also, my tip is to set up a timer, and don't let yourself look up from your book until the timer goes off. if you have 40 minutes until your class starts, set a timer for 30 minutes so you'll know you will have some time and won't have to be rushing or worrying. then just let it run and let yourself get lost and take all the time you want for each page because your device will hold you accountable for coming back to the real world when you need to. also, taking deep breaths when you read in order to slow down your racing brain. it will help you read less quickly in order to enjoy what you're reading more, and it will help you calm down.
I feel like since i got on Goodreads i tend to see reading as something i have to do/acomplish. Marking a book as finished, keeping up with your yearly challenge, etc.
I used to like it but since my life has become more stressing I just put something like 1 or 3 books on the challenge. So it's easy to do and if I do more than that Goodreads counts my books anyway so it's fine 😊
In my culture we consider books to be the residence of goddess of knowledge, Saraswati. So I can never imagine taking any book near the shithole. Nor can I imagine anyone even touching the books with their feet (yes touching anything with our feet/kicking something is considered very very disrespectful) So even though I can see how this might help(well I'm watching YT while pooping) I just can't convince myself to bring a book with me to the toilet lol.
I’m a teacher, but still fairly recently I was a uni student. For years I could only bring myself to read during holidays. I always looked forward to holidays because I was excited about the books I had lined up, but I also wished I could incorporate reading more into my term-time routine as well. This term I did it! I’ve been going to bed earlier - not to sleep, but just hanging out, doing quiet activities. Suddenly I found myself not only wanting to read, but looking forward to it everyday! I have read 7 books this term. I have been absolutely loving it! Sometimes though, you just don’t feel like reading. When my friends say they wish they could read more, I say, don’t force it, when you want to read you’ll read; and when you do feel like it, read what you want to read, not what you think you should read. ☺️
I honestly needed to hear this! Uni is really hard right now, especially because I'm taking some language teaching courses and planning classes takes up soooooo much time and energy. I'm slowly trying to get back to reading in the evenings, it makes me slow down.
Its so hard for me to read, or do a lot of things, when I'm tired in my free time. I usually need time to unwind and recharge. Sometimes it feels like that's all I do! But also the hardest part is just starting, like with exercise or any other hobby. Once you start I find I can get into it easier than I thought I would. I prefer the youtube format, but you do have a very soothing voice for podcasts.
Since quarantine started, I was able to read a book a day but now that I have online classes, I have like 10 currently reading books on my tbr that's been there for like 2 months now which is so embarrassing 😭. My friends know how chaotic my schedule can be planned down to every hour and when I'm done I just go and sleep and repeat. 😂
You need to set a reading slot everyday. For example, an hour before bed, or an hour between your Netflix/gaming/youtube session. This has worked for me these last two weeks and I am on my 3rd book now. You can also play some lofi beats in the background, or my current fav: heavy rain on window sounds!!! It started with an hour a day and now I read up to 2 hours a day as I slowly started to enjoy reading more and more, thanks to Leonie and other booktubers out there!
I love to listen to an audiobook in bed, and put my phone on my desk. You can put it on sleeptimer, then it automatically stops after a certain amount of time, or at the end of a chapter! You can listen in the dark, then you are already halfway falling asleep
I don't know of this is any help, but I watch a TH-camr that does a wrap up every 5 books, that's usually between 2-3 months , so that's a solution to "wrap up pressure "
loved all these tips!! i'm definitely trying to implement a night routine where i leave my phone and all other screens in another room an hour before i go to bed, and just spend that time reading, and it feels so nice and relaxing and really takes away the idea of "i HAVE to read", i think of it as "i'm doing something that i enjoy and slowing down for a good night's sleep at the same time"! it feels really great and satisfying creating more healthy habits around my reading when i'm swamped with assignments and work :)
This is the EXACT video I needed right now, working two jobs plus tutoring, and rehearsing for a play... I have been feeling so frustrated about the days when I feel too tired to read even though I LOVE reading. But I totally agree with the points you made- it’s all about the quality of reading! And being busy has given me more time to enjoy audiobooks this month, and I’ve been loving the ones I’ve picked up 💕
I must not be normal. If I'm not in the mood to read, I don't read. Sometimes for days on end. However, before I started setting goals for myself (like 52 books/year; one book over 500 pages per month; one classic per month) I was reading 20-30 books/year. By setting goals, I read more & I think I get more satisfaction from reading. It really reduces my stress. Unlike a readathon 😲 I've only ever completed 1 readathon, those are stressful! The new mic is great. Your voice .. *chef's kiss*
I think being a student in college or high school really messes with your sense of "deserved" spare time because you constantly feel like you're being useless or not doing enough or something useful when you make time for yourself and watch or read something (or do something else) other than school and you'll end up feeling guilty when you're not productively doing for school. I end up thinking about my spare time and then when I finally take the time to read or something, I feel so guilty about not doing something for uni, that I end up not truly enjoying/taking my spare time. It's such a curse.
