5:52 In addition to closing pushes, I think a starting push is also really important. I try to have a good 60 to 90 minutes available when starting a book. It definitely helps build momentum.

@lisaonthemargins

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, getting into it!

@ConnectingAnswers

11 ай бұрын

good idea

@lethargic_cow

Ай бұрын

Interesting 👌🏼

@juanmoltisanti5496

14 күн бұрын

Starting push is almost always default for me. Especially if it is an interesting book. Starting a new book is an excitement in itself. 👍🏻

Might I add another suggestion - Drastically reduce or eliminate the time you spend reading newspapers and redirect that time toward reading books. I'm now old enough to look back upon all the years I spent reading the newspaper. When I think about what I got out of all that, I really have nothing to show for. After a while, once you've gotten old enough and have a good understanding of the world you live in, any further newspaper reading will add no additional value to your life anymore.

@VideoGameAtlas

Жыл бұрын

I was consuming a lot of internet news and made this change toward books...I read about 3 books a month this way without effort

@rid.h.tom.4296

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely

@yagamilightooo

Жыл бұрын

definitely agree that books are more dense in information (and insights, if you will) than newspapers. However I don't think all your years reading newspaper were in vain: newspapers are a great tool for building a model of the world, understanding how attention works, and introducing some novel "surprises" into your system, that may lead to connections you never would have made otherwise.

@PoojaYadav-yf2ui

Жыл бұрын

excellent suggestion

@kshitizmishra5154

10 ай бұрын

exactly, told my much younger cousin brother few months ago, "nobody becomes wise by reading newspapers".

"How to Read a Book" by Van Doren and Adler is a good starting point. A few things I learned: different types of books require different approaches to reading, scanning quickly through a book to start gives you an overview of what to expect, most books aren't worth reading in their entirety, don't feel guilty about not finishing a book if it's not interesting/useful/stimulating.

@supersmart671

11 ай бұрын

Well said...the genere makes a huge difference

@anthonymwanje8398

8 ай бұрын

I used to feel guilty for not completing reading a book

@carlos.sierra

8 ай бұрын

That’s a great book. If I was a professor, that would be required reading.

@katya5187

29 күн бұрын

I read it too! Good book

@seanmatthewking

27 күн бұрын

Unless you have a useful way of remembering the content of books, perhaps its not even useful to read a lot of books. I've forgot almost 100% of what I read.

I. Regarding Point #2 Schedule reading like you schedule exercise. A typical book is between 300 to 350 pages. So, if you read 12 pages a day, you'll read about 360 pages in a month (12 x 30 = 360). Can easily be done in 30 minutes. Call it The Daily Dozen! Double The Daily Dozen and you've read two books and so on. II. Regarding Point #3: Put rituals around reading. Whenever you begin reading, reread the last one or two paragraphs of where you left off before beginning the next section or chapter to refresh your memory and establish momentum. III. Last, with books that have difficult or tricky names for people and places, make it a point to grasp their correct pronunciations at the beginning of a book so that when you later encounter those names and places in the book they are not frustrating momentum killers.

@lethargic_cow

Ай бұрын

The Daily Dozen, love this :)

@nia_111

7 күн бұрын

Wow! That is a surprisingly helpful comment 😊 The Daily Dozen ❤

1.pick Interesting books 2.shedule reading time 3.build good rituals around reading or habit bundling 4. do a speed run at the end of the book. 5.make your phone boring so that reading becomes your default activity. the reading life is a deep life and the reading life is a good life, give it a try....

Ryan Holidays book, “the obstacle is the way” got me through one of the hardest moments in my life. I would listen to it over and over on Audible for days. I recommend it. Hearing the quotes from stoic philosophers makes me feel strong and limitless. And it got me to realize that the secret to making a million is making better investment.

@tahirisaid2693

8 ай бұрын

I started out with a financial advisor called *" Rochelle Dungca Schreiber ".* Her honest approach gives me complete ownership and control of my positions, and her rates are incredibly affordable given my ROI. However, do your due diligence before contacting a financial advisor.

@tahirisaid2693

8 ай бұрын

You can glance her name up on the internet and verify her yourself. She has years of financial market experience

I used to worry about how many books I read each year and each month, but eventually I just began to focus on getting the most out of one book at a time, even if it took me a whole month to read it. The number of books read in a year usually just becomes a trophy case with little knowledge or wisdom gained in the process

@rafhaelsilva4450

9 күн бұрын

Eu era assim também, hoje o meus troféus são quantos blocos de 30 minutos eu consigo fazer no mês, quanto tempo eu consegui me dedicar a leitura.

