REJUVENATE: Reading for Pleasure

REJUVENATE: week 4

Reading for Pleasure

To rejuvenate your mind and body, sometimes you just need to relax with a great book! Even if you love to read, like I do, you might need a little push and some encouragement to take a break from your work. That’s what I’m here for today. Go read a book!

Your productivity will improve with regular times of rest and relaxation.

“Rest time is not waste time. It is economy to gather fresh strength. It is wisdom to take occasional furlough. In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less.” –Charles Spurgeon

I love to read, and sometimes it feels like I’m always reading- but most of my reading is best classified as study, and it’s related to the writing I do. I have to give myself a push every now and then, asking myself, when is the last time you read a book purely for pleasure?

That, my friends, is the question I want you to ask of yourself today. What was the last book you read for pleasure? If you can’t remember, it has been too long!

Scientific Benefits of Reading

1. Reading helps relax you.

A 2009 study at the University of Sussex showed that reading was the most effective way to overcome stress (compared to other traditional relaxing activities such as t.v viewing, taking a walk, etc.). This was evaluated using heart rate and muscle tension.

2. It helps keep your mind sharp

According to the journal, Neurology, a study with 294 participants found that those who died at an average age of 89 and engaged in mentally stimulating activities such a reading experienced slower memory decline than those who didn’t.

3. It may help you sleep better

Many sleep experts recommend a good book with a dim bedside light over the bright lights of a laptop.

4. Reading fiction can make you more empathetic

This is according to self-reported empathic skills of a group of fiction readers in a study reported in the journal PLOS ONE

Information adapted from the Huff Post article, 6 Science Backed Reasons to Go Read a Book Right Now, by Laura Schocker

· Public libraries usually have online catalogues where you can reserve the books you want. You’ll get a notice when they’re in and then you can pick them up.

· You can often get used books on Amazon for a penny + 3.99 shipping.

· Amazon wish lists are a great way to keep track of the books people recommend to you.

· Pinterest has a wealth of pins that are book lists, for any genre

· A reading journal is a fun way to keep track of the books you’ve read so you can recommend them to others, remember which authors you enjoy, and feel a sense of accomplishment as you add titles.

Start a Book Club!

A book club is a wonderful excuse to get together with friends and enjoy some reading time.

My book club was just three ladies. We all had young kids at the time. It was our way of assuring that we’d get some time to spend together. Our monthly book club was a regular date on the calendar that I always looked forward to.

We met at coffee shops and we took turns choosing the books. Our meetings usually lasted for hours but the book discussions were only a small part. Truthfully, there were some times when we never even got around to discussing the book! We were happy to just have time to chat and have a break away from our responsibilities.

Some of my favorite books were ones that my friends picked out, titles that might have never chosen myself.

All books listed below use Amazon Smile links which benefit Compassion International. This means, at no extra cost to you, a small portion of each sale will go to children in need.