This video is very important! You said it all 👌 I am personally love to read early in the morning, it is a quiet time with no destructions and no aufgaben to do. Just pure reading and relaxing time ❤ Love those kind of videos, you can be an amazing podcaster 👍
audiobooks are a lifesaver when i'm busy when i studied abroad i was so busy with EVERYTHING but i listened to so many audiobooks at night when i was getting ready for bed and i read way more than i usually do in the us which was wild to me and yes 1000% agree on making time - it's the hardest practice to implement, but working in 30 minutes of reading before i go to bed every night has made it much easier for me to make reading a habit that isn't stressful
Audiobooks have been a game changer for me this year. I always used to have it in my mind that listening to books wasn't really reading... "Cheating" if you will. When quarantine hit, I found myself doing a lot more walking outside for 2-3 hours a day and I realized that was a perfect time to listen to books. And that led to me listening in the car instead of music. I will admit, at first I had a hard time staying focused while listening(which might be the reason I hated *The Book Thief* which was one of the first audiobooks I listened to). But stick with it and you will train your brain to focus.
The audio in this video is SO crisp! It's very nice to listen to! Earlier this year I read a lot of books and I think it was mainly because I was already in this flow of doing my uni work and reading when I'm done for the day. Now that the new academic year has started I really like having a clear schedule of when I have lectures and seminars, but also when I'm going to read the academic papers and do my assignments. That way, I don't have to feel guilty when reading my book, because I know that there is a specific day or time to do said work. It gives me a sense of freedom, if I want to I can read, but I can also choose to do literally nothing.
I feel like this video was made for me personally 😂 I'm in med school and so much of my time is spent reading through medical books that at the end of the day I don't have the energy to pick up a book for pleasure and read with my eyes again, but audiobooks really helped, and also just allowing myself to watch Netflix and relax. Quality over quantity is so important and we should not push ourselves when we don't feel like reading because the whole point is to read for enjoyment.
Great ! I have an acquaintance that says you can learn anything by reading 15 minutes a day. ........ It is a great idea that incorporates the ....... time-management / making-time ...... tools that you shared. Thanks for putting all of this together in a video.
You are the only booktuber whose reading capacity or your take on reading is same as mine because girl reading more than 10 book is not my cup of tea all hail to those who do read more than 19 books.
I work fulltime at a high-school now, which I love so I’m always running around helping students or taking care of things. But in the evenings I’m so tired I often fall asleep while watching netflix with my boyfriend. All my time is going towards recharging because work is so energy consuming! I even stopped joining a bookclub because I had a hard time getting the weekly reading done, and reading started feeling like a chore because of it (because you don’t get the pick the book that you read). Now I try to read whenever I can and read books that I really want to get around to, which goes a little bit better. Small steps are better than no steps at all!
This is so good to hear! I recently graduated and started my job as a nurse on a surgery department. It is really tough to be standing on your feet all day and comprehend al this new and complex information every day. Honestly, my brain feels like apple sauce at the end of my shift😓 So I had no desire to read in the past 3 weeks. This is exactly what I needed! I love your videos! 😘
her talking about how it's ok to watch Netflix or hangout with friends instead of reading hit me differently... like obviously I knew that... but when someone tells it to me, it's like a slap in the face but in a good way?? I NEEDED THIS VIDEO thank youuuu
Yes, I always feel so tired after uni and working, it’s tiring to even think about reading 😩 I’m glad I’m not back to either yet, so I can read as much as I want. Great video 💕
I got into audiobooks by listening to books I’ve already read (like HP and LoTR). Also certain genres are easier for me to listen to than others... like contemporary/romance novels are MUCH easier to get into than 24 hour long adult fantasy reads. I love both but would much rather listen to the first and physically read the second!
reading was a relaxing thing for me but then i discovered booktube and booktwitter and the necessity to read a lot and everything that seems cool really got me stressed and severe reading slumps. Recently it got so bad that i didn’t do anything i had to do that included eating, studying, showering or working out just so i could read more and more so now i am super behind at school and can’t read a lot, if i can read 100 pages a day it’s a blessing. but audiobooks have been helping me a lot reading books that i don’t know if i will like a lot bc i can do it while i clean, cook and work out and if i like i will pick up a physical copy, if don’t i will skip to the next. Hope you all are feeling good and can enjoy reading again, good night!
Lots of good stuff in this video. I've definitely felt that internal pressure to read, where in reality it's my leisure time so ideally I wouldn't be feeling any internal pressure. I think it's common, but not helpful, to bring your "working" mind into your leisure activities. This effect is likely amplified by comparisons to others on social media "Oh, my friend read x books this month and I didn't". As we know, however, comparison is the enemy of personal fulfillment and peace. The question then is how can one mitigate these feelings? What's worked for me is mindfulness meditation, essentially noticing the feelings as they arise and acknowledging them. The more one does this the more they'll understand the feelings and thus mitigate them.
