In 2018, I was at the peak of my reading habit. In the midst of this determination, I decided to try something I’d always wanted to do: create a reading challenge for myself that would last until I got tired of it.
My original plan was to read as many books as I could throughout the year, but after a while I realised that adding a challenge might make things more interesting. So I decided to make it official in my own way.
I called it “5 Books in 5 Days” and posted on Instagram every time I finished a series of five books. The idea was to read 5 books in a row within a month, but I could choose any week that suited me. It sounded challenging and it was.
My favourite genre to read was science fiction. So I decided to stick to that genre for the duration of the challenge. I made this choice because I thought that choosing my favourite genre would motivate me to keep going and not give up. It turned out to be a wise choice.
I also thought that moving from one genre to another might act as a mental reset and provide an extra challenge in terms of connecting with the narrative of each book. However, as time went on, I realised that I was wrong with this idea, as I read other genres as well.
I started my challenge at the end of 2018 and continued it throughout 2019. It took me 8 months, after which I felt quite exhausted. Also, in some months I read some additional books apart from my challenge.
Photo by Ed Robertson on Unsplash
Now you may be wondering how I found the time to complete such a difficult task. At the time I was working in a place that (unfortunately) required me to commute 4–5 hours a day. I suppose that explains a lot.
However, this situation also made me think about all the time I was wasting commuting and motivated me to take on such a challenge. I wanted to make the time more useful.
So I had time, books and a plan to stick to. Now for the real challenge: reading them all!
I remember that the first book I read was “Planet of the Apes” by Pierre Boulle. I remember seeing the film as a child and being so impressed that (I remember this clearly) I had a nightmare that night. So reading his book after decades was a great experience. The twist was amazing.
The first five books were easy for me. I had the excitement and didn’t feel tired or anxious to finish them. I shared my experience with my friends online, recommending books for them to read, encouraging them to set themselves mini challenges and reminding them to finish the books that had been gathering dust on their shelves. I received a lot of positive feedback, which made me glad. It was a great motivation for me to read even more.
As the months went by, I felt an unconscious pride in what I was doing. As time went on, however, it became an arduous task. It was undeniably exhausting. Some days I felt tired, and reading books didn’t help. Some days I felt dizzy and had headaches or blurred vision while reading. To be honest, I was not sure if this was related to reading every day. Because, as I said, the work I had on those days could be tiring or challenging in itself.
In the end, as happy and proud as I was of this challenge, I felt exhausted and anxious. Some of the books I read were quite thick and I had to read through the night. It was a real challenge and was taking away from the pleasure of reading. Some of my friends had warned me about this when I told them about my progress. I knew it would happen after a while.
So, as I mentioned at the beginning of my article, I moved on to other genres: horror short stories, classics, educational books, or those that discuss certain topics. It helped to clear my head. It worked, but it also made me realise that it was enough for me. After eight consecutive months of reading (40 books in total), I was done.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
What I have learnt from this challenge is that you definitely need to read at your own pace. Sure, read every day, but make the process more manageable. You don’t have to set strict challenges for reading books. If you want to challenge yourself, make it less strenuous and more reasonable. The point is to have fun, not to rush through books. Enjoy them, understand them and share your thoughts about them. Reading bit by bit or chapter by chapter will make it more enjoyable and satisfying, like savouring a fine meal.
I strongly recommend reading every day, it’s a must in my book. Read whatever you want, whenever you want, but just do it. Spread the word to your friends. The benefits of reading are for you, for your friends, and (therefore) for you.
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