How Reading Helps Us Become Less Distracted and Produce Things That Matter
Unbroken concentration produces more from our brains than any other cognitive state, but today, that state is getting harder to achieve. Reading more is a powerful way to improve our concentration and attention, helping create more things of value in our lives.
A thousand years ago, Murasaki Shikibu, a lady-in-waiting at the Japanese Imperial court, was in mourning after her husband’s death. She retreated to the Ishiyama temple at Lake Biwa near Kyoto. There, while gazing at the moon and freed from distraction, she wrote the 54-chapter and 1200-page story, The Tale of Genji, capturing the peak of Heian court society. This became the world’s first novel.
Written to entertain Japanese aristocratic women, The Tale of Genji wasn’t only popular in its day—read by the emperor no less—but is recognised today, a millennium later, as one of the enduring classics of world literature, capturing a time and place that have long since disappeared.
History has countless examples like this—human beings putting themselves under the right conditions, especially unbroken concentration, to take on a challenging activity, creating something innovative and valuable.
Working on challenging activities without distraction is a differentiator today
The state of unbroken concentration produces more from our brains than any other cognitive state. It’s the power of a focused mind. But today, that focused mind is getting harder to achieve. A major new survey of the U.K. public by the Policy Institute and Centre for Attention Studies revealed 47% of participants believe “deep thinking” has become a thing of the past, roughly double the proportion who disagreed with this view.
The ability to work on challenging professional activities performed without distraction that create new value is what author Cal Newport defines as “Deep Work.” Deep Work can be a significant competitive differentiator—both for the organisation and the individual performing it. But it’s becoming more and more difficult to do.
Distractions lurk everywhere. In our digital world of relentless back-and-forth messages, notifications, and dopamine shots of social media, we often go through an entire day, not once concentrating hard without distraction. This impacts our ability to produce work that stands out and makes a difference.
This is both a problem and an opportunity. Deep Work is becoming increasingly rare. At the same time, Deep Work is becoming increasingly valuable to organisations who need to differentiate their products and services more than ever.
If you can train your ability to embrace Deep Work, you can create the value in your professional activities that get noticed and are hard to replicate. There’s a simple way to get better at Deep Work, with many additional benefits. Read more.
Studies have shown that the two areas of the brain stimulated while reading (the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex) are the same areas where concentration, attention, planning, and decision-making activities take place. The more we regularly read, the more we improve our concentration and attention.
Reading is a superpower, but we seem to be reading less
“Classic’—a book which people praise and don’t read.” - Mark Twain
Reading may well be a superpower, but it seems to be one on the wane. The consensus is we are reading less.
Research group WordsRated found in their 2022 study that more than half of American adults (51.6%) haven’t read a full print or ebook in over a year. They also found fewer younger people read, and of those that did, they read significantly less than older generations. It’s a similar picture in the U.K. The GB TGI 2021 study from Kantar Media found 47% of UK adults haven’t read a book in the last year.
This is despite the reported surge in reading habits during the pandemic. Research service Global English Editing published a report in November 2020 revealing the global pandemic caused 35% of the world to read more, with 14% saying they read significantly more. We can infer from the research some maintained their reading habit, and some didn’t as life returned closer to normal in many countries.
The ancient skill of reading has never been more important in the Digital Age
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” - Walt Disney
In her article for The New Yorker, Can Reading Make You Happier, Ceridwen Dovey made the case that based on science and research, those who read are likely to have a higher quality of life than non-readers.
The benefits of reading are well documented and life long.
Reading strengthens your brainpower and prevents cognitive decline. Reading involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. Just like going for a run exercises your cardiovascular system, reading thirty minutes a day keeps your brain in good shape, improving memory, focus, and attention span, and slowing the decline of brain function with age.
Reading builds your vocabulary, speaking, and writing skills. In LinkedIn’s 2019 Global Talent Trends report, 89% of recruiters said that when a hire doesn't work out, it usually comes down to a lack of soft skills. Reading is a powerful way to build soft skills like the ability to communicate effectively, problem-solve, persuade and think critically.
Reading makes you more empathetic. An influential study published in Science in 2013 found reading literary fiction improved participants’ results on tests that measured social perception and empathy, which are crucial to “theory of mind”—a set of skills essential for building, navigating, and maintaining social relationships. As reported in a McKinsey survey, the proportion of companies addressing empathy and interpersonal skills doubled in 2020.
Reading helps grow your network and conversations. Books you’ve read can be a great conversation starter within your network, as well as helping you bond with new people. Reading broadens your knowledge on a range of topics, helping generate new ideas and ways of thinking. Reading regularly also helps develop your ability to objectively critique what you’ve read, making you a valuable member for more difficult conversations.
Reading reduces stress and can improves sleep and mental health. In 2009, a group of researchers found that thirty minutes of reading lowered blood pleasure, heart rate and feelings of psychological distress just as effectively as yoga and humour did. Books can help us in many areas of our life when we feel in a downward spiral, such as relationships, career, and bereavement. Books are like doses of medicine. They shift our brains into a relaxing and calm state, a respite from the white noise of society.
Three ways to read more
“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” - J. K. Rowling
It’s never too late to read more. Common barriers include a perceived lack of time, not knowing what to read, or identifying as a non-reader.
Here’s three solutions.
Be intentional with your time. Time is a limited resource. Deciding how you spend your time is one of the most important choices you can make in life. Even just thirty minutes less time scrolling on social media will free enough time for an unbroken spell of reading a good book, before bed, for example.
Start small and find the right space. If you’re not a big reader, or you used to read a lot but don’t anymore, reading just ten minutes a day can be a helpful start. Create or find a quiet space without distractions, using headphones if that helps.
Be selective and don’t get overwhelmed by choice. I break books into three categories: fiction, non-fiction, and self help & instruction. Create a shortlist for each category, so you always have a pipeline of books. Ask friends for recommendations, bookmark the New York Times Best Seller list, and search online for specific topics that interest you. You can also have two or three (different category) books on the go at any one time, reflecting your particular mood.
Choosing between physical books versus digital books doesn’t matter so much as long as you’re not reading on a multi-purpose device such as a smartphone or tablet. Distractions and temptations are only a touch away on these devices.
I prefer physical books to digital books. I like the feeling of a physical book in my hands and print is visually less demanding than digital text. Research also shows we absorb and remember more information from physical books.
Results for life
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” - Stephen King
We owe it to ourselves to realise our potential. That means getting better at focusing without distraction on challenging things that create value. Reading is one way to help us do that. It trains us to be in a more focused state and less prone to distraction. It also has multiple benefits that last a lifetime.
If you’re already reading regularly, share the benefits with others. If you want to read more, make time in your day. Give it the prioritisation it deserves. Start small and go from there.
Perhaps it will enable you to create something that can last a thousand years, too.