As I’m sure many of you are all aware, I really love reading. I love reading a variety of books. I also have to do A LOT of reading for my degree. I’ve already discussed ways to find time for pleasure reading on this blog before. Today I want to offer my tips and tricks on balancing academic reading with fiction. I hope this is useful for you and let’s get to it!
Keep track of what you’re reading
This can be done in a variety of ways. For example, if you have Goodreads or Storygraph, you can make a note of your to be read (also known as TBR), track what you’re reading and how long it takes you to read certain books.
You can also do this through a reading journal. This is something I incorporate into my media journal, which is where I document everything I have watched or read.
Separate the two – in certain instances
This tip ties in with the next tip I will be giving you. Sometimes it may be better to separate the two. I’m thinking of those books that may be more of a chore to get through or require more attention to detail. However, it’s worth noting this isn’t always the case.
Any academic books that you like the sound of, incorporate into the time you spend reading fiction
I know this might sound silly, but there are plenty of academic books that I have read for the purpose of pleasure reading. Sure, they relate to my degree but they are of interest to me in the sense that I get enjoyment out of them. Therefore, I read these books at the same as I would reading a fictional book, aka before I go to sleep at night. At this moment in time, I’m reading ‘Court Number One: The Old Bailey Trials that Defined Modern Britain’ by Thomas Grant. This is somewhat of an academic book but it is of interest to me which is why I’m choosing to read it at night rather than as part of an academic task.
Don’t prioritise one over the other
This is something that can be very easy to do. I’ve had this before where you’re sort of in a battle with yourself because one takes priority over the other without you even realising. Make yourself aware that both are important. Yes, fictional reading is just as important because it’s important for your well-being. It’s a hobby. Enjoy yourself!
And that’s it! Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to read this post and I will see you soon for another one!
Beth
Beth Olivia 