The Best Reading Skill No One Ever Taught You
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
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The best change I've made to my reading is learning how to properly read multiple books at once. Going from refusing to touch any other book before I finish the one I'm on, to reading many many at once has completely changed my life. Here's how to be able to do that properly, without forgetting or losing track.
To make your life easier:
0:00 Intro
1:01 Training your Emotional Brain
5:21 Training your Rational Brain
WHO AM I: I'm Elizabeth, a medical student, painter, CZcamsr and Podcaster in London. I love to think and talk about life, art, medicine, books and meaning. And also how to find the time to do those things. If you'd like to watch me paint and talk about life, I do that on my podcast ( / @feelosophywithelizabe... ) and if you'd like to read my thoughts and book notes, I have a newsletter you can join (newsletter.elizabethfilips.com/).
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Or leave a comment, I (try to) answer 100% of comments :)
I don't know when I picked up this habit but reading multiple books is a great way to avoid reading fatigue and a great technique in general
True 👍👍👍
IM GOING TOO TRY THIS
I love reading multiple books according to my mood. Really works for me 😊
@@ignomegalo same, same lol
@@SanujaJagoda ditto
this video literally just changed my life. for years I've gotten so mad at myself for taking months to finish a book when I have so many more books I want to read but you just made me realize I CAN READ THEM ALL AT ONCE! bless your soul. 🙏
A lot of people told me that reading multiple books at the same time diminishes the message of each particular text.
I am a musician and I tend to perform better in terms of lyricism and music production when I can hop between tracks and work on what ever stimulates my creativity.
Thanks for opening my mind up to the existence of this concept!
Sorry, I paused your video to watch another video in parallel. I'll get back to yours asap.
The reader bill of rights
1. The right to not read
2. The right to skip pages
3. The right to not finish
4. The right to reread
5. The right to read anything
6. The right to escapism
7. The right to read anywhere
8. The right to browse
9. The right to read out loud
10. The right to not defend your taste
No3... 😱
Brilliant!!!
Skip pages...? 😶
Readers codes of conducts
11. The right to read at any pace
Something that I would like to warn people about is overpressuring yourselves. When I got my kindle, it opened me up to carrying a lot of books with me at once. As a result, I would browse and download multiple books to read but what ended up happening was I was under too much pressure to finish all the books and ended up not reading at all.
Elizabeth asks you to read according to your mood, which I feel is a good solution. I want to get back into reading multiple books again :)
While I didn't pressure myself on reading all of them, I am guilty of collector's fallacy when it comes to ebooks and audiobooks, lol.
Writing down a note for each ebook you get with a personal summary and what you promise yourself to get out of it helps with deciding which ones to start.
And to mix things up, just going with the flow and selecting a title you haven't read that sounds appealing to you does the trick for me.
Thank you for sharing 😊😊😊
Lol, for me, not finishing books is totally acceptable. Its a sign that I wasn't that interested anyway. I have hundreds of unread books on my Kindle that I'll skim through once in a while and come back to whenever. I think thats alright too:)
Yeah this is why I don't use Kindle, because it's attached to amazon who want you to buy books constantly
@MultiBurst I think it's the fact that you started reading so much books or bought/download to finish those books, it just feels like you have to because thats what you planned to do. Well, that's how i feel at least. Hope it makes sense lol
What got me into reading multiple books at once, was the comparison to watching TV.
Series are shown in episodes, sometimes you can binge watch, but often there is only 1 episode per week. However you can easily watch multiple TV shows in a single week, without having to see an entire series to the end before starting a new one.
Just swap TV episodes for book chapters, and suddenly NOT reading multiple books as once seems rather a strange way to read.
Excellent point. Thanks for sharing your idea., it really complimented what she said in this video. Now I plan to implement it as my daily reading method. 🙂
TBH I hate to watch that way. That's why I'd wait until the season is finished before watching TV series. I once watched 2 different X-Men movies simultaneously, one was playing on the TV, and the other I was watching on my laptop. I got confused and the stories etc got mixed up, lol
@@afaris88 I also hate to watch like that because I want to pause or continue an episode where I like instead of where the director likes.😆 As for getting confused, that's why she suggested not reading the same genre/type of book at the same time, just like school timetable with different classes/subjects throughout the day.
@@Silverraine1 nice point. I'll surely try the different genre tips.
