How do I start?

There are so many things I want to read. They're things I'm interested in. Yet I find it so difficult to just sit down and read.

I'm a slow reader. I have to read every word in the sentence, and then maybe reread the sentence a few times because I'm not sure what I just read.

I have so many things I want to read that I don't know where to start. Actually, that applies to things other than reading. I just don't know where to start.

If I have something big, a book let's say, I know I should take it step by step. But what's the first step? And the second?

I also feel like I don't have enough time to read everything I want to read.

I guess you could throw a little anxiety into the mix.

Sorry if I'm being a bit incoherent. My goals are to learn how to tackle big things, like books, projects, moving, etc. step-by-step, and not to get overwhelmed. And once I start, to stay motivated and not give up. Where do I start?

Oh, and if you ask me to read something over a few pages, I get into the same rut. I'm sure the self-help e-book would be helpful. Then again, I get overwhelmed by the sheer size of the thing, don't know how to start, read a page every 15 minutes or more if I do start, lose motivation.... Argh!

Sorry that my thoughts are jumping all over the place. Any tips about where to start or how to start?

I suggest take it one book at a time. I dogear or use a book marker to indicate what page I am on. Then I mark in ink what paragraph. I admit, I read for pleasure, so I have no tips on self-help books or e-books. I just hope my suggestions help.

It drives me crazy when my books are marked, but I do use a bookmark. I do find it hard to stick to one book, though. And most of the stuff I'm reading isn't fiction. Thanks for replying, though.

I would start by picking a book I wanted to read, not paying attention to "books" or "projects" or other vague concepts. I'd start reading the book; if it made me anxious, I'd only read until I started getting anxious. Maybe it would only be a paragraph the first day, there's no "right" way to read a book?

If it were me, I'd pick a novel that sounded good to me or maybe a book of short stories and read one every night before bed? Maybe a book of essays on a subject you are interested in or a biography about someone you think is like you or who you admire/would like to be like?

Do you read online? What do you read surfing around the Web? You could find a blogger you liked or an online newspaper/magazine and start reading that daily as part of your wake up routine?

p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } What I see is that you are unable to concentrate on 1 book or topic the reasons ,may be many though. When you start up with some book, don't think about anything else, just start reading. Try to concentrate on whatever you are reading, you may fail one or two times initially but if don't stop trying I am sure you wont end up as a looser.

I think you hit on something in saying there's no right way to read a book; I tend to find myself thinking that there's a right way to do everything and I just keep doing it the wrong way, that I never do anything right.

I picked a non-fiction book to read that sounds really interesting. It's a long one, though. I've been trying to read a bit every day. But there's just so much more to read....

As for online stuff, I've subscribed to so many feeds (much easier than visiting the websites) that it's overwhelming. I get a few daily e-mails, and I don't read those some of the time. Maybe I should choose a few things to wake up to every morning?

Thanks for the encouragement, winny.

I also have this problem. But I do agree that there is not a right way to read a book. Come to think of it, there is not a right way to pack up to move, complete a project, etc. It's whatever you personally feel comfortable with at any given time.

I read this book about depression a few months ago and one of the chapters was about procrastination. The book suggested setting a timer for 5 minutes and to work on your project for that time. At the end of the 5 minutes, you can decide if you want to continue for another 5 minutes. Maybe you can apply this to your reading perhaps.

Thanks, tigerlily. I remember trying out something like that several months ago for reading textbooks. Maybe I should try it out for reading for pleasure.

Maybe I could try out reading the wrong way? As in, pick a random chapter and read out of order? Maybe that might trick my brain a bit. Worth a shot.

That reminds me: anyone have an idea of how to write out a schedule? I know I need one, but again, I don't know how to start. :P Then I could have slots for reading a book, studying... but what if plans change? Ugh.

Why do you think you have a need to read?

Why do you feel that you need a schedule?

I love reading. I love learning, love getting lost in a book.... I was the kid that ordered boxes of books from Scholastic.

As for the schedule... because I keep finding myself at the end of the day not having done what I wanted to do. I waste time, or feel lazy... a schedule would give me something to follow. It would give me some structure.

You know I have this same EXACT problem. I have a Kindle and I ordered some books on there and every time I want to read it, it has no energy! Then I leave it charging and I forget about it, I don't feel like reading anymore.

I am a huge procrastinator. I love reading and learning things too. I remember being little and ordering everything from Scholastic too! But as I got older, my patience grew thin and my ability to focus is non-existent.

Focus, I think that's the key. Also I have noticed smaller books work. If the book is less than 100 pages I can get through it. And the last book I read was by a blogger who turned her blogs into a book, and it was about bipolar.

Try smaller things first, that's the best advice I can give, and if you come up with a better solution let me know! I am dying to read my books too, and I don't know where to start either! LOL

Bark, here is one of my favorite quotes.

"I do not read many books, but I think about what I read, and it sticks."
Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947). British mathematician and philosopher

Sorry to hear you're having trouble too. I picked up the book I'm reading earlier, and decided to just read, for as long as I could, and try to read it quickly. It worked for a bit, but I don't know if it's a concentration issue or attention or what not, but I have to reread the sentence again and again because it's not sinking in. Another question for another thread.

Maybe a schedule would work for you? Set out a specific time each day where you have to read something, or at least try to. You can't do anything else before your time is up. If you're having trouble figuring out a schedule, well, join the club.

Any more ideas about just starting something?

The classics, Catch 22: journal of army's insanity and by extension society's.
Don Quixote: the insane have a clear grasp on sanity and injustice of society, and will be ground down by the system to conform rather than 'society mature and improve'.



The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Mark Twain
Animal Farm George Orwell
Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand
Beowulf
Catch-22 Joseph Heller
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Mark Twain
Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller
The Divine Comedy: Inferno Dante Alighieri
Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes
Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury
The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams
The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood
Lord of the Flies William Golding
Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert
The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Ken Kesey
The Prince Machiavelli
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens
Thoreau, Emerson, and Transcendentalism
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
John Keats
The Fall of Hyperion: A Dream (1817)
Hyperion (1818)

1984



Hans Christian Anderson
Grim’s fairy tales




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SCIFI:
Soylent green,
Zardoz,
Stranger in a strange land. Robert Heinliien.
Jesus Incident, Frank Herbert
Side show Sherry Tepper

Thanks for the list, sandworm. I've read a few of those books before. I have Don Quixote, but it's a big book, and I don't feel like I can tackle those.

Just wanted to throw in an update. Today, I borrowed a book from the library called The Study Skills Handbook (second edition, 2003). And so far, it looks great! Easy language, short sections, lots of tips and ideas, cool drawings.... I think it might be helpful for people who aren't in college, too. I really like how the author encourages you to jump to sections that you think will be most helpful. Also, if there's anyone with dyslexia reading this thread, it might be a book worth checking out (there's special mention regarding dyslexia).

Maybe I'll update the thread if I find it helpful, if people are interested.

You can probably still do that you know, pretend you're a parent :-)

Scholastic, Helping Children Around the World to Read and Learn | Scholastic.com

S&H here is a fortune, though. And I still have boxes of books that I haven't read, including some from Scholastic, I think!