Implementing reading in my night routine like going to bed early just to read is my way of making time for reading. Also when I want to keep focused on my book I listen to ambient world asmr like videos to really escape this world
I use ebook voice readers such as eReader Prestigio and NaturalReader apps to voice read the pdf ebooks that I have and read them almost similar to audiobooks. I also increase the reading speed with 1.5x or 2.0x so that I can finish the book immediately, won't waste my time and I won't fall asleep while listening to it.
I use many of those tips already, yet I still hit reading slump sometimes. I think the key is not to beat yourself, but always having at least one book with you - then the opportunities appear. I always have one fiction, one non-fiction and one audiobook started, so whatever the situation I have a suitable read available. For the 30 mins before sleep I tend to choose non-fiction, as in case of fiction I could got hooked in and continue reading past bedtime, even if I have to get up early!
I really needed this video! I've just started Uni and I'm starting to feel I don't have time for reading anymore :( Ever since lockdown started and classes finished I have read everyday almost all day, and to suddenly don't have the time to do it anymore sucks. I'll admit that I feel a little bit pressured to keep finishing books (even though I've already met my goal!), I'll try to focus on reading just a little bit everyday.
I know that for myself when I used to take public transport (buses and trains), I would get A LOT of reading done as I either waited for the bus to arrive or while I was travelling somewhere. I guess, I do kinda miss that 😂
Also if you're in very tense major (Medical school or Nursery....etc) you'll have less free time and also you'll be very stressed so don't stress about reading
I've noticed that same thing that we all seem to feel that we have to read when we really don't. It kinda makes me think about what you said in a video a while ago (at least I'm 80% sure it was you, I watch too much youtube XD) where we see everyone as competitors and I thought that applies here, as we feel the need to compare ourselves to booktubers who read insane amounts every month - when it's not actually possible for everyone. It's almost like it's become a competition to see who reads the most! When you said you count the pages too I was so glad I wasn't the only one XD. I find i tend to be super aware of the amount of pages I've read, particularly if the book is moving slowly. Sometimes what I do is give myself mini goals in the book so I mark out a quarter of the way through or halfway so that I've got something to work towards and it isn't so daunting having tons of pages left. On my kindle it also used to say how much time in hours and minutes I had left in the book and that drove me MAD cuz I'd always be so aware of it that I wasn't concentrating in the story. And I also wanted to add: we always dismiss those small chunks of time, like the half an hour before a class or at lunch when we aren't doing anything else, but actually if you read in those short amounts of time - the amount of pages you've read exponentially goes up. Reading a few pages at a time consistently is better than not reading at all if it's something you really want to do, but find it hard to find time for. And before you know it you end up half way through the book without noticing just because you didn't wait for an hour to free itself up in your schedule. Idk this mindset helped me read a lot the past year when I was travelling to uni and waiting for classes ect to start. Otherwise I was just too tired to read when I'd finished up for the day as my course is very intense. Sorry for the long comment XD loved the video
Reading in the bath was a gamechanger for me cuz I couldn’t use my phone or find anything to distract me and if I actually washed my hair first that meant I had to get out of the bath cuz I couldn’t dip clean hair into dirty bath water. Therefore I could just read. And then I’d time my baths off how many pages I read aka I’ll wash my hair and get out when I’ve read 100p or 50p or finished the book or got to chapter 15. Whatever method I was using to break up the book in sections
i used to listen to music while hiking around my university campus. in my last year i switched to listening to audiobooks and i got through so many more books. i hadn't realized how much time i just spent walking/commuting
ofc avoiding the cafe where you drink coffee and chat with friends for hours could result in extra time to read, however what I remember best about studying hard is the poetry readings and amateur productions available only at uni
I started reading while brushing my teeth (I have braces so it takes me at least 15 minutes to clean it properly). I found out that I'm even brushing my teeth longer than I would without reading. This method is also approved by my dentist :D
How I got into audiobooks was really similar! I started listening to short stories while taking my dog on a walk, and at the moment I'm starting to transition to short novels.
The only way I found to read more was reading right before going to bed, because if I do that then, of course I read something, but also I sleep better and wake up earlier in the next morning, so I finish doing the things I have to do sooner and have more time for reading
i really like all your tips! i never focused on how many books I read. What if you only read 1-2 books a month, but those were 1200 pages? (way of kings fans anyone?) And you thought they were masterpieces? better than reading a bunch of 200-300 pages books that are mediocre and you dont enjoy them only for the sorely purpose of reading a lot of books. Or even if they are not that long, some books can be a lot more richer and denser than other easy fast reads, so they will naturally have you do a lot more brainwork in order to read them (maybe even having to emerge yourself in online book clubs after a finishing set of chapters as I did when reading Dune). You will be spending more time but also having a much more immersing better quality of reading. Gladly im not a booktuber so i just read because i enjoy it, but truly i think i can sense your stress in about not being able to read a lot of books like other booktubers that seem to be bookmachines.