Exactly 👌🏼
I'm currently reading about twenty books! It's just as you say - it's a mood thing. I do mix genres sometimes, but on different mediums. Right now, I have a contemporary romance, a Christmas rom-com, a sports book, a book on marketing, a couple on writing, and another about the subconscious mind. Been doing this for years already, although not with a psychological view such as yours.
📌Key takeaway: *Reading multiple books at the same time is beneficial.*
Emotional aspect:
- You can find a book that is suitable for your mood so that you can get out of the reading slump
Rational aspect:
- Don't mix genres. (Just like at school, you read Maths, Biology, Geography textbooks at the same time.)
- Use different ways of reading e.g. Kindle, physical book, audiobooks
- You can draw interesting linkage between books that could be less obvious, bringing original insights for the books you read in parallel.
Thanks for getting to the main points!
I love my Kindle, but I just can't read academic books on it. Black and white just doesn't cut it for me.
I can't imagine reading a biochemistry book on Kindle where the diagrams heavily rely on colour.
Can't wait for Kindle to make a colour e-reader. I know Kobo has one.
Love to u, may Allah bless u 💐💐💐🤍🤍♥️🤍🤍🫂
I think it's all baloney. Just read. I mix genres when I read more than book because one book will generally be interesting but challenging and I need a break from it to process the information.
@@TheJoshtheboss the Kindle mobile app is in color. I have it on my iPad Mini (great size for reading, very similar to other e-readers) and also my iPhone. I think Kindle Fire is color also. Maybe you have an older Kindle, or the “paperwhite” version?
I also really find it helpful for when you finish a book. When I finish a book and have nothing else I'm part way through I often have a lot of trouble starting something new, especially if the last book was really good. Having a few books I'm already part way through is so helpful to avoiding a reading slump. Having characters and settings I'm already familiar with means I don't have to leap right into an introductory phase and take on all that setup if I don't feel like it.
I can relate to this.
Also, having unread books lines up.. 😅
This works with everything else also. I was reading a book on the Japanese martial art of Akido in which the author was talking about when someone comes to a point like "writers block", where a practitioner gets stuck or bored with a particular subject or art.He advised to "Stop what you're doing completely because by continuing you'll just get frustrated. You won't get anywhere at that point!" Move on to another subject that's not related.He advised having several projects going on at once( but not simultaneously like cooking and taking a car out for a test drive and cleaning your gutters😒🤭Some examples are: sewing a quilt, painting a picture, reading or writing, repairing a lawn more, upholstering a chair or building a yard fence. When you come to a point where continuing any further seems forced and stressful; to where it's not progressing then drop it immediately and go on to the next task in your agenda.On and on and on and on and on and on until you notice a motion and when you come back around to it you'll pick up where you left off and plow through it with no problem and learn about it in the process. That's because each time you spend time on a thing what's happening is you've learned from all of your previous subjects and automatically it carries over to the one you're on now because of the unbroken learning process that you have been doing.Each time, little by little you're building a synapsis. I'm a visual artist,a cook, an archer and a drummer of 27 years and I've gotten good at each one because having an interest in several things and enjoying spending time on each one is liberating and expanding to say the least.If you spend the equal amount of time on each thing,say like 30 minutes or an hour on something, then go to the next one, over a short time things such as your cognitive skills,attitude and creativity will blossom exponentially and before you know it you'll begin to change mentally, emotionally, psychologically and physically. By creating new synapsis which are like building bridges; you're expanding surface area by making brain pathways! That helps to counter things like dementia and overall degeneration later on in your life...try it out, what have you got to lose?...well except for a numbered amount of brain cells that don't regenerate but die for lack of use! 🙀
I love “The Untethered Mind” as well. It was very helpful.
I thought I read quite a few books at the same time….. lol. Until I saw your list.
I love the physical books and my wife always jokes that I need a backpack to tote my stack.
Scribd has been a great subscription that helps clear space and allows me to try things I would normally not pick up.
Thanks for this video. I enjoyed it.
This is *SOOOOOOOOOO* helpful to me. Especially reading multiple books at a time. I usually read one book at a time. Many years ago (at a different church than I go to now) the pastor and I were talking about reading and he told me that he is currently reading 12 books. I was impressed. He said he is usually reading about that many at a time. I have been through different stages where I read 2 or 3 at a time but for the last few years I'm always stuck on one book at a time and I feel I can't pick up the next one until I finish. Right now I am in the middle of a heavy theology book And sometimes it's hard to pick up ...and now I'm going to set it aside and pick up another book. This feels like freedom to me. 📚📚📚
In fairness, I can see why you might want a break from reading a heavy theology book.
