think I have a pretty good method of getting the most out of the books I read. Enter: my book workshops.
I’m not sure if this is just me but when I listen to a podcast or read a self-development book, I’m generally only half consuming the information. I’m listening, or taking it in, but I’m not truly thinking about how I can apply the methods/information talked about in my own life.
I’m often inspired when I finish the book or podcast, but a day or two later I’m back to my old ways and can barely remember the strategies that were discussed in the book, let along how I could implement the tools into my own life.
This is the reason I started tackling reading these books more like I would approach reading a book for school. Here’s what I mean:
set aside a specific time
Set aside a time you know you can commit to reading pretty much every day. I generally schedule some time in the morning or before bed (ideally both) with the intention of reading. Honour this time.
I think the worst thing (which I am often guilty of), is when I plan to do something for myself, or intend to do something that I want to do, and then other things (whether that’s procrastination or wasting time, or other people’s commitments) get in the way of my plan.
Block off the time in your calendar, and honour that block of time like you would if you had an appointment or had made plans with a friend.
start small
Getting back into reading consistently can be a challenge, so I would suggest starting your reading blocks off at 15 minutes and then increasing from there, assuming you’re enjoying the process.
get a notebook
Get a notebook specifically for your writing workshops to make the process more enjoyable. I like these ones from amazon. I like to separate my book notes from my journal and other to do lists as it helps keep everything together, and acts as a good reference book in the future.
treat yourself to some nice writing pens
Along the same lines as above, make this process fun and enjoyable for yourself (without being wasteful) and you’ll enjoy it a lot more!
write it down
Now for the workshop part: read through the book as you normally would, but as you come across useful information, key takeaways, or something you want to implement in your own life, write it down. Don’t just write down what you think the author thinks is important, or what other’s might think is important, but really focus on the information that you want to use in your own life.
You can use different colours, make different sections in the book, draw pictures, make lists, etc. This process is meant to be unique to you, and should be based on how you learn.
If you own the book, also don’t shy away from highlighting sections or writing notes in the margins. I generally borrow my books from the library so this isn’t an option for me, but if you truly love some books I definitely think they can be a good investment.
talk about it
I’ve always found talking about books and other information is a great way to retain more information, and renew the inspiration you felt while reading the book. Maybe get another friend to read the same book along with you, and set up coffee shop dates to chat about the information, or if you’re feeling more ambitious consider joining or starting a book club.
schedule it
When you come across something that you want to implement in your own life, schedule time to begin doing it.
For example, maybe the author has a great way of organizing their week, and they set aside 15 minutes every Sunday to go over their weekly goals. Put 15 minutes in your calendar the following Sunday for your weekly goal setting.
Information is great, but when we are always consuming over implementing, it’s much easier to feel overwhelmed and not actually get anything impactful done.
add reference notes
For example, if an item was really well explained on page 15, maybe you only write down some brief notes but then indicate that you found the information on page 15 so you can refer back later.
refer to your notes often
If you are consistently making notes, implementing everything as you go along, and talking about the information with others, you likely will already have a much better handle on the information than you would have before. But never hesitate to go back and read your notes. Different things may apply at different points in your life, or you may have fallen off track with one of the items that you really wanted to try.
optional: type up your notes
After you’re done reading, consider typing up your notes. I like to have all my notes digitally as it makes them easier to search, and while typing I often find additional action steps I missed before! But again, this is definitely an optional step.
don’t feel like you need to finish every book you start
I’m going to say that again: you don’t need to finish every book you start. I don’t know where this came from but I used to feel so guilty when I started a book and didn’t finish it.
With this workshop process you can generally easily tell whether you are getting something out of the book or not. If you aren’t enjoying it, it’s not what you expected, or you are just reading a book because someone recommended it and you aren’t actually interested in it, just stop.
I definitely think it’s important to read past the first few pages to truly get a feel for a book but if you’re forcing yourself to read something it’s not going to be an effective or enjoyable process.
final thoughts
This process makes reading a much longer process, but I find that I get so much more out of the book that it is definitely worth it. Speed reading book after book may allow you to consume a lot of information but again it is really the implementation that makes these books effective tools for self-development.
I also want to stress that you do not have to, and I would recommend not, only reading self-development books. Make sure you schedule some time in to read books that are solely for pleasure! You’ll not only feel better about reading in general but your workshops will also likely become more effective.
If you’d like an idea of what this looks like, I’ve posted some of my reading workshops as blogs. For example, check out this post on the productivity project!
Let me know if you have a similar process for reading, or if you try this out and find it helpful. Happy reading!!
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about the author
Hey there! I’m Jasmine, founder of the Sustainable Bliss Collective, a Certified Meditation Teacher, and lover of all things self-care, slow-living, and personal development.
I believe that ambition and self-care can coexist, and as such I hope to encourage and inspire you to take care of yourself, breathe deeply, connect with who you are, manifest your dreams, enjoy the blissful moments of each day, and make an impact in this beautiful world we call home.
Connect with me on Instagram here!