I found out your channel by chance because I was searching for "Speaking dutch" to learn how the language sounds like and I found out you :) By the way, I'm Brazilian and I'm learning English so I think your channel will help me a lot ( with listening).
These are great tips! I'm about to start my master's degree plus working and it's the first time I have a part-time job at the same time I study (at least,,, the first time I'm planning on making it last XD I used to work and study, but only for short periods of time) and I'm honestly anxious because my classes will be harder and I'll be exhausted all the time and I don't wanna lose my posting & reading routine )): So thank you so much for sharing these! I'll try to use my commute time as much as I can and change between physical and digital books! Making time to read has never worked for me, sadly :/
I try to not be stressed out by the amount of books I own and have not read, I really get better. But the thing that stresses me out the most is that I need to return the library books next Tuesday and the one I'm currently reading is really complicated to read and I don't know if I can finish it before then...😬
Yessss I totally love this type of video so much!!! Specially now I’m starting college and I’ve been so busy can’t find time to read more books 😫. Btw Leonie u should start a podcast 🤓🤣
Whoa, this was enlightening! I didn’t even realize how much pressure I was putting on myself to read at a certain rate until this video. I definitely needed this.❤️
This is perfect timing! I've found the only time I have time to read is right before bed and I enjoy it so much. I am also really struggling with balancing university with making booktube videos. How do you find the balance of school, work and booktube?
I liked the way you said that the point is you are taking some time to read. It’s not about numbers. I face this yearning that I could be reading when I am doing my coursework. Another point is specific to reading fiction. I want to immerse myself into the book and if I am cramming in a few pages here and there I am not enjoying myself to the fullest. Thoughts?
I like to set my goal pretty low, like 12 books in a year, so I don't have to feel stressed about it but can still se how many books I read that year - and also it's an awesome feeling if you're like 150% past your goal lol
Sometimes, when I'm busy I manage to read a lot because I spend all my free time reading, like a reward for working so hard. But lately I'm just so fucking tired and sleep deprived that even when I have like 3 hours before going to bed, I just listen to music or watch youtube the whole time. But I don't feel that bad about it, my mental health comes first, and sometimes you just need to rest.
Here in Greece, reading in public transportation is suuuper rare. So one day I saw somebody reading game of thrones in the bus and I asked myself why I'm not doing the same. So I started reading while commuting to university and I managed to finish A dance of Dragons solely during those commutes. Since then, I cannot enter the bus without a book, it's so boring 🤣 ps. I drowsed off a dozen of times myself 😆
Hi Leonie, Im a 6VWO student rn and I wanted to ask what you study at uni, and how you got to that decision. Im thinking of doing English language and culture in groningen but thats because I havent found a good actual ‘english literature’ study in the Netherlands, love the advice. At our school we are now obligated to always have a book with us and I always did that but its great.
also, my tip is to set up a timer, and don't let yourself look up from your book until the timer goes off.
if you have 40 minutes until your class starts, set a timer for 30 minutes so you'll know you will have some time and won't have to be rushing or worrying. then just let it run and let yourself get lost and take all the time you want for each page because your device will hold you accountable for coming back to the real world when you need to.
also, taking deep breaths when you read in order to slow down your racing brain. it will help you read less quickly in order to enjoy what you're reading more, and it will help you calm down.
this is actually a really good tip 👀
I feel like since i got on Goodreads i tend to see reading as something i have to do/acomplish. Marking a book as finished, keeping up with your yearly challenge, etc.
Yeah, I don't want to do a Goodreads or Yearly Challenge at all next year because of this.
Goodreads needs to remove that feature. It’s toxic!!!
Funny.. I like the feeling of accomplishments and started reading a whole lot more since I discovered goodreads. Enjoying it a lot more as well.
I used to like it but since my life has become more stressing I just put something like 1 or 3 books on the challenge. So it's easy to do and if I do more than that Goodreads counts my books anyway so it's fine 😊
Now I only use goodreads for reviews.
This might be slightly inappropriate but reading while on the toilet is a game changer 😂
This is a safe space don’t worry 😂 express yo self bb
Hahahahahaha you made my night
In my culture we consider books to be the residence of goddess of knowledge, Saraswati. So I can never imagine taking any book near the shithole. Nor can I imagine anyone even touching the books with their feet (yes touching anything with our feet/kicking something is considered very very disrespectful)
So even though I can see how this might help(well I'm watching YT while pooping) I just can't convince myself to bring a book with me to the toilet lol.