Greetings from Uganda, East Africa . Thank you for the show. My biggest insights are two: scheduling reading sessions for each day of a week and getting off social media

I really liked the idea of making "Reading " your default activity, I've always thought, alright now I would actually delete all interesting apps/social media, in my free time what would I do, so I end up relapsing in a few days/weeks, but this opened up a whole world, great idea Cal! *Note: I've deleted all interesting apps and social media, and also formatted my pc (it had bunch of games) for almost 2 weeks now :D

When the student is ready, the teacher appears, thanks a million for appearing in my life, Cal!

Hey Cal, great post! Thanks for sharing. Two questions and a comment. Questions: first, what biography did you read on Daniel Boone, and second, what books that you've read, which have had the greatest impact on you, would you recommend? Comment: from my youth I always envisioned myself as a reader; however, reality for me was far different than was my imagination, I never lived up to the ideal. As I got older, I thought I'd push myself and become the reader I wanted to be, and even though I read a lot throughout the years, my actions still did not match my expectations. And the reason was simple, I had a life to live, raising five children and trying to keep a roof over their heads and food in their mouths. It was not easy and it took most of my time. Not until I fully retired ten years ago was I finally able to become the reader I always dreamed of being. Today, I follow several of your recommendations for achieving my goal of reading at least 60 books per year, and that is setting aside each night, from about 7 pm until 3 or 4 in the morning, reading a variety of things that interest me, all while enjoying a couple of fine cigars on my porch (I live south of Tampa, so I can do this virtually all year round). But the only reason I have been able to accomplish this is because I no longer have other obligations (no kids, no job) to distract me from what I enjoy most. And for that, I am grateful. I look forward to hearing from you.

We appreciate you, Cal. Great tips, I have had great success with each tip!

Very practical and good advices, thank you Cal 🙏🌸

Solid tips, I just personally don't like the idea of having an arbitrary number of books in a timeframe as my goal, seeing as books differ significantly in length, and in "reading difficulty". So I simply have the goal of reading minimum 2h per day, a non-fiction book I feel curious about that day. Usually that means I'm reading around 10 books at once.

@hannahmathew-richards9570

11 ай бұрын

I am the same. I have specific times of the day that I read (in the morning when I drink a coffee, and the 1-2h before bed). Sometimes I also read more in a day such as if I have a long commute, or a book simply grips me! Usually this means 1-2 books per week.

@oldjeremyx

8 ай бұрын

​@@hannahmathew-richards9570books of how much pages?

Yayy! Finished 4th book already in the first 10 days of this year. Those are all solid books, on self help, workouts and fiction. I am loving reading once more. I did not know that reading can be broken down into smaller tasks for each week and the idea of pushing hard when finishing is coming up actually helped me to finish some of those books. Thank you so much. Just now I deleted goodreads from my mobile phone too, as I found that I update status of my reading more often. Big big big thanks!

oh finally!, a short focused video with NO sponsor commercials ...in les than 10 min. PERFECT !

Thank you, Cal Newport, what great advice.

That first one is SOOOO important! I later found out the reason why I HATED reading in school is because I was forced to read certain books or genres from my teachers. I can understand that they have certain requirements to build other skills important to reading like concentration and long-term memory, but MANNN was it such a drag to read some awarded book that I could not understand, especially in elementary school. Now I find myself buying books that are just energizing me so much that I almost can't sit 😅

Great recommendations. I plan on implementing these immediately.

i love this guy lol and how they zoomed in on him when he made the point 'take everything interesting off your phone' !!

Thanks for the vid. You raise an interesting point about social media, but here is something to consider: Some people make a living from creating and managing social media content, which requires them to read a lot and respond to notifications as part of their work. How can they quit social media if it is their source of income? Also, do you count KZread as a social media platform? I think platforms like that can be beneficial for us, as we can access educational and informative content such as this one. Curious to get your take on this.

Closing pushes changed the game for me. I know that if I just stay consistent with books (usually to the halfway mark) I’ll feel the momentum and do a few pushes to finish early. Helps me align my reading habits with my brain’s strengths.

Thank you so much. I am going to follow your advice.

I bought your book Deep work last month but haven't read it yet. I have no idea what that book is all about but honestly saying... I have seen that book in the top most influential self help books of all times. And I have been recommended Deep work by many people so far. Thank you Cal Newport for your concern and your efforts are always appreciated.

