10 Ways You Can Become a Regular Reader today

Are you one of those people who love to read but just is so busy with life that you do not have to time to read? Raise your hand if that is the story of your life. It is so easy to fall into a regular routine and not have time to read. With our hectic lives, it is easy to "forget" to read or to look for excuses as to why you do not have time to read.

However, there is hope for us! It is not actually that difficult to add reading into your regular routine as we tend to have time to spare during the day. It is how we choose to use that time which is important. Reading helps us to gain knowledge and is known to help with mental stimulation.

Here are ten ways you can work on becoming a voracious reader today!

1) Make a list of books you are interested in reading
This will motivate you to look for the books you want to read and then actually read it in your free time. You can look online for book lists for inspiration on books you are interested in.

2) Join a local library
Libraries tend to have a ton of books and you can just borrow it for free. Libraries also have a wide range of books so while browsing through the books, you never know what you might find. Try to challenge yourself and pick books from various genres. You can pick multiple books at once and return them once you are done. If none of the books grab your attention, you can always go back and choose other books.

3) Set aside time to read daily
You have to set aside time to read daily whether you want to or not. Try to set aside 15-30 minutes daily just to sit down with your book and read. You can easily get this time by cutting down on mindless surfing online(Read: Facebook, Twitter , Instagram etc) and instead giving this time to focus on reading.

4) Learn various reading techniques
The more you read the more you will start to pick up reading techniques such as skimming and speed reading. You can skim in the beginning of the book to see if you are really interested or not interested enough to commit to reading the book. This way, you will be reading more books as you will be able to get through a book faster.

5) Join a book club
Why not join a book club in your area? You will be more motivated to read this way. You will be able to meet with different members of the book club to discuss the characters and the plot of the book  which will keep you engaged with the story.

6) E-Books
If you are someone who prefers to read on a tablet rather than an actual book, go for it! It is convenient compared to traditional books. There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages of e-books and traditional books( https://chanda-chandasblog.blogspot.tw/2017/12/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-e-books.html) You can check out more information in the link above.

7) Keep a notebook
You can use it to write quotes from the book and follow your progress in the book. You can use it to write summaries, book reviews etc. A notebook can also be used to keep progress of how many books you have read so far. It can also be useful in looking back and seeing what you have actually learned from reading the book.

8) Go to a quiet place to read
Sometimes you really need to go somewhere peaceful and quiet in order to fully concentrate on reading. You can go to a quiet corner in your house and spend time reading there. You can also choose to go to the library if you do not want to be disturbed by others. It helps you to focus on the book and not be distracted by others things.

9) Read at night before going to bed
Sometimes we just want to read in a relaxed manner before dosing off to sleep. Why not turn off your electronic devices earlier and just spend the extra time in bed and read? It is so relaxing to just sit on your bed and read.Remember as kids how our parents' used to read us bedtime stories?  It is because reading before sleeping actually helps to get a great night of sleep. It helps us to relax and de-stress from our day.

10) Turn off your electronic devices
If you are someone who is easily distracted, I would suggest turning off all your electronic devices in order to concentrate on reading. This way, you can focus on reading instead of checking your phone every few minutes. Take a deep breath and only focus on the book as that is the only thing that should be on your mind.

10 Ways to Become a More Responsible Person

The older we get, the more responsibilities we seem to have. We have to handle our lives, our jobs, and our family and somehow manage everything to the best of our ability. It is difficult to be a responsible adult. However, nothing is impossible. Did you know it can actually negatively affect your life if you are not a responsible person?

Today we will discuss ten ways you can become a more responsible person in life.

1) Stop blaming others
It is very easy to point your fingers and blame somebody for the education or the job that you did not get. Admit you actually failed and take the time to think back about the real reason you actually failed. By looking for excuses, and shifting the blame to someone/something else you are actually being irresponsible.

2) Stop being negative
Negative thoughts tend to be overpowering. It makes us think that is impossible to achieve whatever it is that we want to achieve. Actually, it is just tends to be in our head. We can do anything once we put our mind to it. Remember impossible is nothing. Try to keep a positive attitude and with that you will start to have more positive thoughts as well.