But if I read a good book I just wouldn't leave the toilet 😂
@@hrishabh you could read on your phone
Totally unrelated but that shirt really makes your eyes pop
I’m a teacher, but still fairly recently I was a uni student. For years I could only bring myself to read during holidays. I always looked forward to holidays because I was excited about the books I had lined up, but I also wished I could incorporate reading more into my term-time routine as well. This term I did it! I’ve been going to bed earlier - not to sleep, but just hanging out, doing quiet activities. Suddenly I found myself not only wanting to read, but looking forward to it everyday! I have read 7 books this term. I have been absolutely loving it!
Sometimes though, you just don’t feel like reading. When my friends say they wish they could read more, I say, don’t force it, when you want to read you’ll read; and when you do feel like it, read what you want to read, not what you think you should read. ☺️
I find what really slows me down is getting stuck on harder books I feel I *should* read and putting off the quick fun books I can read for hours.
I honestly needed to hear this! Uni is really hard right now, especially because I'm taking some language teaching courses and planning classes takes up soooooo much time and energy. I'm slowly trying to get back to reading in the evenings, it makes me slow down.
Its so hard for me to read, or do a lot of things, when I'm tired in my free time. I usually need time to unwind and recharge. Sometimes it feels like that's all I do! But also the hardest part is just starting, like with exercise or any other hobby. Once you start I find I can get into it easier than I thought I would.
I prefer the youtube format, but you do have a very soothing voice for podcasts.
the irony of me watching this instead of doing actual uni work...
Leonie's Procrastination Tip is exactly what I needed to hear today
Since quarantine started, I was able to read a book a day but now that I have online classes, I have like 10 currently reading books on my tbr that's been there for like 2 months now which is so embarrassing 😭. My friends know how chaotic my schedule can be planned down to every hour and when I'm done I just go and sleep and repeat. 😂
15:58 this is an excellent message, try to learn to enjoy every moment especially the one in front of our eyes
The key for me is reading whatever I feel like at the moment, and don’t feel bad about not finishing something!
You need to set a reading slot everyday. For example, an hour before bed, or an hour between your Netflix/gaming/youtube session. This has worked for me these last two weeks and I am on my 3rd book now.
You can also play some lofi beats in the background, or my current fav: heavy rain on window sounds!!!
It started with an hour a day and now I read up to 2 hours a day as I slowly started to enjoy reading more and more, thanks to Leonie and other booktubers out there!
I love to listen to an audiobook in bed, and put my phone on my desk. You can put it on sleeptimer, then it automatically stops after a certain amount of time, or at the end of a chapter! You can listen in the dark, then you are already halfway falling asleep
I don't know of this is any help, but I watch a TH-camr that does a wrap up every 5 books, that's usually between 2-3 months , so that's a solution to "wrap up pressure "
loved all these tips!!
i'm definitely trying to implement a night routine where i leave my phone and all other screens in another room an hour before i go to bed, and just spend that time reading, and it feels so nice and relaxing and really takes away the idea of "i HAVE to read", i think of it as "i'm doing something that i enjoy and slowing down for a good night's sleep at the same time"! it feels really great and satisfying creating more healthy habits around my reading when i'm swamped with assignments and work :)
That sounds really good!!
This is the EXACT video I needed right now, working two jobs plus tutoring, and rehearsing for a play... I have been feeling so frustrated about the days when I feel too tired to read even though I LOVE reading. But I totally agree with the points you made- it’s all about the quality of reading! And being busy has given me more time to enjoy audiobooks this month, and I’ve been loving the ones I’ve picked up 💕
I must not be normal. If I'm not in the mood to read, I don't read. Sometimes for days on end. However, before I started setting goals for myself (like 52 books/year; one book over 500 pages per month; one classic per month) I was reading 20-30 books/year. By setting goals, I read more & I think I get more satisfaction from reading. It really reduces my stress.
Unlike a readathon 😲 I've only ever completed 1 readathon, those are stressful!
The new mic is great. Your voice .. *chef's kiss*
You’re posting this as I’m listening to a class. Your timing is truly legendary. Thank youuu 💙
Laying on my bed, looking at the sky, listening to audiobooks has defined my quarenteen for sure
I think being a student in college or high school really messes with your sense of "deserved" spare time because you constantly feel like you're being useless or not doing enough or something useful when you make time for yourself and watch or read something (or do something else) other than school and you'll end up feeling guilty when you're not productively doing for school. I end up thinking about my spare time and then when I finally take the time to read or something, I feel so guilty about not doing something for uni, that I end up not truly enjoying/taking my spare time. It's such a curse.
This video is very important! You said it all 👌
I am personally love to read early in the morning, it is a quiet time with no destructions and no aufgaben to do. Just pure reading and relaxing time ❤
Love those kind of videos, you can be an amazing podcaster 👍
audiobooks are a lifesaver when i'm busy
when i studied abroad i was so busy with EVERYTHING but i listened to so many audiobooks at night when i was getting ready for bed and i read way more than i usually do in the us which was wild to me
and yes 1000% agree on making time - it's the hardest practice to implement, but working in 30 minutes of reading before i go to bed every night has made it much easier for me to make reading a habit that isn't stressful
I press thumb up before watching it because I know they are always amazing
Often I'll have coffee while I'm listening to podcasts or audio books.
