“I can’t remember the last time I read a book”
“I’ve no time to read”
“I always fall asleep after 2 pages”
“Your’s was the first book I’d read in 10 years”
“I can’t find what I like”
“I’ve a stack of books on my bedside table waiting to be read”
“Once I start I feel obligated to finish it. Even if I don’t like it”
Familiar? I get it. All are words I’ve muttered from time to time, defending my many reading droughts over the years.
Today, reading is my mental fitness. A daily habit that slows me down, keeps me present, nourishes my thirst for learning & inspires my creativity.
How did I start my book a week habit?
Here are a few tips that got me started & a few home truths:
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I gave reading a role in my life, learning & inspiration. (You might prefer escapism, it’s personal choice)
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I schedule reading time in my diary. Always during the day, before 5pm. (hint: time won’t miraculously appear in your diary to read, you have to make time.)
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I don’t rely on night time reading unless I want to fall asleep with a book on my nose.
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If one chapter is all you can manage per day, it’s enough. It’s about the daily habit. I started with ten pages then built the habit. Today I aim for 50 pages per day.
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I save fiction for Netflix.
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I pick topics which feed my professional purpose (growing business by growing human connection), interest in mental health & personal transformation. Follow your curiosity & accept what doesn’t interest you.
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I’ve gotten to know my local book store & employees. It’s a welcoming place.
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I read with a highlighter to highlight what I’d like to remember &/ or share with clients.
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If I don’t like a book, I move on … fast (I promise you won’t offend the author! Nor have you “failed” BTW)
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I take what I’m reading with me everywhere. (& never complain about having to wait again)
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I prefer to read paper books (unless it’s out of print)
My 2022 “book a week” reading challenge morphed into a book a fortnight last year as I needed to slow life’s pace.
Here is the list below.
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Courage is Calling – fortune favours the brave
by Ryan Holiday
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Nowhere to Hide – a memoir of football, mental health & resilience
by Tom Boyd
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Listen – how to find the words for tender conversations
by Katherine Mannix
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Lighter – Let go of the past. Connect with the present. Expand the future.
by Yung Pueblo
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Trust & Inspire – how truly great leaders unleash greatness in others
by Stephen M. Covey
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Emotion by Design – creative Leadership lessons from a life at Nike
by Greg Hoffman
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The Power of Strangers – the benefits of connecting in a suspicious world
by Joe Keohane
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Scrubbed – a heart surgeon’s extraordinary memoir of life, death & everything in between
by Dr Nikki Stamp
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Do As I Say – how cults control, why we join them & what they teach us about bullying, abuse & coercion
Sarah Steel
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Clarity & Connection
by Yung Pueblo
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Stolen Focus – why you can’t pay attention
by Johann Hari
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The Power of Fun – why fun is the key to a happy & healthy life
by Catherine Price
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Living Untethered – beyond the human predicament
by Michael A. Singer
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Bittersweet – how sorrow & longing make us whole
by Susan Cain
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Finding Me
by Viola Davis
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Childless -a story of freedom & longing
by Sian Prior
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The Man Who Mistook His Job for His Life – how to thrive at work by leaving your emotional baggage behind
by Naomi Shragai
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Listen Like You Mean It – reclaiming the lost art of human connection
by Ximena Vengoechea
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Into the Rip – how the Australian way of risk made my family stronger, happier & less American
Damien Cave
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Toxic Positivity
by Whitney Goodman
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Belonging – the ancient art of togetherness
by Owen Eastwood
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Today a Woman Went Mad in the Supermarket
by Hilma Wolitzer
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Fair Game
by Alex Blackwell
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The Inner Self – the joy of discovering who we really are
by Hugh Mackay
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Hippocrasy – how doctors are betraying their oath
by Rachelle Buchbinder & Ian Harris
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Three Sisters
by Heather Morris
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My Friend Fox – a memoir on mental health
by Heidi Everett
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Power – A woman’s guide to living & leading without apology
by Kemi Nekvapil
My 2023 reading challenge is underway. Excerpts & insights on my latest over on Instagram @petasitcheff
I’d love to hear any recommendations! Please shoot me a DM or email me at: peta@petasitcheff.com
Enjoy!
Peta x
Growing Business Through Human Connection
Coaching | Consulting | Beyond Blue Volunteer speaking program
Author of My Beautiful Mess – Living through burnout & rediscovering me
