Let’s be real; sitting to read a 400-page essay or book seems extremely difficult especially when there’s availability in a variety of mediums, like movies audio books or a quick summary on YouTube.
Have we ever considered how positively impactful reading a simple paragraph can be?
Here are multiple reasons to read more:
1. Gain valuable knowledge.
Since the onset of civilization, we have grown and developed mentally. Many learned scholars give credit to the erudite tomes written by our predecessors for our knowledge. The importance of reading books is now more than ever since. Not everything is available in digitalized form.
There are numerous ways to learn more about life, from self-help books to reading fiction. Even when you feel demotivated, you can read an inspirational biography to lift your mood. One of the great benefits of reading books is that the knowledge you gain from them can never be taken away from you. Unlike worldly possessions, your knowledge will stay with you till the end of time.
2. Expands your vocabulary.
The more you read, the more words you’ll be exposed to. Consistent exposure to new words, learning their meanings and seeing the context in which they’re used will increase your mental dictionary. You will have more words available to use and more ways to use them in conversation and in writing. This will improve your ability to communicate effectively, allowing you to better articulate your thoughts and more accurately express how you feel. Most writers would attest that reading makes them better at writing.
3. Improve your focus and concentration.
One of the major contributors to having a poor memory is a lack of concentration when learning information in the first place. In a typical five-minutes, a person divides their time between work tasks, checking emails, talking online (gchat, skype, etc.), monitoring the phone and talking with colleagues. Or a student will be half listening to an online lecture while leafing through notes, checking for WhatsApp and talking to their neighbor. Sound familiar? Gone are the days where study or work were without distraction; today we’re simply bombarded.
4. You get to be Entertained!
Who doesn’t want to be entertained through their own mentally conjured up images and scenarios? When we read books, we visualize the context, which constantly keeps us mentally active. This also helps in developing our creativity. It is also one of the cheapest forms of entertainment so why not?
4. Reduces Stress.
Reading can relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles. When you read you put aside the monotony of your daily life and thus your own worries dissipate. This in turn reduces stress significantly. A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading for only 6 minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 68%. so imagine what wonders reading for an hour can do for you.
Books are like those best friends who make great impacts on our lives. so go ahead grab a book and start reading!