All of this is very good advice. 😃 . I like the idea of quality over quantity.
Audiobooks have been a game changer for me this year. I always used to have it in my mind that listening to books wasn't really reading... "Cheating" if you will. When quarantine hit, I found myself doing a lot more walking outside for 2-3 hours a day and I realized that was a perfect time to listen to books. And that led to me listening in the car instead of music. I will admit, at first I had a hard time staying focused while listening(which might be the reason I hated *The Book Thief* which was one of the first audiobooks I listened to). But stick with it and you will train your brain to focus.
Just started back at uni so this is exactly what I need! Thanks Leo!! 💖
Audiobooks have been my game changer!
Absolutely mine too
where can i find good audiobooks?
The audio in this video is SO crisp! It's very nice to listen to! Earlier this year I read a lot of books and I think it was mainly because I was already in this flow of doing my uni work and reading when I'm done for the day. Now that the new academic year has started I really like having a clear schedule of when I have lectures and seminars, but also when I'm going to read the academic papers and do my assignments. That way, I don't have to feel guilty when reading my book, because I know that there is a specific day or time to do said work. It gives me a sense of freedom, if I want to I can read, but I can also choose to do literally nothing.
I feel like this video was made for me personally 😂 I'm in med school and so much of my time is spent reading through medical books that at the end of the day I don't have the energy to pick up a book for pleasure and read with my eyes again, but audiobooks really helped, and also just allowing myself to watch Netflix and relax. Quality over quantity is so important and we should not push ourselves when we don't feel like reading because the whole point is to read for enjoyment.
Great ! I have an acquaintance that says you can learn anything by reading 15 minutes a day. ........ It is a great idea that incorporates the ....... time-management / making-time ...... tools that you shared. Thanks for putting all of this together in a video.
„reading is something that we all do for fun“
me, a bookseller: 👁👄👁
im busy but i also actually have to read and i’m STRESSED lmaoo
You are the only booktuber whose reading capacity or your take on reading is same as mine because girl reading more than 10 book is not my cup of tea all hail to those who do read more than 19 books.
I work fulltime at a high-school now, which I love so I’m always running around helping students or taking care of things. But in the evenings I’m so tired I often fall asleep while watching netflix with my boyfriend. All my time is going towards recharging because work is so energy consuming! I even stopped joining a bookclub because I had a hard time getting the weekly reading done, and reading started feeling like a chore because of it (because you don’t get the pick the book that you read). Now I try to read whenever I can and read books that I really want to get around to, which goes a little bit better. Small steps are better than no steps at all!
This is so good to hear! I recently graduated and started my job as a nurse on a surgery department. It is really tough to be standing on your feet all day and comprehend al this new and complex information every day. Honestly, my brain feels like apple sauce at the end of my shift😓 So I had no desire to read in the past 3 weeks. This is exactly what I needed! I love your videos! 😘
her talking about how it's ok to watch Netflix or hangout with friends instead of reading hit me differently... like obviously I knew that... but when someone tells it to me, it's like a slap in the face but in a good way?? I NEEDED THIS VIDEO thank youuuu
Yes, I always feel so tired after uni and working, it’s tiring to even think about reading 😩 I’m glad I’m not back to either yet, so I can read as much as I want. Great video 💕
I got into audiobooks by listening to books I’ve already read (like HP and LoTR). Also certain genres are easier for me to listen to than others... like contemporary/romance novels are MUCH easier to get into than 24 hour long adult fantasy reads. I love both but would much rather listen to the first and physically read the second!
reading was a relaxing thing for me but then i discovered booktube and booktwitter and the necessity to read a lot and everything that seems cool really got me stressed and severe reading slumps. Recently it got so bad that i didn’t do anything i had to do that included eating, studying, showering or working out just so i could read more and more so now i am super behind at school and can’t read a lot, if i can read 100 pages a day it’s a blessing. but audiobooks have been helping me a lot reading books that i don’t know if i will like a lot bc i can do it while i clean, cook and work out and if i like i will pick up a physical copy, if don’t i will skip to the next. Hope you all are feeling good and can enjoy reading again, good night!
Lots of good stuff in this video. I've definitely felt that internal pressure to read, where in reality it's my leisure time so ideally I wouldn't be feeling any internal pressure. I think it's common, but not helpful, to bring your "working" mind into your leisure activities. This effect is likely amplified by comparisons to others on social media "Oh, my friend read x books this month and I didn't". As we know, however, comparison is the enemy of personal fulfillment and peace. The question then is how can one mitigate these feelings? What's worked for me is mindfulness meditation, essentially noticing the feelings as they arise and acknowledging them. The more one does this the more they'll understand the feelings and thus mitigate them.