@@Musicienne-DAB1995 No doubt. Now I'm reading 3 theology books. Lol
I've been reading consistently since 2016. This year I've started the habit of reading two books at the same time, each in a different language. And it's really working for me.
Why?
Yes! different language book really is a good idea.
@@bilderberg2418 because my native tongue is Arabic and I really want to learn more about Arabic literature after spending the last ten years studying English literature through my undergrad and then grad school.
I also want to become more articulate in Arabic. Almost all of my past reading was in English. And I've always felt that my skills in Arabic are lacking behind...
@@v1d300 I have to say that I love it so far.
I hope I can do it. I am learning Spanish and Portuguse. I want to read some books in Spanish or Portuguse
This really helped me. I used to think I lacked discipline for wanting to start reading a new book before I finished the one I was reading. I would get discouraged to continue reading and end up not reading for weeks because of that. Now that I've watched this I feel more free to read multiple books and I'm looking forward to trying to implement some of your tips into my reading.
I've always been debating this idea, I had no idea that other people cared as much about this kind of rationalization as I did. Thank you so much for posting this video! I now know that reading books in parallel is a natural thing and a great thing!
This is so true, Elizabeth! As a child growing up around college graduates and teachers, I was always into sports but fascinated with reading everything from comic books and encyclopedia to medical books and novels like One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich! While playing professional baseball, instead of running to clubs I learned "syntopic reading" as a tool for research. I did not get rich playing ball, but have been enriched by reading the way you describe here. You've got another new subscriber now!
I used to be a strict one book reader too, and recently (like last week) decided to read multiple books at once. It’s funny how you uploaded a video about this not long after I had this realization lol This was really insightful ❤
Serendipity!
So, basically just read whatever book you feel like reading at the moment rather than force yourself to read only one until finishing. Thanks, this is the advice that I needed 😃 hopefully with this I can finish my TBR list before the end of the year now
Elizabeth, I really admire your commitment and passion. You can really help a lot of people with these videos!
This is also applicable in problem solving, as a software engineering student, I usually jump between projects when I get stuck or I just don't feel like doing a particular project at that particular time, I just move to another entirely different task and that really helps me to accomplish alot in shorter period of time. I'll try applying it to my reading, Thanks!
Your point about trading one’s brain and creating positive emotional reinforcement for reading is brilliant. I haven’t heard anyone talk about this before.
Thank you, thank you!!
I have been reading multiple books (physical and/or audiobooks) for years and this works for me but this is the first time I’ve heard someone talk about it. It’s not for everyone but above all we must enjoy the experience. New to your channel. Looking forward to watching more of your videos
👏🏽 👏🏽👏🏽
I love that you constantly challenge the current paradigms , with other optimal ways of living life that help so many who have been stuck previously. Kudos!! 🎉
Your content is always very interesting and it is clear that it is not a copy of the content of others. I love that you reflect on these very philosophical and practical issues at the same time. I just want to thank you and encourage you to keep doing it ❤
I second reading more than one book at a time. I'm also a mood reader and I find going with my mood helps me read better and almost always, whatever I'm reading can be related to my life which is enriching. Thanks for sharing your take on this, Elizabeth! 🙂
Thanks Zoey!
Totally agree. I have 6 books on the go right now. Reading should be enjoyable. I jump from one to the other depending on what inspires me and if a book does not resonate I do not waste any more time on it. There are so many worlds to explore and enjoy! Happy reading!
Elizabeth, Every one of your videos is exactly what I need to hear. I am a new huge fan. I struggle to read and get everything done I need to get done and I find your videos meet my need exactly.
Oh, I always read multiple books at a time and just naturally assumed that's what everyone does. Interesting to realize that there are people who had the believe that it was "wrong" to start another book before the first one is finished. I totally see how one can have such beliefs and it serves as a good reminder that we should now and then question if the rules we set for ourselfs are helpful or might need an update.
Your videos are so helpful for me to conceptualize the different ways my brain works and to work with it instead of against it. Thank you for what you do
Getting in or out of the mood for reading is the same as drawing and writing for myself.
The art of switching has helped me get out a lot of ruts over the past year. Now, I'm able to switch when I feel I've done enough in one avenue and I can move to another.
Thank you, Elizabeth!