Thank you Cal, i love you and may god bless you

I liked the comparison of treating reading sessions like gym sessions - fitting them into your schedule for a set time, rather than just something to do when you feel like it.

thank you so much for these steps of and advice means a lot to me.

awesome video, working towards making the phone boring and increasing reading time... finished digital minimalism, so good they cannot ignore you, now on deep work

I am truly grateful for the valuable content of this video. Newport's approach to effective reading is not only straightforward but also emphasizes the value of reading for intellectual development and success in one's professional life. The suggestions on book selection, scheduling reading time, creating rituals, and curbing phone distractions provide practical strategies to make reading a more integral part of our lives. Newport's insights underscore the profound impact that reading can have on our cognitive abilities, and his emphasis on making the phone less enticing for leisure activities is a powerful reminder to prioritize meaningful pursuits over digital distractions. Overall, a highly insightful and actionable set of tips that I appreciate and am eager to incorporate into my reading habits.

Fantastic, thank you very much Sir for this enlightenment

Stumbled on this video and THANK YOU. I had taken most of these steps, including less screen time, several years ago, but I am truly glad someone said it - "take the interesting stuff off your phone". I found that that habit alone sucked much of my attention from one of my most favorite things. I was surprised you did not include this rule of thumb: If you don't like the book, put it down. Read something else. Some books are appealing when reading the jacket or first chapter, but later, you can't stay with it once committed. Put it down. I've been gifted the worst books.

I used to love reading on public transportation on my way to work. Movement made a nice contrast to my getting lost in pages. A 40 minute time slot there and back. Thought about getting on light rail to go to a place outside the city just to read. Reflect. Take notes. Then have a walk, lunch and return home before dinner. Reading adventure, literally.

NOW HOLD ON ONE MINUTE… I’m at number 5 & I’m yelling at my TV “CAL you crazy! There is no WAY I’m taking social media off my phone. Not happening & this is not realistic or advisable to anyone who likes to exist in the modern world.” And I agree with still, but the SCREEN TIME… you’re on to something. My screen time is INSANE & I spent way too much time on social media. If I could switch that to reading?! This is amazing. I feel like you just changed my life. I still need to dedicate time to social media (sorry I’m not a cave man & will have to use social media for my work as well) but getting into the habit of when I’m bored READING instead of opening my phone?! 🤯🤯🤯 SOLD!

@ChipWhitehouse

18 күн бұрын

ALSO not you telling me to take KZread off my phone as I’m watching you on KZread?? 😭😭😭

@rafhaelsilva4450

9 күн бұрын

Tenha um celular apenas para redes sociais, não ande com esse celular, assim como ele disse para programar sessões de tempo para ler, reserve blocos de tempo para ver redes sociais, um tempo especifico no dia, usar a mesma estratégia para youtube Tenha diversos perfis no chrome cada youtube com um tema especifico, isso faz com que o algoritmo seja educado por você eu tenho apenas um youtube para musica classica, se aparece algum vpideo que não tem haver com o contexto, eu clico para não recomendar mais.

@ChipWhitehouse

4 күн бұрын

@@rafhaelsilva4450 Este é um ótimo conselho! Obrigado! 👏👏👏🙌💖💕

I have three types of books on the go at any time. The only way I can be as productive as I want is audiobooks, and about two-thirds of the books I read are in this format. I have a paper book to read at bedtime, and then I've always got an ebook sitting on my phone ready if I have a couple of minutes of downtime, although I do usually get distracted by social media instead.

I'm reading your book on how to become a straights-A student, in parallel to other books, but your books is so interesting I want to read your book more than the otherones

Thanks a lot !!!! God bless you for your good work !!!!!!

Great video! Thanks man

Now I reading your book deep work♥️

You are creating a lot of quality, useful content recently. Thank you

@Rakshika1

Ай бұрын

for years he has!

Love this!!!

Practical and great advice, phone too easily steals my attention. Particularly when I always feel better when I finally start consuming a book. Another method I try to implement is strategically having books in places where I typically go for my phone. Lounge, bedside table, dining table etc This way a book is staring at me while I’m on my phone, helps fuel the guilt while aimlessly on the phone……much like I am now 😶

This is very inspiring. I am able reach my other goals- meditate daily, exercise, but I struggle with making time for reading and also writing. I am interested in reading Buddhist sutras mainly but want to be some more and more knowledgeable and able to also write about the sutras. I will try out these tips! Thanks!

I read two books at one time. I found it to work. I was reading three books at the same time,but they overlapped. I think two books at the same time is best. I read in morning..

Number 4 was awesome

I use closing pushes and my phone is boring now. I really like having the phone show me how much I use it. Woke me up.