Implementing reading in my night routine like going to bed early just to read is my way of making time for reading. Also when I want to keep focused on my book I listen to ambient world asmr like videos to really escape this world
I use ebook voice readers such as eReader Prestigio and NaturalReader apps to voice read the pdf ebooks that I have and read them almost similar to audiobooks. I also increase the reading speed with 1.5x or 2.0x so that I can finish the book immediately, won't waste my time and I won't fall asleep while listening to it.
I use many of those tips already, yet I still hit reading slump sometimes. I think the key is not to beat yourself, but always having at least one book with you - then the opportunities appear.
I always have one fiction, one non-fiction and one audiobook started, so whatever the situation I have a suitable read available. For the 30 mins before sleep I tend to choose non-fiction, as in case of fiction I could got hooked in and continue reading past bedtime, even if I have to get up early!
I really needed this video! I've just started Uni and I'm starting to feel I don't have time for reading anymore :( Ever since lockdown started and classes finished I have read everyday almost all day, and to suddenly don't have the time to do it anymore sucks. I'll admit that I feel a little bit pressured to keep finishing books (even though I've already met my goal!), I'll try to focus on reading just a little bit everyday.
One of the things I miss the most on my old routine is having time to read while in public transport.
Great video btw!!! lots of love from Brazil xx
I know that for myself when I used to take public transport (buses and trains), I would get A LOT of reading done as I either waited for the bus to arrive or while I was travelling somewhere. I guess, I do kinda miss that 😂
At this point, Leonie, Nina Yu and Rowena Tsai are just saving my sanity ngl 😗
I absolutely love these chatty videos that you are doing. I think the topics have been very timely and informative.
Also if you're in very tense major (Medical school or Nursery....etc) you'll have less free time and also you'll be very stressed so don't stress about reading
I've noticed that same thing that we all seem to feel that we have to read when we really don't. It kinda makes me think about what you said in a video a while ago (at least I'm 80% sure it was you, I watch too much youtube XD) where we see everyone as competitors and I thought that applies here, as we feel the need to compare ourselves to booktubers who read insane amounts every month - when it's not actually possible for everyone. It's almost like it's become a competition to see who reads the most!
When you said you count the pages too I was so glad I wasn't the only one XD. I find i tend to be super aware of the amount of pages I've read, particularly if the book is moving slowly. Sometimes what I do is give myself mini goals in the book so I mark out a quarter of the way through or halfway so that I've got something to work towards and it isn't so daunting having tons of pages left. On my kindle it also used to say how much time in hours and minutes I had left in the book and that drove me MAD cuz I'd always be so aware of it that I wasn't concentrating in the story.
And I also wanted to add: we always dismiss those small chunks of time, like the half an hour before a class or at lunch when we aren't doing anything else, but actually if you read in those short amounts of time - the amount of pages you've read exponentially goes up. Reading a few pages at a time consistently is better than not reading at all if it's something you really want to do, but find it hard to find time for. And before you know it you end up half way through the book without noticing just because you didn't wait for an hour to free itself up in your schedule. Idk this mindset helped me read a lot the past year when I was travelling to uni and waiting for classes ect to start. Otherwise I was just too tired to read when I'd finished up for the day as my course is very intense.
Sorry for the long comment XD loved the video
I so needed this video! I’m starting grad school in a few weeks and I want to prioritize reading for fun more than I did in undergrad
Reading in the bath was a gamechanger for me cuz I couldn’t use my phone or find anything to distract me and if I actually washed my hair first that meant I had to get out of the bath cuz I couldn’t dip clean hair into dirty bath water. Therefore I could just read. And then I’d time my baths off how many pages I read aka I’ll wash my hair and get out when I’ve read 100p or 50p or finished the book or got to chapter 15. Whatever method I was using to break up the book in sections
i used to listen to music while hiking around my university campus. in my last year i switched to listening to audiobooks and i got through so many more books. i hadn't realized how much time i just spent walking/commuting
you are so right! i feel the same way as you but this video help me to remind me of that.. thank you!
ofc avoiding the cafe where you drink coffee and chat with friends for hours could result in extra time to read, however what I remember best about studying hard is the poetry readings and amateur productions available only at uni
I started reading while brushing my teeth (I have braces so it takes me at least 15 minutes to clean it properly). I found out that I'm even brushing my teeth longer than I would without reading. This method is also approved by my dentist :D
I just started high school so I REALLY needed this. Thank you!!
How I got into audiobooks was really similar! I started listening to short stories while taking my dog on a walk, and at the moment I'm starting to transition to short novels.