I love this!! It reminded me that a few years ago I was reading about 6 books at a time and I would frequently draw creative connections among the topics and, as you said, develop a stronger connection to them. For some reason I stopped doing with busy school scheduled etc, and I now read much less than I used to. This video totally inspired me to read multiple books again. Thank you for great content!!
This is great advice! I fully agree with multiple books in parallel 👏
I always have!!
Multiple... maybe 2-3 max. But agreed, reading any book is always better than reading nothing.
I read multiple books in parallel as a student. I loved it when I didn’t have to spend most of my time working.
Unfortunately I don't read multiple books at once, but only because I'm currently close-reading the great books in philosophy, poetry, religion, and literature. For me, I want to live and breathe the books one at a time. I want them to be the only things on my mind while I'm reading them so I can confront the questions they bring up head on and one at time. Rather than juggling.
@@gocoastal1988
even tho i used to read 2 or 3 books in parallel, & still do, i agree that if a book is worth reading, it's worth reading slow, being absorbed in the text,
letting the words reverberate off of the canyons of inner experience.
& reading slow, hearing the words, sometimes i'll stop to marvel at the power &/or beauty of a individual sentence or passage (& even contemplate if the wording could have been improved, or if not, why, what was it that grabbed my attention so viscerally?) if the author somehow was able to concentrate a truth from their experience into a work, how much gets overlooked when if a reader were just skimming the surface?
tho with a found book, one i stumble upon, with no fore knowledge of, i usually first scan a book at random, to get a sense of the authors voice, if i like their style, i then read it slowly.
picking a book by interest in a topic is fine, but if i dont like the authors style, unless it is the only book on that topic that i need to know, i move on, becuz life is so short, wtf why would i want to chain myself to a work that isn't working?
like eating foods or herbs spices that don't agree with u,
unless there were medicine that u needed in that food,
move on.
Thanks for posting! I've done this for most of my life, and it's good to know I'm not alone! 😎
I usually read bits of whatever I'm in the "mood" for on a given day, and never worry about "making sure I finish this one book." Works for me!👍🏾
It is true. It is removing stigma on reading.
Incredibly insightful and useful... this approach can be expanded to chores, business... pretty much every aspect of life... thank you so, so much. Also, as someone who finds their mood changing throughout the day, this video is very reassuring... and this from a 57 year old London cab driver, which goes to show that we never know who or where we are going to take the next lesson in life from and that you never know who your words are going to touch, Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I used to always read 4 to 5 books at the same time. I have read some books over a 3 to 5-year period. What bewildered most was my ability to pick up where I left off, finish the book, then describe the book in detail, as if I had read it all at once.
I developed a way to compartmentalize each book, and not forget the story line. I really did enjoy this!
Thank You!!
Every avid reader I know reads multiple books at a time. This is great advice. I love your channel!
I find so much value in your videos. Although I am applying the techniques little by little, I watch your videos again and every day some things make a little more sense. I have also found much value in the information and research that 80,000 hours shares. I found them around 2017 and thanks to them I have discovered baseless assumptions and been able to integrate layers of analysis into the decision of which path I want to explore next. I think it is so cool that they have sponsored you!
Thank you SO much Elena!
Well thought out and well explained. I’ve dabbled with reading multiple books at once but always thought I was undisciplined for doing this. You’ve made me rethink this and want to do multiple books at once with full intention now.
Been doing it for years but you really expanded on it superbly. Thank you.
I feel like a lot of your videos encourage ppl to find what feels right and good to them from moment to moment and allow themselves to go for it. That's such a good support to find a recoonnection to ourselves, which often is overwritten by rules we have learned while growing up and now sometimes have a really hard time finding back to what we truly want, enjoy or to follow our gut instincts. So thank you for making this choice more obvious, easier to choose and available through your videos.
Yes I love this too! ❤
I really appreciate your refreshing perspective on the learning process. It's very different from a lot of self help and the ever present tune of rigid consistency one must adhere to to get ahead. Thank you for your spark
Thank you Erick!
If only the goal of modern education was teaching children to learn rather than to be taught!
Dear, thank you for sharing such deep insight in your reading habits and in general recording yourself to display your private life. I find you are such an inspiration, though I respect it the most for I could never let people see that closly into my everyday being. I could listen to you for hours... thank you!