Cal, love your work, its been really helpful. I'm curious about your thoughts around having the Kindle app on my phone given the fifth idea, "take everything interesting off your phone." Having Kindle on my phone has really helped me read more during my current digital detox (which I'm kind of breaking by being here admittedly).

Thanks I m reading a lot Cale as a BEAST

I work long hours, but I'm able to read 2, 300-page books per month by reading 10 pages of one book in the morning and 10 pages in the evening. It's not much, but that's 24 books a year or 125 books in 5 years. The pace is slow enough that I can really absorb what I'm reading rather than trying to impress people with how many books I read.

fantastic..thanks

Great tips

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:55 📚 Reading is crucial for those in knowledge work, as it exercises the brain and provides a competitive advantage. 02:33 📖 To read more, choose a wide variety of interesting books, mix audio and written formats, and always have one in progress. 04:07 🗓️ Schedule dedicated reading sessions just like you schedule exercise to prioritize reading. 05:04 ☕ Create enjoyable rituals around reading, like having a drink or setting up a comfortable reading space. 06:43 📵 Remove distracting apps from your phone to make reading your default leisure activity, boosting your reading productivity. Made with HARPA AI

@Canooboy

2 ай бұрын

He didn’t say point 2 actually and the so forgot another point idk man

Thank you Sir ^^

Thank you 😄🙏🏻

Excellent vid- I carve out my last 30-45 minutes of the evening to read and allow my brain to "slow down". Just received my copy of Deep Work by the way, can't wait to dive in! 📚

What I'm trying to figure out is what else can I give up to get more time? Between being a teacher, household chores, volunteer activities, exercise, my dog, etc. practically every moment is carved out already. I journal briefly in the a.m. before work, put exercise on my calendar already - I do read maybe 5 minutes before I fall asleep at night. I watch Newshour at night, make dinner, etc and maybe enjoy one show before going to bed at 9:15 a.m. Some nights have to work and don't get the show!! Great ideas and I will see if I can create 15 more minutes a day to read some of the great magazines I get even. I loved the ideas of having something to accompany the reading for enjoyment. How do you get chores done though?

I'm giving you a huge thumbs up for not having social media.

thank you

insightful

I read about 3 a month. I put the books in the bathroom and read on the pot. Read another couple technical books a month as I'm doing stuff.

I've heard If you read a really good book it's almost as if you are talking directly to the author. It's kind of a weird form of social media that way but a much better one than most digital social media.

Good advice.

When I do sit down to read, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb and also set a timer, and carve out 15 minutes to one hour of uninterrupted reading time.

this is true.... i used to have 3 hour commute so i read every day and that period of my life i achieved a lot of personal growth because i read so many books

I already do all that and I still finish a book a month at best. I feel it's more a video about how to start reading. Wish you talked more about how much and how fast you actually read

Dear Cal, once again greetings from Uganda, East Africa. After watching this video I turned off all social media for two days (from 2023, August 5 to 6); I have completed a book " Shoe dog" memoir of creator of NIKE by Phil Knight. I bought it on 8th August ,2021, it's been 2 years & had read only 2 chapters ( 30 pages ).With your techniques I have read 370 pages in 2 days. Am inspired by his story. It has stirred up my spirit to NOW tackle things I have been procrastinating. Now i believe deep down me that i can read five books in a month. Now am taking on a bk " Power of Focus" by Jack Canfield, Victor Hànsen & Les Hewitt Thank u, Cal

I’m to the point where I believe I must write about what I read in order to get the most out of the book.

@Omar1066

6 ай бұрын

Where do you write your book notes?

@carlos.sierra

6 ай бұрын

@@Omar1066 I only do minimal underlining in my books. What I meant is that I retain information best when I write about it, specifically referring to my class work.

Last tip is spot on, whenever I'm away from social media I start to read way more and use info that I get from books... Also yeah that "defaulting" is crucial. Simply changing your default activity from social media scrolling to high quality book or podcast that will reduce soc media time + you will be using that time way better

Good advice! One question. How many books do you recommend it’s ok to read at the same time?

You can combine exercise, good nutrition with intellectual endeavors...And it's superior in the long run to focusing on just one. Your body and also with it your mind will deteriorate if you do harm to it with life habits that the human body is not intended for.

i read 1 book per 2 days...u are right

Bourbon and a good book! My man 🙂

Hey Cal, can you recommend books and novels ?

Do you read the books one after the other? Of simultaneously?

2:30 What trips people up getting stuck and giving up? Reading too many different books altogether? Choosing a wide variety of books?

Hmm, thanks!

First and only advuce to read more: find the book that fit the mood you are in this moment.

