They say you should read at least 10 minutes a day to keep your mind sharp and constantly growing. Between busy schedules, endless scrolling, and the pressure to always be doing something productive, the idea of “needing to” read can make it feel like just another chore you keep meaning to make the time for, but never do.
For me, reading acts as my escapism - allowing me to experience a world away from ours. Reading that last chapter of a story makes me feel like I’ve been inaugurated as a citizen into their world. It’s that feeling that I wish more people understood about the beautiful hobby of reading.
I think that people need to stop making reading feel so serious all the time. So, this is your invitation to romanticize it; to make it something you actually look forward to. Sometimes, it’s not about the act of reading itself, but the small details around it that make it an entrancing moment with yourself.
The best part is, along the way, you might discover something about yourself through the stories you choose and the words that stay with you.
Here are my tips to bring a little more wonder to your time between the pages.
🕯️Set the Atmosphere
Light a candle, turn on some warm fairy lights, wrap yourself in a cozy blanket, and find your favorite reading corner. Make your surroundings feel like a scene from a book.
☕️ Create a Reading Ritual
Make yourself a warm cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. Pair it with a sweet treat and let yourself unwind.
🎶 Set the Mood with Music
Play soft instrumentals, classical music, rain sounds, or a playlist that matches the atmosphere of your book.
🌸 Make Reading an Experience
Visit a cozy café, read by a rainy window, spend an afternoon at the library, or take your book outside on a beautiful day.
✒️ Annotate and Journal
Highlight beautiful passages, write down your favorite quotes, use pretty bookmarks, and keep a reading journal to capture your thoughts and feelings.
📚 Fall in Love with the Little Things
The smell of paper, the sound of turning pages, the excitement of starting a new chapter, and the bittersweet feeling of finishing a wonderful story.
🌙 Slow Down
You don’t need to finish a book in one sitting or meet a certain reading goal. Even ten minutes spent getting lost in another world is something worth cherishing.
💜 A Little Date with Yourself 📖
Look at reading like intimate dates with yourself. While on the outside, you may just be sitting with a cup of tea in the corner for hours, within, you’re immersed in a world where reality no longer exists. It’s your chance to slow down, follow your curiosity, and enjoy the company of your imagination.
Whether you’re listening to an audiobook on your evening walk or flipping through the pages of a well-loved paperback while watching a sunset, the sparkling essence of a good book can evoke an adventure in the simplest moments within our reality.
Turn every reading session into a little date with yourself, because sometimes your self discovery can come from the stories written between the pages of a book.
Check out our reading list, suggested by members of The Hustle Legacy community, to find your next read.