I completely agree with this. I used to read one book at a time formerly but would take forever to finish it and now that I shuffle between 2, 3 or 4 at a time; I find that I go through books faster than I would if I read one at a time😅
Totally agree with this approach. I tend to read complex works in the morning when I’m fresh and hyper alert. In the evening, as I feel my brain shutting down, I’ll switch to easier material. Same applies to other areas of life. In the gym, there are times I push hard because I’m full of energy; while other times I take my foot off the accelerator and coast by with an easier session. In language learning, I juggle three or four different books simultaneously depending on my energy and motivational levels. Sometimes I press hard and go with B2 level books. Some days the tank is dry, so I read an A2 level book. Ultimately, the underlying philosophy here is get to know yourself and develop a sense of when and how to mix up your reading, exercising, etc. As long as you’re going forward (on multiple paths simultaneously), you win. In short, DON’T LIE DOWN IN THE SNOW!
Thank you for creating this CZcams channel. I find your perspective in your videos very unique and genius. I'm grateful that you are sharing your techniques because they are very very interesting and very effective.❤
I just found your channel on CZcams. And I am so impressed by your intelligence and personality. I am pretty sure this channel is going to be one of my favorite ones.
I’m a crafter and this works with art as well. I have multiple projects going at once. I do them as I’m in the mood for them. If I try and force myself finish one before I start another I just lose interest altogether but if I have many going in tandem then I am always doing something and enjoying my art even if I never finish anything. The irony is though, I usually do finish them more readily if I use this method.
Thank you , your comment is very helpful. As a wood carver many times I choose not to start a new project until I finish the one im working on and I end up not carving for months.
Same here - tfs!
@@nuvoclassic tfs?
Really great tips and advice in this video!! I'm always reading several books at once, and there are a couple things I want to add, about the synergy of "polyamorous" reading... Thing 1: I want to stress the point about how ideas from different fields can "cross-breed" in your mind when you read multiple books...I truly believe this way of interlinking concepts can, through synergy, literally boost your intelligence, not just your knowledge. The reason is, there are patterns of how the world works and when you start seeing these patterns replicated across seemingly unrelated fields, mental models will be formed in your brain that later on can allow you to immediately grasp brand new ideas, to which you've never been exposed. I believe this ought to be a goal more often for people, but it doesn't need to be super intentional...the way Elizabeth does, randomly mixing books (instead of carefully curating your reading list) is fine, and maybe even better, since the synergy of linking interrelated ideas happens almost automatically as long as you're tuned to it...plus, it's always tough to predict, and a really wonderful light-bulb surprise when it clicks in your mind.
Thing 2: You might think, by reading a single book by an expert on a topic, you'll learn all you need to know about that subject. Maybe...But it can also land you in a Dunning-Kruger echo box...here's the reason. Most times, the basic knowledge in any field is pretty well established...so, at the introductory level there's plenty of agreement and a lot of what you read will be the same. But, at the expert level, there can be lots of disagreement because that's where the boundaries of the field are being pushed forward. So...for a topic I'm really interested in (two prime examples are economics and quantum physics) I always try to read several books by various authors (not necessarily concurrently). You'll start to see the various ways they disagree, or even simply how they approach the subject from different angles...and doing this creates a synergy that gives you an exponentially broader grasp of the subject, and even allow you to "triangulate" your own highly informed opinions about complex subjects that people often spend years studying.
This was so helpful. Thank you for a new perspective for me to consider! Always looking for new ways to get the most out of my reading, and therefore, life.
😱Wow Elizabeth Filips; smooth articulation & intonation of voice, bright & brilliant, informative & a great teaching manner & so much more.
This the 2nd CZcams clip of yors I've listen too, the first was on study, that will prove to be helpful.
What I personally like is yor speed of conversation, yor obvious knowledge & enthusiasm on the topics.
I totally enjoy listening to U & my eyes smile at the sight of yor beauty & accent of voice.
Thank U Elizabeth.
PS: Oh I read more than 2-3 books at a time to sometimes five & that's not including Audiobooks or Kindle or my Bible. Its an inner hunger which sometimes causes 'mental indigestion' but we overcome.
Thank U Elizabeth Filips.
I generally do this a lot. I used to have an ebook, a physical book and an audio book going at the same time. Now I work a lot more so I am trying to get back into my reading again. Definitely in a huge mood for non fiction in this season of my life
I don't restrict myself to one book per medium, but I do switch up the media as well (audio, ebook, physical book).
Aside from the content, the form of the medium also helps I'd argue. And keeping track of what you've started also gets easier.
As for audio, I also deliberately switch between podcast episodes, nonfiction audiobook and fiction.
Thank you! I agree with everything you said but could never have articulated it so clearly. For everyone who struggles with breaking the "rules of reading", let me add one more thing: It's okay to not finish a book. Even if the contents may be of some value, even if everybody else seems to absolutely love this particular book - once you get to a point at which you feel like you've given it a fair shot but are just not feeling it, there is no shame in letting it go. Life is short and there are so many fantastic books - why waste time on reading something that you don't enjoy? Give it to someone else who would. And as for the person who recommended it to you, you don't have to shit on the book but you can respectfully say without guilt: Good for you, not for me.
I discovered this earlier this year. And it's been working as a charm. You even get to finish more books than when reading serially. It's more rewarding.
This was wonderful. I have never believed I would be able to read multiple books without getting confused or lost but I am wanting to try it now.
Hear, hear! Thank you. As a habitual reader of half a dozen or more books at a time in as many genres, I couldn't agree more.
Long ago I'd somehow or other formed the belief that if I started a book, it was wrong or shallow not to finish it. Then one day I had an epiphany.
On my lunch break I'd gone to a small local library near where I worked. I was sitting in the main room with a book I'd lost interest in, trying vainly to regain it. I wanted to just abandon that book but felt guilty at the idea.
Then I looked around and asked myself how many books there were in that small local library. I asked myself how many books I could read if I could somehow spend the rest of my life in that library reading, for twelve hours a day, seven days a week, with someone bringing me my meals and a bedroom in the building.
I was in my mid-twenties, and I figured that might give me sixty years or so. I am a fast reader, and reading at that rate I'd probably average at least a book a day. I scribbled out the math and figured that would let me take in a bit short of twenty-two thousand books. Then I counted the lines of bookcases in that room, then the books on one shelf of one of those bookcases, and looked at the other two rooms in the building with smaller but still estimable numbers of bookcases. I realized that in that thought experiment, I'd never live long enough to read all the books just in the room where I sat. In fact, even if only a tenth of the books I started were interesting enough to finish, that library held more than a lifetime's worth. That was without the dozens of new books published every month.
At first the idea was depressing, contemplating how much I would miss out on. That quickly gave way to contentment, though, at the realization that I could set any book down at any point with a clear conscience, because the supply of good books is effectively infinite.
So at the moment I'm in the middle of one book of silly humor, one on political psychology, one on the social history of the 1960s and '70s, one on music theory, one on the language and psychology of cults, and one on insurgency warfare. I finished a biography a couple of hours ago and am starting a new autobiography.
A bonus is that it's easier to spot connections among, for example, the one on political psychology, the one on the societal turmoil of the '60s and '70s, and the one on cult psychology.
Last week I heard in a news story that a celebrity I am not naming had been asked in an interview about the last book he'd read, and had replied that books didn't interest him and he'd never read one. Surreal. I can't imagine what that would be like.
I have always read like this and my mom and friends have always been like, “How can you keep the stories straight?” And I’ve never understood that comment because the voice is always so different. This also keeps me out of reading slumps because I’m always finishing things. If I don’t like a book I can just move to another without much trouble. It’s so nice! I’m glad I’m not alone in reading so many things at once. I used to think it was a problem, but ultimately, I think it’s a better way to read!
People have asked me that, too. I always say that we were expected to study different things in school. Reading Shakespeare in English, 3/4 of an hour reading about the French Revolution in History and then an hour later, you're into how light refracts in science class. I've never mixed things up and they all agree that they never did, either. As long as you're not reading multiple books that are all the same genre.....like reading 3 "Hardy Boy" books at the same time. LOL.
This is something that felt right to me as well but I needed that validation. Thanks for articulating it so well.
You are very impressive and able to explain your methods very well. I normally read 3 or 4 books at once and particularly like books of a series, because it keeps me in "the world" of the book. I do take some notes and memorize things as well. Overall, it helps in everyday life, particularly in conversation and answering questions people may have. I have become something of a know-it-all over the years. Reading is fundamental to development of the mind and personality. Good job!
Reading multiple books at once SAVED my reading habit. I will never go back to being a mono-reader. Thanks for sharing your perspective on this and doing the research into why this works 🥰🥰
Less is more.
@@folksurvival Sometimes. But usually less is just less.
