How to Make Reading Part of Your Life: 5 Steps

If you are interested in self-development, you probably read many books and articles get acquainted with a vast number of new ideas, principles, rules, tips. But how many of them become part of your life? This article will look at five steps by wow essay writing service to help you turn helpful ideas from the books and articles you read into habits.

Step One: Prepare the cards.

I think you often take notes in books, underline something, highlight it with a highlighter, and so on. But taking a book and flipping through it every time looking for messages is not a good idea.

I suggest that you prepare cards to write down all the ideas you want to implement in the future. That way, you won’t have to go through stacks of books looking for an idea you once liked.

You can divide the cards by color: for example, green cards are for healthy living, red cards are for anything related to creativity and creative thinking, yellow cards are for time management, etc. Then you can navigate easily and find the ideas you want more quickly.

Ideas you want to start implementing now or shortly can be written down on post-it notes and pasted prominently: the Pareto principle on your desktop, a “eat a frog” post-it on your fridge, etc.

Read about other practical ways to use stickers in this article.

Step Two: Create a scale of importance

In addition to the thematic focus, the cards also need to be sorted by importance.

I suggest using the Eisenhower matrix. To do this, you need to draw a square and divide it into four other squares: essential and urgent, important and not critical, not crucial and urgent, not necessary and not binding.

Arrange your idea cards in these sections. You can even make a box with four areas.

Pick a few ideas from the urgent and vital and start turning them into your habits. Don’t tackle dozens of pictures at once. It’s unlikely to be effective (but if you form straightforward habits: drinking a glass of water at the beginning of the day, reading affirmations, etc. — you can take more of these habits).

Steps three and four: Mark in your diary and come back

Make time to reread your idea cards. You made them put the ideas written on them into action, not to let them gather dust for nothing.

Repetition is necessary not just to forget the ideas you read but because it is very motivating. It will be beneficial to reread your advice cards, rules, and guidelines in the morning. It sets the mood for the whole day and gives you a boost of motivation and strength. Ten to fifteen minutes to read the cards every day — and you will not forget what you are striving for. You will keep in mind the decision to become a better person.

Also, mark in your diary the ideas that you need to implement today, and keep in mind the list of habits that you are engaged in the formation of at the moment.

But what if you already have several hundred cards in your idea bank? Rereading them every day is tedious and inefficient due to the sheer number. In that case, there are two strategies:

• Go back to the color you need. Let’s say you are short of time. You can temporarily set aside the cards on healthy living and creativity and start rereading only the cards on time management. Identify your needs at the moment and read ideas from the area you are currently interested in.
• Separate. Don’t reread all the ideas at once. Read 5–20 views several times a day. The effect will be better than if you read “in a burst. Also, don’t forget to set aside ideas that have already become part of your life. No, don’t throw them away. Stack them separately so that you can see how you change visually. A stack of cards with ideas implemented is motivating, empowering, and self-esteem-boosting.

Step Five: Do It Now

If you have the opportunity to do something right away without writing it down on a post-it note, do it. Don’t wait for the best time-it won’t come. The best time to do something is right now.

Even if it’s a long-term habit. For example, you decide to start doing push-ups. Do it now! That way, you’ll remember that you need to do it, no cards.

So I encourage you to open your notebooks and transfer unrealized ideas to cards now. Set aside time in your diary to reread those ideas now. Start changing for the better now.