The joys of reading in a hyper-inter-active world

I realized again today why I enjoy reading so much; or one of the many reasons. It is because it is easy for me to focus and lose myself in the book.

In much of my life I can’t seem to focus and really engage one thing and one thing only. At work there is email, phone, coworkers, even staring out the window. And of course, it takes discipline not to constantly glance at your smartphone to check personal email or twitter or one of a zillion other things.

The smartphone distraction remains at home and you add in TV, kids, computers (with more social media and more distractions), etc. 

This makes it very easy to flit from one thing to the other and never really slow down and concentrate. Reading seems to help me do that. Whether with a book or with my Kindle when I am reading I am reading – nothing more, nothing less.

This is why I don’t want to read on an iPad or tablet (that and the backlighting and eye strain). I want to read, not check email or Twitter or Facebook or sports scores or whatever.

Reading is one of the few things in my life that seems to allow me to connect and focus – to devote long chunks of time to one thing and accomplish something.

Now of course I need to get better at focusing and staying on task at work and other important efforts, but reading still brings a unique satisfaction that few if any other thing I do can.

Kevin Holtsberry
I work in communications and public affairs. I try to squeeze in as much reading as I can while still spending time with my wife and two kids (and cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers and Michigan Wolverines during football season).

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