3) Do not complain
You fill yourself with negativity if you keep complaining about everything around you. Instead of nagging and complaining about all your problems, think about ways you can solve them. It is time to stop complaining and start taking action.

4) Be on time

"Early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable!" - Eric Jerome Dickey

You have to be punctual if you want to be regarded as a responsible adult. When you show up on time to an event or a meeting, you are showing the other person that you take him/her seriously and are not going to waste their time by showing up late.

5) Be organized
Plan your day out. Write down what you need to get done in the day. This will help you be organized and keep you on your toes. You can also use calendar apps and note taking apps for your convenience. By having things written down or on your phone, you can visually track your progress towards your goals and not forget anything.

6) Be consistent
Have a schedule and try to stick to it as much as possible. It helps to be organized as I mentioned above. Routine means order. Having order in your life shows that you are responsible. It shows people that they can depend on you.

7) Be self-disciplined 
"When there is a will, there is a way." -  English Proverb
Now this depends on your willpower. How determined are you to make the change in your life?  You have to push yourself to become a more responsible person. If you are determined, then you can definitely make it happen. Being self-disciplined is a learned trait which will result in you having more control over yourself.

8) Admit your mistakes
Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes in life. We have to see ourselves and recognize both the good and the bad. Try to improve yourself and make yourself a better person instead of living in denial. Do not blame others for the mistakes in your life. Be accountable for your own actions.

9) Do not procrastinate
Try not to put things off till the last moment. It just will not be your best work. It is better to make a schedule and start working on projects ahead of time. It shows that you are serious about the project you need to get done and are not just interested in getting it done just for the sake of it.

10) Plan ahead 
If you want to go backpacking in Asia, do it! Nothing is stopping you except you. This applies to anything whether it be a promotion in your job or following your dream. Stop looking for excuses and start taking action.

How to get into the habit of writing?

Hmm, now I'll be honest, this is a tough one. It is not easy to develop a habit. Much less a habit that requires you to be creative.

But here we go, let's give it a try. Now how do you develop a habit of writing consistently? 

Well, first of all, you have this goal : writing consistently.

Second, you have to be determined enough to follow through. Granted, life does tend to get in the way sometimes, but you have to push yourself and be dedicated to keep up writing. It does not necessarily have to be for a public platform. You can write for yourself, on a notebook or a diary. You should write because you enjoy writing, right?

As I mentioned in my earlier blog post (The importance of time management), you should write down your goals and set reminders for yourself to accomplish them.

In my opinion, you don't have to write every single day, but try to write at least three or four times a week. Make yourself a cup of coffee, sit down on your desk and start brainstorming. You can write about anything, actually. Write about what inspires you, or write about anything you have on your mind. Writing is a great way to express your thoughts and ideas.

For instance, if you are thinking about writing a book, or a blog post, why not take the time to write some of the ideas down first, and then continue to expand on it later?

This way writing won't seem to be so overwhelming and exhausting. This is also a good way to stop writer's block. Since you have jotted down some of your ideas beforehand, it will be much more easier to expand on it.

In short, writing consistently is difficult. It takes a lot of dedication to be motivated to continue writing. However, the more you write, the more naturally it will come to you. Soon you will start looking forward to these writing sessions and then there's no looking back:)

The importance of time management in your life

In today's fast-moving world, it is increasingly difficult to manage our time in such a way that we use it to the fullest. Learning to manage time is a process. 

My advice would be to make a list of everything you need to get done.

Make a daily schedule of what you need to do during the day and make it as detailed as possible. Write down specific times, dates, events etc 

Set reminders on your phone, on your laptop or basically any electronic devices you have.

If you prefer writing things down by hand, you can use post-it notes. Another idea is to have calendar notebook and use that to write everything you need to get done. Calendar notebooks are convenient because you can carry it around wherever you 
need to go. 

You can make a simpler schedule at first. Stick to that schedule as religiously as possible. It will be difficult at first, but once it becomes a habit, it will come naturally to you.

You will be surprised to see how much time you have wasted all along. 

Time management will teach you how to make the most of your time and how to be more productive throughout the day.

Remember everyone has 24 hours in a day. The key is how you use the time you have.