How to read more books if you are short on time and energy

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Work and other things make you postpone reading until later. In the end, the right moment never comes. If that's you, take a look at these guidelines. They may help you find the time and energy to read.

When there is no book at hand, read on your smartphone

In spite of progress, paper books are in no hurry to fade into the background. The smell of paint, rustling of pages and the feel of paper in hand still outweigh the virtues of e-books in the minds of most readers.

But digital texts are more suitable for the modern pace of life. If you have a smartphone, therefore, you carry the library in your pocket and you can always spend a free minute on books. A long queue, a ride on the subway, waiting for a friend - all these are opportunities to read more.

Unlike paper texts, digital texts are always at hand.

What's more, when you buy e-books, you don't waste time and effort in a marathon of bookstores or red tape with delivery services. Just a few actions in an application or on a website, and the desired text flies to your smartphone. Fewer barriers between you and a new book - more time and motivation to read.

A large selection of Russian-language books is available in the online stores "" and, which sell books by the piece. If you prefer unlimited access to a variety of subscription books, try sites and. All of these services have applications for different platforms.

Just remember to turn off notifications when reading on your smartphone. Otherwise, you will simply have no time for books.;)

Read nonfiction abbreviated

It is pointless to read abbreviated works of fiction, since their main value is in the author's presentation of the text. But as for scientific and business literature, here the whole point lies in ideas and does not depend on the form of presentation. Therefore, if you are willing to pay more for non-fiction to save time on reading, it would be wise to opt for shortened versions of books. They are often called sammari.

Recently, more and more people have heard about companies that offer customers digital summaries of successful books. This trend originated in the West and was soon picked up in the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet. Here are some sites where you can find abbreviated versions of non-fiction books:,, "", "",, (in English).

If you can't read, listen to audiobooks

If you do not find the time and energy to read books, then try listening to them. The beauty of this method is that it can be easily combined with many other activities, such as walking in the park, cooking, and driving. In addition, the audio format does not create an additional burden on the eyes, which is very useful for people who spend their entire working day in front of the screen.

I often hear about a prejudice against audiobooks, as if it is more difficult to perceive information by ear, and the voices of the readers can distort the characters of the characters. I myself was set up that way, until podcasts changed my attitude towards this format.

As it turned out, controlling the audio stream in special players is no more difficult than promoting through ordinary text. And it's not so difficult to get used to the voice of the reciter. In addition, popular books are often available in different recordings with readers for all tastes. For non-fiction books, this factor is much less important.

As for the programs for audiobooks, perhaps the largest Russian-language library is offered by the cross-platform application "" from the store "Liters". But you can also install any suitable player on your smartphone to listen to books downloaded from third-party sources. I prefer Listen Audiobook Player for Android and is in demand on iOS.

Practice speed reading

Another logical way to read more books is to read them faster. For this, there are special techniques for perceiving information, which, according to some data, can speed up the process 3-4 times without prejudice to memorization. The use of these techniques is called speed reading.

Proponents of this method offer a variety of educational materials, from books to face-to-face practice programs, that explain how to digest texts faster. But there are also critics who say that the advantages of speed reading are exaggerated. In any case, you can master several techniques on your own to draw conclusions. For example, on the 4brain platform there is a.

Choose new books wisely

It is impossible to reread everything. If you are short on time, it is worth choosing books with special scrupulousness. The global assortment is so great that the reader simply cannot do without reference points such as book reviews in news publications. But the media rarely pay enough attention to literary criticism, and there are almost no websites dedicated only to it.

How, then, to find masterpieces that touch the soul or make the brain work?

This can be helped by recommendation services, which form book ratings based on the ratings of critics or the votes of ordinary users. Of course, tastes are individual, and rave reviews by most do not guarantee that you will enjoy the book, too. Therefore, it is better to take recommendations as hints that help you make the right choice.

Among the Russian-language services, book recommendations can be called, and irreplaceable for fans of science fiction "". Bookmate and MyBook also have book selections and tips. And on the foreign Internet there are such excellent resources as and.

Enjoy reading!