Habits: "How do you have time to read so much?"

Hermione Granger from Harry Potter... ;) reading a book.

I hold no presumption that reading is for everyone, but perhaps you have your own novel activity for decompressing. Insert that activity as your action statement and modify the formula to you.

To answer the question in short, I have time to read because I composed a formula for rehearsing habits that allowed me to 1) reveal the environments suitable for reading 2) become a speed reader 3) and find online lectures to fill the gaps that I had via my readings.  Why did that work? Because it was fun.

Action Statement
"I will read daily."

​Why bother?
Reading stimulates the mind (mental fitness), reduces stress, keeps me present, challenges my worldview, improves executive functions, and it's recreational.

Co-linking the new habit or trading habits

• I never leave the house without something to read, and I intentionally made the rule that I would hand-carry the book. It was literally attached to my limb.
• I replaced device tweaking with reading
• I set a timer where I would read 30 minutes before sleep.  Bonus: I had a therapist recommend reading something dry and philosophical before bed.

Strategies that help

• I traded phone reminders for sensory reminders (I could see, feel, smell, and experience the book)
• I wrote "read book" on my mirror.
• I tracked the habit in a bullet journal.
• I traded some activities for reading.
• I read during breaks.
• To keep up with the academic reading, I woke up at 6am so I could read articles and chapters every morning and left the house shortly after 8am.

Bottom line: action statement, why rationale, co-link or trade it with other habits, give yourself strategies you like.

Resources
Book: Atomic Habits by James Clear
Book: The Power of Habits by Charles Duhigg
Book: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown