24 Apr Story #2
Utah City
Salt Lake City
Professional Status
Employee
Influence of Books and/or Reading
I’ve always liked reading a been a strong reader. That made a difference in my life. Elementary school tracked whether or not you were good at reading or math. I was tracked as a good reader. I’ve never had a bad experience with reading, but I don’t love reading the classics. I associate classical literature with high reading and I like to read for fun. I like to read only what I like. There’s no shame in quitting a book.
Outside Factors that Influence Reading for Work
I read for professional development. The same pressure is not there as when in a degree program, though. I read articles for work. Academic, peer-reviewed articles, especially if prepping for a presentation. Reading for work is not fun. But it’s also not dreadful. I read for academic writing. As a writer, I like to read the same style. I like to track what I read and count only long-form content or multiple short-form content as reading a book. I need to feel motivated by a project or writing. Policies and proposals are not reading. It’s part of daily work life.
Outside Factors that Influence Reading for Leisure
I want to be the best version of myself and the way to do that is to do it. A best version of myself is not watching TV. A best version of myself is reading. Time would influence my non-reading. Peer-pressure. All of my friends are smart and I want to keep up. It’s OK to watch TV if I’m also reading a book. The act of reading engages my brain in a healthier way than TV. It’s hard to focus or maintain a train of thought with the Internet. Consistent use of the Internet makes me more easily distracted. I like to sit and read and put the phone in a different room to get rid of distraction and notifications. TV is the same. My brain feels different when reading than watching TV. Reading takes focus and attention. Feels more productive to read. I want to better myself and I’m interested in a lot of different topics. I don’t want to be pigeon-holed. I want to be well-rounded. Work bleeds into leisure. I don’t ever choose to not read, but I’m willing to stop reading because my time is my own. I prefer paper over electronic.
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