Is it Okay to Skip Reading Days?
The answer lies in why you read
I’ve let an entire day go by without reading a single page today. I call such days as “Zero-Reading” days. These are the days when you get zero reading done.
I had a zero-reading day after 45 days of non-stop reading. On some of these days, I was reading multiple books. Today I fell off the wagon. More than 24 hours have passed since I held a book.
Today just didn’t seem like a book day.
As the day nears to an end, I am overcome with a sense of remorse on losing my streak. At the same time, I’m confident enough to jump onto one of the new books that arrived from Amazon today the first thing tomorrow morning. But as I write in my journal, I still can’t brush off the question: is it okay to skip a reading day?
Avid Readers Suggest Otherwise
Most of my reader and writer friends emote how they never let a day go by without reading at least a page. Whether they spend the day scuba diving in the Maldives or they go hiking on the Appalachian trails, they make sure they carry a book with them-be it in the form of an e-book, a paperback, or an offline audiobook on their phone.
The world in general advocates this too. When I google “read every day”, I’m taken aback by the number of articles that enumerate tens of reasons why you must never skip a reading day, no matter how tired you are. All famous people do it, they emphasize. Stress reduction, better analytical thinking, a richer vocabulary are some of the reasons for reading every day. Most of these articles expound on these reasons with conviction.
But just think about it. Doesn’t forcing yourself to read for leisure against your will amount to injustice on both the reader’s and the writer’s part?
When is it Not Okay to Have a Zero-Reading Day
In some cases such as those enlisted below, forcing yourself to read every day is justified.
When it is a Part of Achieving a Specific Life-Goal
If you’re a Ph.D. student, you can’t let a day go by without reading about your subject matter. If you’re an aspiring writer looking to publish your next book within a specified deadline, you mustn’t spare even an hour, let alone a day, in gathering all the knowledge you require. If you’re preparing for language tests part of immigration exams such as IELTS or TOEFL or GRE, you must read every day to prepare for them. If you’re hustling with setting up a new skill, you must read every day to master it.
The urge to read must indeed come naturally to you. But in cases where reading directly relates to your goals or your source of income, you should make sure you never go to sleep without reading a book in some form.
When You Have Sleepless Nights Over It
Halfway through the afternoon nap today, I woke up with a jolt. I felt my head swirl around in a tizzy. The next thing I knew, I fired my Kindle and was reading mindlessly through Shirley Jackson’s “We Have Always Lived in the Castle”. Wait, what? It was a random book of one of those genres I had no interest in reading in recent times. Why was I even reading a horror novel? I took three deep breaths, snapped my Kindle shut, and went on with day’s flow, continuing my nap.
Thankfully, I contained my anxiety of skipping a habit I had promised myself to commit to unfailingly in due time. Otherwise, I would have spent a sleepless night over it. If you’re anything like me, you’re familiar with the gripping anxiety tightening itself around you as you let a day go waste without doing what you were supposed to do-such as finish reading at least a hundred pages. If you’re convinced that this anxiety will eat away your day and night and the next day if you simply don’t go through with it, take three deep breaths and start reading. Don’t jump into a random book though, as I did. I read half a chapter I didn’t even account for.
Instead, you can pick a book of short, amusing stories by O.Henry or Saki and read through a story or two. I keep one of these handy for the extremely fidgeting days. Doing this not only eases the anxiety of having skipped a reading day, but it also accounts for the chapters that I read. I make sure I update the progress on Goodreads to track my reading position in the book.
If you club one or more days worth of such short reading spells, you’ll have utilized otherwise your no-read days to read a complete book in a short time!
When One Zero-Read Day Turns into a No-Reading Spell
I’ve been here for the better part of the last four years. I picked a book, only to get rattled by something else (a pop-up on my phone, in most cases) and the next thing I knew, I spent days without reading. Sometimes, even a year.
I know my pattern. I go on long and dry reading spells after having randomly read a book or two. These random books are usually sourced from different friends and neighbors. This worked just fine when I was 13 with a lot of time on my hands. A lot of random books added up to weeks of unshakable reading back then. But now, as I struggle to squeeze my aspirations between days, it is important that I find my path in the reading jungle and follow the trail to reach my goals. If I aspire to reach the other end, I need to keep progressing. I even note it down to keep myself inspired.
If you’re like me and are struggling to develop a reading habit, don’t skip a reading day. For us, it’s more of an excuse compared to seasoned readers. I read non-stop, come rain or hail, for 30 days before I relaxed my reading pace. 45 days later as I write this, I’m habituated to reading. I’ve already zeroed down on Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” to start tomorrow. Come to think of it, I might even read a chapter before I sleep today.
To summarize it in a nutshell, if you’re starting off on the journey to make reading a conscious, regular habit, forbid yourself from skipping a reading day at least for the first 30 days.
When is it Okay to Have a Zero-Reading Day
Here’s the good news: if you don’t belong to any of the above categories or if you’re reading books that aren’t directly related to a specific life goal or a profession, it is okay to have a zero-reading day sometimes.
You Know You Can’t Go Long Without Reading
You find yourself drawn to books like a moth to a flame. It is impossible for you to go on days without reading. If you belong to this category, allow yourself the liberty of ending the day without reading a single page. You might have felt too tired to read today or you might have been out for most of the day. Since you’re already habituated to reading, you know you won’t let a single day ruin your reading streak. In such cases, spend the day doing other productive things. Or thinking and reading about books, as I did today. I even added a few good books to my “To Read” list.
For if you’re habituated to reading, nothing can take it away from you. If a habitual reader goes without reading for too long, they feel a palpable loss in their heart.
You Don’t WANT to Read Regularly
Occasional books suit you just fine. You’ve committed yourself to read on idle weekends and holidays and nothing more. You’re content with the sporadic reading. Sure the magical book world amuses you. But you’ve decided to do it in your own limits. It doesn’t make you any less of a reader. In fact, it makes you even more in control of your habits. In short, don’t read daily if that’s not your cup of tea.
The Final Verdict
Reading is a personal choice. What you read and how you read is a personal choice too. As long as you’re fulfilling your own reading goals, you don’t have to beat yourself up for not following a set pattern.
When I decided to redevelop my reading habit, I did it out of personal interest and to own up to my hobby once again. I wasn’t bullied by the people or articles preaching on the power of reading daily or the horrors of not. The bottom line is to stay in control of your reading habit. As long as you don’t lose a grip on it, it is safe to skip a few reading days without being labeled a traitor.
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