Hi Cal - an idea I'm thinking on, different brain waves are associated with different states, could reading then be a great 'warm up' actrivity for different types of work? (and for different types of contextual work - eg setting up for a different context, we use this book, or type of reading)

How do people find the best books to read?

hey cal, or anyone that reads daily, is it better to read out loud to yourself or silently. obviously im not reading out loud at a library or Starbucks but at home, is it beneficial to read the words or just in your mind is enough.

Jean-Paul Sartre would read 300 books a year. It must be pointed out that people read at vastly different speeds. I believe it's not the number of books or pages you read that matters, but the amount of *time* you spend reading. 10 pages/hour can be just as enriching for a slow reader as 100 pages/hour for a fast one.

What is the point when you read lots of books & in the end, you re unable to adapt it all because its too much to adapt to? would you recommend reading many books or choosing only few books and stick to that & follow it forever?

My biggest question is how do you do this while suffering from ADHD?

Is there any particular workflow you follow for taking notes? Which method do you use (e.g. Zettelkasten, PARA by Tiago Forte)? And how much time do you spend dealing with your notes and extracting the most value out of them? Thanks in advance.

@gittin_funky

Жыл бұрын

I wondered the exact same thing. How do you handle remembering what you read. For me, I need to make notes which normally means being on my computer, which means distractions - and so the cycle repeats

Ironically enough, watching KZread has seriously cut into my evening reading time.

So true, there are more gyms than libraries. That tells you what is happening in the world.

So I'm not the only one actually pushing for the end of the book once the end is in sight

How do you feel about the kindle ?

I think for me this would still be unrealistic. Right now I'm working on Magdalena by Wade Davis, which is full of Spanish and Indigenous place names, endless names of important figures and dates in Colombian history, etc. I can "read" this by taking in the words on the page and moving on, but to me it's not actually reading at all if I don't: - take in at least a significant portion of the particulars (dates, names, statistics, histories, such that I can quote them later) - refer to maps, look at photos, and check wikipedia for historical details related to the material - fully visualize the experience of the author as he moves through this rich, exciting world - allow my mind to wander and be inspired by what I'm reading, pause constantly, take time to let my brain make connections, and then return to the material - ruminate on the lessons I've learned from the book, and discuss the material with others All of this takes a tremendous amount of time, but if I don't do these things, am I reading at all? Or am I just passing words in front of my eyes and sounding them out? And, if I'm given a book that can be "read" without so much process, am I as interested in reading it?

Oh but the irony of watching this video on my phone on KZread! 🤦

Cognitive callisthenics… I love that. I call it mental pugilism

I just go to a walk to park with audiobook/podcast for 2-3 hours 3-4 times a week. (and sometimes even for >5 hours at weekends) With 2x speed. If it would be just books it gives me 3-7 books a month. (I also spend some time with nothing on earphones - this "solitude" that I learned about from you Call) If I had to sit/lay with book without moving, my ADHD would tell me to stop ("you did enought sitting in job" it would yell at me). This way I get pleasure and profit at same plate. "Wu-Wei" - I don't have to fight any inside blockade to do that. To be honest I feel bed when I don't do that much enough. The only thing that is wrong with this approach is that when I speak with people in real life they all talk so slow...

Thanks Cal I just deleted KZread and reddit off my phone.

00:00 📚 Reading is crucial for intellectual work, akin to exercise for the brain. 01:00 📖 Reading helps in grappling with complex ideas, enhancing empathy, and understanding different perspectives. 02:50 🔄 Choose a variety of interesting books to maintain engagement and avoid getting stuck. 03:55 🗓 Schedule dedicated reading sessions in your daily routine, treating reading like exercise. 04:52 ☕ Establish rituals around reading to make it more enjoyable and habitual. 05:48 📚 Use "closing pushes" to maintain momentum and finish books efficiently. 06:46 📱 Minimize distractions by removing social media and other enticing apps from your phone. 08:58 💡 Spending time on reading instead of social media can significantly improve quality of life and productivity.

😂 it is so funny to see videos in KZread in your phone that INSIST you should remove the KZread app from it !!!

reading is diet, writing is exercise

My mind is my weapon. A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone if it is to keep its edge.

This video was published in May 2022, anyone recognises what iPhone model he showed in 6:53 ?

Do you read one book at a time or several books at a time?

Are audio books ok? My sight isn't so great.

If you do intellectual work, so one of the primary ways you make money is by creating value with your brain. For Alchemizing dollars out of the stuff of your thoughts, Reading is critical to you. Reading is to your brain, what exersize is to your body.