Kwik Team

When it comes to success, there isn’t a guaranteed recipe. But no matter what your goals are, or even what your definition of success is, the fact is high achievers have one thing in common: they read. A lot.

Reading is considered one of the best habits you can cultivate for the overall fitness of your brain. Unlike most skills that are hard-wired into our brain as part of our evolutionary drive, reading and writing are things that we’ve developed over time. They stemmed from our desire to communicate through pictures and stemmed from the tradition of storytelling. That means it involves multiple parts of the the brain, as the language and visual centers of the brain worked in tandem to bring the oral and then written words to life.

Reading and the Brain

Reading has been shown to increase the amount of white matter in the brain and create new neural connections. Studies have linked reading with higher empathy, increased focus, improved spatial navigability, lengthened attention span, and improved vocabulary. It’s no wonder that highly successful people like Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Gates make time to read every day.

What you read is more important than simply reading. Scrolling through social media feeds involves reading, but reading short, punchy captions doesn’t produce the same effects that focused long-form reading does. Like any healthy habit, reading needs to be cultivated carefully and practiced mindfully to achieve the maximum benefits.

We’ve compiled four insights from the reading habits of successful people around the world; which you can incorporate into your daily routine.

Schedule Dedicated Reading Time

Warren Buffet famously devotes 80% of his day to reading. Bill Gates commits reading at least 50 books every year. To them, reading is not a hobby. It’s part of their recipe for success. They consider it necessary for business and personal development, as essential as brushing their teeth or taking a bath.

Scheduling reading time helps signal to your brain that this is a priority. It also helps you develop reading as a habit. Try to schedule it for the same time every day, such as during your morning commute or before bed. Turn off distractions and focus on your reading exclusively for the entire scheduled time.

Read At Least One Hour A Day

Health experts recommend that a daily physical exercise routine should at least be an hour. And since reading is exercise for the brain, you should take it just as seriously. While Buffet’s example may not be doable for many, an hour of devoted reading every day sharpens focus and increases comprehension.

The length of time is important because extended reading is necessary to increase working memory. It also develops other skills such as event processing and improved concentration. And just like any exercise, the prolonged time ensures maximum mental stimulation, which helps slow natural brain aging and lowers the risk of brain-related illnesses.

Read Nonfiction

While reading fiction and poetry helps exercise the brain by developing visualization and pattern recognition, nonfiction offers readers the ability to learn and absorb specific knowledge and applied skill sets. Books written by experts allow you to take decades of experience and download that knowledge in a matter of days. It’s a valuable resource that high achievers refuse to waste.

Nonfiction also activates your brain differently than fiction. Nonfiction activates your analytical, problem-solving skills. You digest the data into manageable chunks and break down complex ideas into step-by-step applications. Your brain strives to apply this knowledge in useful ways, creating new neural pathways and strengthening already developed pathways. In addition to gaining new perspectives, this type of reading keeps you at the forefront of technology and can elevate you in your career field, which is why high achieving individuals make time for reading.

Even more exciting, when you read, your brain actually interprets what you’re reading as experience. Studies show different areas of the brain activate as you read, demonstrating that to the brain, reading is doing. So reading topics on self-improvement, developing a hobby, or learning a new skill are extremely beneficial.

Take Notes

When you’re learning, it’s important to interact with the material.  Write down your thoughts, opinions, comments, associations, questions, reactions, and anything else that comes to mind while reading. Taking notes has been shown to improve memory and increase your learning capabilities. Bill Gates has a reputation for taking notes in the margin while he reads, but a notebook or reading log works the same.

Another important aspect of note-taking is it allows you to continue reading through difficult or cumbersome passages without stopping. Momentum is key, and stopping to look up words, reference terminology, or to research concepts disrupts your learning process. If you make a note and continue reading, you will actually retain more information while reviewing as it forces your brain to practice recall, and strengthens the neural pathway.

Conclusion

Making reading a habit has numerous benefits for the brain, with the added side effect of providing you with enjoyment. Reading helps you learn, exercises the brain, and allows you to gain experience like never before. No matter what field you work in or what subject you study, reading can give you the tools and resources you need to be successful.

If you want more tips and tricks on how to read faster and retain more, watch this video playlist:

In our technological world, it’s almost impossible to escape the constant stimuli of information. With access to multiple streaming platforms available in the palm of your hand, finding moments of boredom is becoming increasingly difficult. But embracing the power of boredom, that endless stretch of time where you aren’t engaged in any kind of activity, can be your secret weapon for unlocking creativity, productivity, and overall mental well-being.

The Default Mode Network

The Default Mode Network, or the DMN, is the part of your brain that activates when your brain is at wakeful rest. Essentially, it’s the area of your brain responsible for daydreaming and mind wandering. Despite its name, this network is anything but inactive. It helps you process information and consolidate learning, and becomes most active when thinking about yourself, others, the past, and the future.

This area is vital for creativity and deep learning. Part of the reason you might remember a name in the middle of a workout or when you’re doing the dishes is because when you stop engaging in cognitive tasks, the DMN takes over and sorts through your thoughts and experiences throughout the day. Those details that may have felt out of reach, suddenly bubble to the surface and you’re able to come up with ideas, remember information and events, or solve a difficult problem in new and surprising ways.

The DMN in Action

Some of the most groundbreaking inventions in history have been discovered largely thanks to the DMN in action. Consider Archimedes, the mathematician and inventor, who famously shouted, “Eureka”, while taking a bath. It was relaxing in the tub, letting his mind wander in that state of relaxation that allowed him to observe the displaced water of the tub and solve the problem of finding the density of an irregularly sized object.

There’s also Sir Issac Newton. While walking through a garden he observed an apple fall from a tree. It got him thinking about why the apple always feel down, and not sideways, or up. While it took him another twenty years to fully form his theory on gravity, it all began with an observation and curiosity, neither of which would have been possible had Sir Isaac not been quiet and simply in the moment.

Boredom in Daily Life

These revelations aren’t only for historical geniuses and innovative thinkers. You can use this same principle in your daily life. All you have to do is allow yourself to be bored from time to time. Take time to daydream and embrace letting go of distraction because that’s where the magic happens.

Daydreaming is your brain’s way of flexing its creative muscles. When you’re bored, your mind wanders, exploring different scenarios, ideas, and possibilities. This state nurtures creativity and unlocks problem-solving. Daydreaming is your way of taking your brain to a mental playground where it can roam and wander and play. This is where new ideas are born and unexpected solutions are found.

Moreover, embracing boredom has profound effects on mental health. As we mentioned, it’s almost impossible to escape the constant digital demands of our technological world. Allowing yourself downtime away from devices, shows, computers, and electronics is the downtime your brain desperately craves. To actually process the information you take in throughout the day, you have to give your brain time to sort, filter, and process it. The only way it can do that is by hitting pause and removing the distractions constant stimulation provides.

Conclusion

Next time you find yourself in a seemingly dull moment and want to reach for your phone, resist the urge and sit with the silence instead. Let your brain wander, daydream, and be in the moment. When you let your mind wander, you open the door to new ideas and allow your brain to work its magic.

Remember, boredom isn’t the enemy. It’s a gateway to the extraordinary. when you let your brain’s Default Mode Network to take control, you can tap into a wellspring of creativity, innovation, and improved mental well-being. Schedule intentional boredom and watch how your mind unleashes its limitless potential.

If you want to learn more about how to tap into creativity, watch this video: