Why Professionals Should Read Daily

5 reasons why you need to pick up a book now!

“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” — Jim Rohn

Introduction

Professionals all over the world today are experiencing a tougher job market, higher expectations when it comes to pay raises and promotions, and demanding collaborations often with individuals from around the world with varied cultures, languages, and work ethics.

All of these, along with the constant need to keep yourself updated with the latest skills or technologies, make it challenging for professionals to find an edge when it comes to standing out.

If you are that professional — Reading regularly and widely is a tool that can supercharge your professional and personal life.

This quote by Jim Rohn so aptly says — “Everything you need for a better future and success has already been written.”

So why not find what it is, read it, and apply it to our lives?

“Books are what you step on to take you to a higher shelf. The higher your stack of books, the higher the shelf you can reach. Want to reach higher? Stack some more books under your feet! Reading is what brings us to new knowledge. It opens new doors. It helps us understand mysteries. It lets us hear from successful people. Reading is what takes us down the road in our journey.

Everything you need for a better future and success has already been written.”

— Jim Rohn

Here are 5 reasons why I believe that a professional should read daily:

1. Enhance Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving Skills

These two skills are the powerhouses of your career. If you have these, you can be unstoppable in your growth as a person and a professional.

What is critical thinking?

This University of Louisville article puts forth two definitions, one old and one new. Both are equally enlightening for our purposes. Here they are —

Definition according to research from the ’60s to early 2000s:

“Critical thinking has been described as an ability to question; to acknowledge and test previously held assumptions; to recognize ambiguity; to examine, interpret, evaluate, reason, and reflect; to make informed judgments and decisions; and to clarify, articulate, and justify positions.”

The definition adopted by UofL:

“Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.”

As a professional in any field, you are constantly expected to be applying your critical thinking skills to perform your job. If your ideas could be better formed and if you could be given better tools for critical thinking that could revolutionize the way you worked, wouldn’t you want to use them?

There are innumerable excellent books out there that focus solely on this. Here are some just a few examples —

2. Boosting Creativity & Innovation

Creativity and Innovation add an excellent feather to the cap of a professional. If you possess these skills, then you can become one of the sought-after professionals in your team, company, and even in your field.

Any industry is always looking for ways in which they can innovate and grow. Innovations are not limited to science and technology but are in great demand in areas like advertising, sales, publicity, social media marketing, content creation, etc.

Any new idea that can help companies boost their sales or impact their customer experience for the better can prove to be a creative and innovative find for the company. Professionals must be on the lookout for contributing not just to their daily tasks but also to thinking about such innovative solutions and inputs. This will definitely give them an upper hand when it comes to receiving remunerations and promotions.

Here are some examples of books on these topics to help you grow —

3. Better Time Management & Productivity

Time Management & Productivity are tools that are of paramount importance in any profession. Effectiveness in these areas can ease the pressures of daily tasks. They can help set disciplines and systems that will serve not only the individual professionals but also their organizations.

A lot of very valuable and insightful books have been written on these topics that are not just interesting reads but are chock full of practical and actionable steps.

I recently read an interesting book called Stick With It by Dr. Sean Young. I have written an entire series about it. It had very practical steps for forming new habits.

Another fairly new book released just about a month back called Feel-good Productivity by one of my favorite YouTubers, Ali Abdaal, was an interesting read as well. And then there’s the amazing book Atomic Habits by James Clear, which is definitely a must-read. There are a ton of amazing books —

4. Enhancing Communication & Interpersonal Skills

“You can make positive deposits in your own economy every day by reading and listening to powerful, positive, life-changing content and by associating with encouraging and hope-building people.” — Zig Ziglar

Professionals are in constant need of excellent, wise, effective, to-the-point, socially acceptable, and empathetic communication & interpersonal skills. If you possess these, then your chances of an upward climb increase manifold.

Being sensitive to the needs and situations of others around you in a professional environment will serve you well. It is a skill that many might tend to ignore, thinking that it is not that important in a professional setting. But you will do well to hone your own communication & interpersonal skills in a professional and effective way.

Here are some excellent books that might help professionals stay on top of their communication & interpersonal skills —

5. Acquiring New Skills & Knowledge

“To get to where you want to be in the next 5 years, you are either reading the right books, or you’re not” — Jim Rohn

No matter what profession you are in, there is always some kind of advancement going on. New skills, new technologies, innovations, design principles, methodologies, people skills, emotional intelligence, etc.

It is a great habit to keep at least one new skill going at all times. Keep a guidebook related to that topic handy with you so that you can revise the concepts or refer to it any time you need.

In my early days as an IT professional, when I took certification exams, I carried those books with me so that I could revise my concepts. The certifications I took definitely helped with my promotions and growth.

Later, when I was a more mature software developer and had a better grasp of concepts, I took a deep dive into books like ‘Clean Code’ by Robert C. Martin. I loved that book and also had a handy ebook on my phone. It read almost like a recreational book to me.

Lastly, when I pursued an Executive Post-Graduate Masters degree while working, I had the books from my suggested reading on my journeys to and from the office.

So, no matter if it is a certification, a course, or even a new college degree that you are aiming for, be sure to pack a handy book with you. That way, you will not waste the precious travel time or break time that you can use for reading. And it will only help you get to where you want to be faster.

Conclusion

You see how life-changing reading books daily can be for professionals. It can be the change that you need right now to get ahead in your career or life. Reading can catapult your growth and help you with your daily endeavors. It can do for you what you choose for it to do —

i. Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving Skills ii. Boosting Creativity & Innovation iii. Better Time Management & Productivity iv. Enhancing Communication & Interpersonal Skills v. Acquiring New Skills & Knowledge

So why not begin small and try reading at least just a couple of pages a day from a book on a topic that you enjoy? Find your nearest library or bookstore and stop by on your way back home from work and pick up that book.

Use your travel time to read or listen to books. Use the lunch hour to sneak in a couple of pages. The 10–15 minutes before bed reading time is also a great idea. Get in as much as you can fit into your schedule and slowly build the habit. Continue to read the book if you are enjoying it, not if it bores you, so that you can sustain the habit.

If you have favorite books or reading tips that you enjoy as a professional, I would love to hear about them.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed my story.