T
23

My 20-minute bedtime trick got me back into reading

I kept skipping books because they felt like a big task, so I started with a 20-minute timer each night (and left my phone in another room). This simple switch helped me see that short, regular slots work better than trying to read for hours.
3 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In
3 Comments
max388
max38853m ago
So we're all out here tricking our own brains into doing fun stuff now? What's next, a ten minute timer for eating ice cream so it feels like less of a commitment? Honestly though, it works because the timer makes it a game you can win, not another chore on the list. My brain would rather stare at a wall for twenty minutes than start a big task, but tell it the wall staring ends in twenty minutes and suddenly it's a fun activity. It's kind of sad how easy we are to fool, but hey, if it gets the book read, who cares.
4
betty_shah
Totally get this... I did the exact same thing with a fifteen minute limit after dinner. That tiny win each night made my book pile actually shrink for once. Feels less like homework when you know the timer's gonna ding soon.
2
webb.xena
webb.xena5d ago
Twelve minutes with a book feels like a tiny vacation.
4