Thoughts, struggles, and tips on reading

My thoughts on why reading is important for an indie maker, along with my struggles and some tips that I hope can help and inspire you

Hello friend,

One night I was laying in bed and thinking about reading books. It was one of the activities that helped me without even realizing it. This, along with programming, shaped my mind and the way I think. These are some thoughts I have on this topic, why I think it's important, what my struggles are, and some tips that might help you. I hope you'll be inspired to read more!

Why is reading important for an indie maker

Someone once said (I don't remember who):

"Life can be lived without reading, but it's not worth it".

I wouldn't go that far, but reading can help you accumulate information in a variety of fields, reason better, and view a specific problem from different perspectives. It can also be a great way to relax.

As an indie maker, you can benefit from all of the things listed above. Gaining different perspectives, structuring your thoughts and thinking process, and disconnecting from social media to enjoy a great story can be really rewarding.

Reading a book is like a journey: it's not just about the destination, in this case, finishing the book and crossing it off your to-do list, but about exploring author's intent and thoughts. Of course, the book has to be a good one. But ideally, reading walks you through different ideas and arguments.

On the other hand, you can become a successful indie maker or entrepreneur without reading books. I believe with online resources, AI and all the courses and tutorials out there, you could build successful businesses. But this is the way I like to live: intentionally and thoughtfully, slowing down from time to time.

What are my struggles when reading

So far so good. But if reading has so many benefits, why can't we just do it more often? Why can't we just read? I often find myself doing something else, like scrolling, wasting time, or staring out the window. I'm listing a few of my struggles here in the hope that they might help you overcome similar obstacles.

Finding enough time is difficult

Having a couple of hours dedicated to reading is a blessing. If you can set aside a free evening, it's easy get into a book. You might even read a few chapters, especially if that's well-written and rewarding. But in reality, we don't have a few of hours a day for reading.

I think even finding 30 minutes of uninterrupted reading time is difficult. I realized this is one of the things that stops me from reading more. I can't finish a chapter of, let's say, 30 pages in 5 minutes. I need at least 15 minutes if it's an easy read. For a more difficult one, maybe philosophy or a technical book where I take notes, I might need 45 minutes or even an hour. If I don't think I have enough time, I tend to skip reading altogether.

Distractions and the lack of focus

The ability to focus is a superpower (one I don't posses). I rarely find a book so good that I can't put it down. When that happens, it's much easier to stay focused. But usually, I have to put in the effort to concentrate, especially if the book is more difficult.

I get distracted very easy. I believe it goes back to my childhood. (Specialists often attribute much of who we are to our childhood. They might be right.) I had my own room from the beginning. I did my homework and played alone, in silence. I got used to that. Now, I find it very difficult to concentrate in noisy environments. For example, I can barely get work done in coffee shops.

This might be a hot take: we see those ideal remote work photos on Instagram or social media. It seems so nice to work from somewhere other than your boring home office. This might work for you, but it doesn't work for me.

Whether it's people talking, moving around, my phone ringing or social media notifications, anything can distract me. I'm trying to pay more attention to creating the right environment for productive work. I also try not to put too much pressure on myself: if I have to work from a coffee shop, I'll give it a shot. If it doesn't work, at least I'll enjoy the time and the coffee.

Reading difficult books

Reading gets harder when book itself is difficult. I'm currently reading The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco. I've read more than half of it so far. The first quarter felt really difficult. I had to concentrate and read at a slow pace to understand it. In this book, the author constantly shifts between timelines: one chapter is in the present, the next chapter in the past, then it starts in the present but after two pages shifts again to another memory. It's difficult and confusing at times. (I don't want to give any spoilers. I still think the book is worth the effort. As far as I know, Eco intended to confuse the reader, and everything slowly unravels as you progress.)

We grow when we do hard things. Reading is no different. I believe picking the right book is a skill. An easy book, one below your level of expertise won't help you grow. A book far beyond your level might be too hard. You'll struggle too much and eventually abandon it. A book right in the middle is usually the best fit.

Too many tasks

I tend to read during the day if the book or article is related to work. For example, these days I finished Traction - A Startup Guide to Getting Customers by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares. It's about marketing, and I read it in a few days while trying to understand different marketing channels.

But generally, I rarely read in the morning or during the day for pleasure or for deep thinking. I can't read when I know I have work do to.

Reading for pleasure, or even to acquire new skills or answers to my questions usually happens in the evening or at night. After I finish my daily tasks, I have the peace of mind and the time to read and reflect. I wouldn't say I have a proper daily reading routine, but this is what I tend to do more often.

What I've been trying

I'll end the complains here. Here are a few tips you might find useful:

• Read multiple books at once - Reading doesn't have to be a linear process. One day you might want to read something technical, the next day something lighter. I usually read multiple books from different fields and with varying difficulty. You can alternate between a difficult technical book, a more philosophical one and maybe some fiction. Get creative!

• Prepare a list of articles you want to read - Articles are great. They are right on point, giving you useful information in a short format. Of course, it depends on the article, topic, difficulty and such, but generally, you can read them faster than books. Have a list of articles ready for those 15-20 minute gaps in your day. Or pick a book and read one chapter at a time.

• Read the text multiple times - That is especially helpful with difficult books (philosophy or theology books can be placed in this category). Do a quick first read to get a sense of what the book is about. Then do a second, slower, deeper read.

In conclusion

As I said earlier, I believe you could make it without reading books. I only started reading seriously somewhat recently.

Some researchers say reading only became widespread in recent history. For centuries, most people didn't even know how to read.

It's a blessing to have access to books and articles, to all the information available online. Let's try to consume it more thoughtful, slowing down, finding a quiet spot, a cup of tea, and a good book.

I hope I gave you at least a few useful tips and a bit of motivation to pick up a book and read a few pages.

See you soon!