Reading is like the bank recurring deposit you save for tough times. It is considered wise to save up and prepare for unforeseen situations. The reserves you build in the bank will see you through unanticipated times. I would like to encourage you to view reading as building this ‘recurring deposit’ of learnings and experiences. As you keep putting the learnings away, they compound and prepare you to deal with life when it throws surprises at you.
It’s a special day tomorrow; 23, April is World Book Day. I’d like to share ten reasons why you need to pick up a book today.
1. Our own experience of life is limited. There is a term for this- it’s called functional illiteracy. Now art helps you overcome this; as it allows you to appreciate the life experiences of others. Reading, in particular, does so in the ‘quietest’ way, by offering minimum stimulus. You can construct what scientists call, the ‘theory of mind’ and broaden your understanding of the world.
2. As we build empathy and understanding; we find it easier to forge connections.
3. Scientists now agree that ‘reading is closest to meditation,’ as an activity. The benefits of meditation are well-documented.
4. In a world where we are always distracted, concentration is a novelty. Researchers have shown that just 6 minutes of silent reading eases the tension in your muscles up to 68%.
5. If you like fiction, then as the character you’re reading about, faces a complex problem; or discrimination, it sensitises you, both as a reader and as a person. When a character faces a situation to which there is no solution and accepts it; it can potentially help you find closure as well.
6. Readers in general have a 35% lesser mental decline, with age, as compared to non-readers.
7. A reader has access to a better, wider range of vocabulary and can express themselves with more precision.
8. Non-fiction is a bridge to the past. Fiction offers a bridge to the future; and helps us reflect on the ever-changing nature of life itself.
9. Non-fiction books are a source of information; they help you intellectually. They demand your attention and introduce you to new concepts, helping you to focus and improve your productivity.
10. Whether you like fiction or non-fiction, reading takes you a step further. One lets you drift into creativity, and the other demands your full attention, motivating you to be a better version of yourself.
Time to start building that recurring deposit for a rainy day by picking up a book.
Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta is a columnist and bestselling biographer. She is credited with the internationally acclaimed Red Dot Experiment, a decadal six-nation study on how ‘culture impacts communication.’