I always read several books at once. Generally, I mix fiction I have read before, fiction I haven't read before, history, and science at once. Most of my reading friends are strictly one book at a time people and they don't seem to understand how I can put down a book and pick up another all the time. But it's exactly as you say, reading many books at once allows you to think about them differently and connect them in ways that you otherwise wouldn't have.
And frankly, if I only read one at a time, I'd get bored with it and read a lot less
Great video!
Fabulous on the combination idea. I stumbled upon this after buying so many books and leaving them in the queue. Thank you for confirming such a good idea.
wow! I have always felt a mental block / moral dilemma around needing to finish the book I'm reading before picking up another book. I have always felt it slows me down from reading more books. I needed to hear this! Thank you!
Everyone always tells me that it is weird to be reading several books at the same time... when it feels completely normal. And it is amazing that you mentioned it, because that is how I "discovered" this "thing"... by reading a fiction book, a non fiction book, the Quran and tafsirs and The Holy Bible... all at the same time. My reason being, it is going to take for ever to get through this, so have a taste of all.
Love your videos always especially when it’s on reading or productivity guidance. Love how you used Quran as an example here. I do read 2 or 3 books at a time fiction and non fiction so I want be feeling I’m wasting time only but to benefit. However finishing the books takes more time so the goal is longer to be reached. Plus sometimes I feel bored of having same topics for so months. Now I’m trying a book at a time to explore how it goes as well.
Wow, I am so glad you brought up this topic. As a teenager I would read multiple books at a time. Now, I know it was a good thing.🤗
Pure gold. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 🙏🏻💯
This is really helpful, I’m going to try this immediately. I always felt “guilty” about reading more than one book at the same time before. Also, this must be the first time I am actually interested in the sponsor of a CZcams video.
Thank you so much for the superlike Roland!
Sounds like a spectrum issue
I really love your editing style. Is there any chance that you will make a video about how you edit yours 😊❤
I was thinking that, and now I'll start to use this tip. Thanks
I never realized how much depth there is to reading until I saw this video. I wouldn’t consider myself a reader, but this is definitely helpful :)
I don’t know if you did this intentionally because of some of the comments you’ve been getting about talking way to fast (for non-englisch speakers), but I really really appreciate that you talked a lot slower this time. It makes it so much easier to understand the amazing advice that you give, thank you
As a person with ADHD, I appreciate that she's one of the few people I don't have to speed up to stay focused on what she's saying, lol. So grateful for speed options that let me speed things up or slow them down. :-)
I started this years ago when I was reading a fiction book for relaxation/fun and had to read a non-fiction book for work. People seemed very surprised that I could read two books at the same time, but I said it seemed analogous to following two tv shows. From that I realized I could read numerous books at the same time, just as one watch multiple shows and movies over the week, and week after week, and be able to follow them all - characters, plots, etc.
Hello Elizabeth,
I found your video by accident on CZcams. But, I must say that I admire your passion for reading.
You gave me some good advice about reading. I always thought that if I am currently reading a book then I must finish it first before I will start another one.
So,, thank you very much.
Thank you Elizabeth - this has helped me so much.
I’ve already heard about this idea from another creator and tbh got into it myself even before that, but it was an absolute game changer for me. As a recovering perfectionist I used to have this toxic idea that I have to finish a book if a started it (and especially bought it with my money) and I can’t start reading anything else before I finish it. Horrible mindset and so glad I moved past that. I also found out that the most comfortable amount of books for me to read at the same time is 3: one fiction, one non-fiction and one “self-help” (hate this word lol) or something similar to it.
Maybe “personal development” is better than “self help?”
This is fascinating. Watching this video reminded me of when I was a teenager learning how to play the guitar. My friends were wondering how I got good so quickly. I didn't realize it then but I was also learning multiple songs simultaneously instead of just trying to finish one song at a time. I would stop and pick up another song instead of getting frustrated with one. It kept me interested and excited instead of burning out.
This is VERY helpful. I've responded my self to learn how to play guitar in the coming year and i have Rocksmith for the computer. I'm going to do this and try out multiple songs at the same time! Thank you for your comment!
You are an amazing individual, really fast thinking as well. I bet your reading made you this way, at least in some degree. Thank you for really useful advices.
Thank you for bringing this concept to light. I was one of those one book at a time readers, but within the last year I started reading several books rather than just one. It works for me for many of the reasons you brought up. I've subscribed to your channel and I'm interested in what else you may share.
