Changes in How I Read Books Due to Increased Free Time

In yesterday's article, I wrote about how I read books in my second life. Today is a continuation of that. (Related article →Reading Habits in My Second Life)

Previously, I never read books just to kill time. When I picked up a book, it was a given that I had an interest in it, and I approached reading with the mindset of wanting to achieve a goal, gain information, and reading because I wanted to.

Calling it 'approaching' might sound a bit grand, but since it was a routine task, it wasn't a particularly painful activity.

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Training for Habituation

To carry out actions without feeling pain and to see them through to the end, training is necessary. Athletes train by repeating the same movements over and over until their bodies move unconsciously, right?

About 10 years ago, I set a goal to read 1,000 books to build a reading habit. I achieved it over the course of several years. On a book management site called Booklog, I currently have records of 1,400 books I have finished reading.

When people repeat the same action over a certain period, it becomes a habit. Come to think of it, I have been posting on this Note every day for over half a year now. I have exceeded 250 articles. It has become a habit, a hobby, and I have reached a state where there are no obstacles to writing Note. It is truly at the level of brushing my teeth every day.

I wanted to sing while playing the acoustic guitar, so I played every day, and eventually, I became able to press the chords without looking at the fretboard.

I wanted to try speaking English with foreigners, so I continued online English conversation every morning for two years, and now I no longer need a simultaneous interpretation receiver at work.

Looking back, I realize that habits are acquired simply by continuing them. (Reference article →
To Those Who Worry They Can't Keep Things Up)

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Cannot Tolerate Gray Zones

I feel that many Japanese people can tolerate ambiguous gray zones. Conversely, I am not good with gray zones. It might be because of my developmental disability, but I have a strong tendency to want to clearly define things as black or white.

That is why, when I set a goal and start an action, I want to clearly define whether I achieved it or not.

Of course, since I want to achieve my goals, I set smaller goals to ensure I can definitely achieve them.

On the other hand, when I realize that achieving a goal is impossible, I clearly declare that the goal has not been met. If I decide to aim for it again, I start over from the planning stage and reset the goal. If my interest has faded, I declare defeat and give up on that goal.

I never leave things in a gray zone or keep them ambiguous because it feels comfortable to avoid that, so I often adopt such behavioral patterns.

Reading books after setting a "pleasurable purpose"

The way to read a book to achieve a purpose is by using PhotoReading.

PhotoReading is a way of reading where you clearly define a "pleasurable purpose" when you read a book and gain pleasure by achieving it.

There is no such thing as not being able to achieve your purpose. You will always achieve it. When reading a book, I always use a method that ensures I achieve the stated purpose. I don't really get emotionally swayed or have my mind wander in different directions, which I think is why I can read in a short amount of time.

Reading books without setting a "pleasurable purpose"

Even though I used to read that way, once I entered my second life and no longer had time constraints, my way of reading books changed.

Previously, I would write down my pleasurable purpose and three questions I wanted to ask the author on paper. The act of writing down what you have thought about in your head onto paper is very important. By setting this mindset before reading, you can read books efficiently. And in a very short time, too.

This is PhotoReading.

As for what has changed, since there are no time constraints, I have started reading more often without narrowing down my questions. I try to keep a relaxed feeling, like, "I wonder if there's anything written here that will enrich my heart." In other words, I have started reading without clearly stating a purpose.

It feels just like browsing through a book at a bookstore.

Even though I used to read with everything clearly defined in black and white, this is a very big change. The increase in free time has brought about such positive changes.

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