When you have a busy schedule, finding time for yourself can be harder than you think. A regular day for most of us is spent multitasking between work responsibilities and household chores, social commitments and much more. When you have so much on your plate, how do you make time for activities that can assist you in your quest for personal growth? A simple solution would be to develop a reading habit.
You can begin by picking up a self-help book from your shelf or reading an article on the internet. It won’t take much time to read an article as compared to finishing a book in one sitting, given the time constraint. Once you develop the habit, keep some time aside every day for reading. Read five pages of a book a day, and gradually build on it. Doing so daily can enrich your life in many ways.
Reading can refine your intelligence, help you discover practical insights on life and even reduce your daily stress. It is a great tool for personal growth, leading to a lifelong process of self-discovery and self-improvement. By incorporating a reading habit into your daily routine, you will learn new things every day and reinvent your worldview.
Here are six effective ways in which reading can help you become a better version of yourself.
Improves your communication skills
A reading habit is important both for your professional and personal growth. Books, blogs and insightful articles give you the ability to roam the world, travel back in time and look into the future, right from the convenience of your home. You don’t just gain knowledge, but also acquire the wisdom and intelligence to expand your imagination. When you have a strong knowledge base, it becomes much easier to communicate with people. Reading also enhances your conversational abilities. As you read, you become more comfortable with the language and can use it more confidently both in oral and written communication.
Boosts your cognitive skills
According to the National Institute on Aging, USA, reading keeps your mind engaged as you grow older and reduces cognitive decline. Another study showed that people who read every day maintain and improve their cognitive functioning. This is because the brain, like the rest of the body, requires exercise to remain agile and alert. The more your brain is used, the better it works. As you read, you will be able to exercise your brain and also maintain your focus for longer periods, thus leading to personal growth.
Makes you empathetic
Books are portals to another world and time, both real and fictional. When you read, you find yourself walking in the shoes of the characters and experiencing the world from different perspectives. For example, if you read psychiatrist Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, which narrates his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps, you can feel the vivid account. When you read, you explore the inner lives and thoughts of the unique characters and individuals, which gives you a heightened ability to connect with their feelings, beliefs and their way of life. This enables you to better understand the world around you and how other people think and feel. You gradually become more empathetic in your own life as well, which is an essential element for personal growth.
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