I love doing this! However inconveniently one time ( on accident ) I read 3 books with the main characters name Rhys 😅 I got lost a couple times but it ended up ending up well.
Must've been so many plot twists 😂
Define "bad book" please! A book with poor reception? Why do you read 'bad books?' Why not just great works? And how many hours a day do you read?
"bad book" mean "evil book" i guess..
Exactly! It took me by surprise when she said "bad book". Because one would assume that people don't intentionally pick bad books to read
Taking a stab here, but I’m guessing it means pulpy, much like how fast food is also called junk food (By contrast, ‘good’ books would be those that are constructive or intellectually stimulating): Not necessarily poorly written, just perhaps more interested in providing pure entertainment rather than intellectual stimulation.
I assume it’s to make you appreciate the “good” book for how well it’s written as well as the relevance or practicality of its content.
If you don’t accept the categorization of some books as “bad,” I know one thing about you: you’ve never been a paid reviewer for self-published fiction.
So pleased to come across your video. Great advice about keeping the genres separate during the activity of reading books simultaneously. For me reading is as reverential an activity as regular church (or mosque or synagogue or temple) attendance. Thank you for hitting the spot.
You are such an impressive communicator. Your content is fantastic, more so is the way you present with such fantastic body language. Glad I found your channel.
Reading Quran everyday made my life sooo much BETTER ❤ it helps me to feel calm and less anxious facing everyday's challenges 💖
Keep it simple, I read 20 pages a day, then a 400 page book is done in a month!
Easy and it works, don't skip or mix it up
Excellent presentation.Thx for posting.
The concepts and strategies you shared make so much sense … thanks for sharing your perspective; I’m so pleased that I clicked on this video! 👍🏼🥰👏🏽
Elizabeth, I like the way you address this subject. However, I have a difficult time listening to you since your voice does not project, but sounds more like a growl to me. May I suggest you focus on breathing to avoid the guttural sounds to make it easier for older folks like myself to understand your enunciation? Thank you.
i have always done this subconsciously you put it into words really well! (also i love your hair color it’s so so pretty)
Thank you for this eye opening opportunity. 💕
Very well said, Elizabeth. I just subscribed to your channel and hope to experience much more with my reading skills and learning more about you and your thoughts. Wishing you the best.
I've been finding this out recently and taking this approach, and pretending I'm back in school when I used to have five classes and keep up with the different books. But because there are so many books I want to read I just have to watch out for starting too many that I end up neglecting some for too long and having to start over when I get back to them. But yes, I also am not in the mood for certain ones at certain times and as long as I'm moving forward with something on my list and not backtracking, I'm making progress and that's the most important part! Too much to read out there! Anyway, thanks for the good advice and positive reinforcement!
This makes sooo much sense to me!!! Thank you for your insights!!
Thank you. I ran across your video by happen chance. I really appreciate the thoughts that you shared. I think it will bring more richness to my reading experience and get me to read more.
This was an incredibly insightful video. Thank you Ms Filips
I have been reading more than one book in at a time -sometimes 5 books-, not because I had a smart idea or, anything; I just would get bored after 2, maybe 3 chapters, so I'd put it down, and go to the other, and so on.
But now, after listening to you describing your experience, and following your advice, I can do that "Scientifically", knowing exactly what I'm doing.
I, also, went and subscribed to 80,000hours' newsletter, I think I will benefit a great deal from their site; thanks a bunch, to you!
Thank for your insight, time and for sharing your experience and the link.
_Cheers_
I am so glad that I’m not the only that does this!!!!!! Thank you, great video!!!!!
Finding so many people with videos talking about this really helps me to feel better about reading multiple books at a time. And yes, I do, I really do finish everyone of the many books I am currently reading at that time. Four to five books, sometimes up to eight at a time within a few days for a few weeks or months. And then I move onto the next various books I want or must read.
Thank you for helping those of us that do this to not feel as weird I guess. LOL ❤
Thank you for posting this video. You have a new subscriber. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for the encouragement. I was feeling the same guilt of reading 5 books and moving from one to the next. I feel better now
:). I learned this when I was at U Michigan during my undergrad in English Language and Lit (a few decades ago). We were ALL forced to read multiple books at one time EVERY semester. Do or die! What was very clear was that it was a great benefit to the overall critical thinking process, and gave plenty of opportunities to unavoidably compare the relative importance of subjects, thoughts, and approaches. Trust, your brain will thank you for it!