Hi Reader,

if you are following my newsletter, I assume you're an avid reader. We readers sometimes struggle to build a strong reading habit. Often, life gets in the way, we prioritize other things, or we just don't know how to build a habit effectively.

To help with that, I picked up Atomic Habits for a second time and reviewed all the key tips. I’d like to share these insights with you in today’s newsletter.

Set an intention

Make a specific plan for when and where you will read. Once you set an implementation intention, you no longer have to wait for inspiration to strike—simply follow your predetermined plan.

Example: I will read at [TIME] in [LOCATION]. I will read at 8 p.m. in my bed.

If you’re unsure when to start your habit, try beginning on the first day of the week, month, or year.

Try habit stacking

One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and stack your new behavior on top of it. Instead of pairing your new habit with a specific time and place, you link it to an existing habit.

Example: After I pour my cup of coffee each morning, I will read a few pages.

Your cue should match the frequency of your desired habit. For example, if you want to build a daily habit, avoid stacking it on a habit that only happens on Mondays—that won’t be an effective choice.

Design your environment according to your habit

Creating clear visual cues can help draw your attention to a desired habit. For instance, if you want to read in bed at 8 p.m., place your book on your pillow in the morning when you make your bed.

Make your reading habit as easy as possible

A new habit shouldn’t feel like a challenge. Start by reading just one page if needed; a habit must be established before it can be expanded. Rather than aiming to create the perfect habit from the start, focus on doing something simple with consistency. As you master the art of showing up, those first two minutes become a ritual that leads into a larger routine. The more you ritualize the beginning of a process, the more likely you are to slip into the deep focus needed to achieve great things. Make it easy to start, and the rest will follow.

Use a habit tracker

A habit tracker is a simple way to measure whether you completed a habit. It makes the behavior more obvious, attractive, and satisfying. Be sure to record each entry right after you finish reading your pages.

Next week's book releases

Combining over fifteen years of clinical experience with her groundbreaking research into the science of flow, Dr. Emily Jamea's ANATOMY OF DESIRE delivers a fresh perspective on the untapped potential of our sex lives, intimate partner connections, and personal wellbeing. The experience of effortlessness, total absorption, and loss of space and time are feelings that everyone wants to enjoy while making love. However, regardless of everyone’s desire for better sex, passion and sexual satisfaction tend to diminish in longer-term relationships. This is a problem because studies consistently show that sexual satisfaction is key to relationship satisfaction. Get your copy here

In his revelatory memoir Uncommon Company, William Luers shares stories of his incredible career as a US diplomat to European and Latin American nations, where he introduced art and culture to forge common ground and community, improving the lives of citizens in many countries closed to Western ideas. From touring the Soviet Union with playwright Edward Albee in the 1960s to bringing such famous writers and artists as John Updike, Arthur Miller, William Styron, Peter Matthiessen, Francine du Plessix Gray, Richard Diebenkorn, and Frank Stella to Venezuela and Prague during his ambassadorships in Venezuela and Czechoslovakia, Bill Luers’ practice of cultural diplomacy became known as his ability to wield “soft power” that strengthened US relationships wherever he served. Get your copy here

What I've been reading

My main read, Goddesses by Joseph Campbell, is an entertaining book so far. It’s fascinating to learn how the feminine was viewed in different cultures.

My next read will be The Bill Gates Problem by Tim Schwab. I’ll update you on it next Sunday.

Thanks for reading! I'll be back in your inbox next Sunday. Let me know what you'd like to see explored in future issues.

Talk soon,
Elena

P.S.: Don't have time to read an entire book but still want to soak up the key insights? Head over to my online shop for expertly crafted book summaries that give you all the wisdom in a fraction of the time! Perfect for busy readers who crave knowledge on the go:

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