Read books: Broaden your mind, improve attention span

Reading helps us to develop positive thinking. It develops our mind and gives us excessive knowledge and lessons of life. It helps us understand the world around us better

Bhasker Assoldekar | JULY 26, 2022, 09:41 PM IST
Read books: Broaden your mind, improve attention span

As a five-year-old, born and brought up in Goa, I was exposed to the reading of Skand Puran by the head of our joint family when every day post dinner for the benefit of the entire family, he would read and explain the various facets of these texts. Once in a while, he would ask me to read a line or two which I would oblige with immense pleasure.

Needless to say, reading developed in me as a habit in the formative years of my life. I was an early reader, and I have inculcated the same habit in my son. I started reading on my own from the age of four, and I was an avid reader.

As we know today, good books can inform, enlighten and lead us in the right direction. For me, there is no better companion than a good book. Once we start reading, we experience a whole new world and eventually get addicted to reading.

I read books for pleasure. I just indulge myself in reading and experiencing a whole new world. Once I start reading I get so captivated that I do not want to leave it until I finish. It always gives me a lot of pleasure to read a good book and cherish it for a lifetime.

A child is exposed to several different words and sounds through reading. When we read aloud to our child, their developing brain also picks up the various sounds and pronunciations of the words. This activity improves the attention span of kids, which is very important. These days, children find it challenging to retain their attention on one thing for a longer period of time due to overstimulation from using smartphone devices. Reading solves this issue easily.

Begin early as a child’s mind is like an empty slate. It will absorb whatever you expose it to, and reading will teach a child much more than what you can imagine. Sit with your child and read using a lot of expressions and you’ll be surprised as to how much you enjoy the activity too. A child who reads from an early age finds it easier to adapt at school. Once they start attending school, their textbooks, notes on the board and the homework given by the teacher all involve reading. Hence, getting used to books and the act of reading will help immensely with their learning skills.

Reading develops language skills and vocabulary. It’s a way to relax and reduce stress. It is important to read a good book at least for a few minutes each day to stretch the brain muscles for healthy functioning.

Books take you on a virtual tour across different cultures. The joy of delving into a good book is beyond explanation.

Books enrich our mind with an ocean of knowledge. We learn new things from books, and this automatically triggers our curiosity, and we start asking more and more questions to quench our thirst for knowledge. Thus, the importance of reading habit is invaluable. By gifting someone a good book, we not only encourage the reading habit in others but also lay a solid foundation for their future learning.

Reading helps us to develop positive thinking. It develops our mind and gives us excessive knowledge and lessons of life. It helps us understand the world around us better. It keeps our mind active and enhances our creative ability.

Books enable us to have a glimpse into cultures, traditions, arts, history, geography, health, psychology and several other subjects and aspects of life. We get an amazing amount of knowledge and information from books.

Reading takes us to the world of imagination and enhances our creativity. Reading helps us explore life from different perspectives. While we read books we are building new and creative thoughts, images and opinions in our mind. It makes us think creatively, fantasise and use our imagination.

By active reading, we explore several aspects of life. It involves questioning what we read. It helps us develop our thoughts and express our opinions. New ideas and thoughts pop up in our mind by active reading. It stimulates and develops our brain and gives us a new perspective.

The habit of reading is one of the best qualities that a person can possess. Books are known to be our best friends for a reason. We must all read on a daily basis for at least 30 minutes to enjoy the sweet fruits of reading. It is a great pleasure to sit in a quiet place and enjoy reading. Reading a good book is the most enjoyable experience one can have.

In today’s fast changing world reading and learning has undergone substantial change. Therefore, it would remain relevant only if we learn, unlearn and re-learn.


(The writer, an MBA from IIM- Ahmedabad, is the managing director of Vibha Natural Products Ltd, Mumbai)

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