The only way I found to read more was reading right before going to bed, because if I do that then, of course I read something, but also I sleep better and wake up earlier in the next morning, so I finish doing the things I have to do sooner and have more time for reading
14:03~14:10
Me just listening to Leonie while doing the dishes:
👀👄
i really like all your tips! i never focused on how many books I read. What if you only read 1-2 books a month, but those were 1200 pages? (way of kings fans anyone?) And you thought they were masterpieces? better than reading a bunch of 200-300 pages books that are mediocre and you dont enjoy them only for the sorely purpose of reading a lot of books. Or even if they are not that long, some books can be a lot more richer and denser than other easy fast reads, so they will naturally have you do a lot more brainwork in order to read them (maybe even having to emerge yourself in online book clubs after a finishing set of chapters as I did when reading Dune). You will be spending more time but also having a much more immersing better quality of reading. Gladly im not a booktuber so i just read because i enjoy it, but truly i think i can sense your stress in about not being able to read a lot of books like other booktubers that seem to be bookmachines.
I found out your channel by chance because I was searching for "Speaking dutch" to learn how the language sounds like and I found out you :)
By the way, I'm Brazilian and I'm learning English so I think your channel will help me a lot ( with listening).
Congratulations for the new microphone, it's awesome to hear you better
doing our excellent job always
2010s dystopians are still the best dont @ me
These are great tips! I'm about to start my master's degree plus working and it's the first time I have a part-time job at the same time I study (at least,,, the first time I'm planning on making it last XD I used to work and study, but only for short periods of time) and I'm honestly anxious because my classes will be harder and I'll be exhausted all the time and I don't wanna lose my posting & reading routine )): So thank you so much for sharing these! I'll try to use my commute time as much as I can and change between physical and digital books! Making time to read has never worked for me, sadly :/
I really needed this video 🤗
Such a good reflection!
I try to not be stressed out by the amount of books I own and have not read, I really get better. But the thing that stresses me out the most is that I need to return the library books next Tuesday and the one I'm currently reading is really complicated to read and I don't know if I can finish it before then...😬
I´ve been loving your content soo much!!
This is exactly what I needed right now! Thanks
Yessss I totally love this type of video so much!!! Specially now I’m starting college and I’ve been so busy can’t find time to read more books 😫. Btw Leonie u should start a podcast 🤓🤣
I always have an ebook (or several) on my phone rather than bringing a heavy book everywhere I go
This was stellar! More videos like this please!!
Me procrastinating my studies by watching a video telling me how to make time to read when busy studying... sounds about right.
Whoa, this was enlightening! I didn’t even realize how much pressure I was putting on myself to read at a certain rate until this video. I definitely needed this.❤️
I love these kind of videos
Really love all of your videos!!!! This is what I really need to hear right now!
This is perfect timing! I've found the only time I have time to read is right before bed and I enjoy it so much. I am also really struggling with balancing university with making booktube videos. How do you find the balance of school, work and booktube?
Thank you for this video!
I read at the gym while I’m on the elliptical machine or stationary bike
I think it does help that I don't feel guilty procrastinating lol. I'd just be like 'Yeah, homework can wait. I have more "important" things to do.'
I like to doodle or draw while listening to audiobooks cuz i fidget and need to do something with my hands
I liked the way you said that the point is you are taking some time to read. It’s not about numbers. I face this yearning that I could be reading when I am doing my coursework.
Another point is specific to reading fiction. I want to immerse myself into the book and if I am cramming in a few pages here and there I am not enjoying myself to the fullest. Thoughts?
Who else is stressing about meeting their goodreads goal?
I like to set my goal pretty low, like 12 books in a year, so I don't have to feel stressed about it but can still se how many books I read that year - and also it's an awesome feeling if you're like 150% past your goal lol
Sometimes, when I'm busy I manage to read a lot because I spend all my free time reading, like a reward for working so hard. But lately I'm just so fucking tired and sleep deprived that even when I have like 3 hours before going to bed, I just listen to music or watch youtube the whole time. But I don't feel that bad about it, my mental health comes first, and sometimes you just need to rest.
More videos like this!!
I needed this
I got into audiobooks by listening to audiobooks narrated by people whose podcasts I listen to.
What’s annoying is having to read a particular book you don’t like for university when you’d rather be reading something else lol 😂
Here in Greece, reading in public transportation is suuuper rare. So one day I saw somebody reading game of thrones in the bus and I asked myself why I'm not doing the same. So I started reading while commuting to university and I managed to finish A dance of Dragons solely during those commutes. Since then, I cannot enter the bus without a book, it's so boring 🤣 ps. I drowsed off a dozen of times myself 😆
I can’t read on public transport… i’m hyper aware of the ppl around me :(( idk how to stop
I used to schedule my sleeping during my commute 😅
Nice info your giving us and yes I like these type of videos tooo :)
Loved the video!
Great video!
Hi Leonie,
Im a 6VWO student rn and I wanted to ask what you study at uni, and how you got to that decision. Im thinking of doing English language and culture in groningen but thats because I havent found a good actual ‘english literature’ study in the Netherlands, love the advice. At our school we are now obligated to always have a book with us and I always did that but its great.
Nice.
having free time and then just randomly watching youtube is 99% of the reason i don't read as much as i want to
❤