We are constantly in a state of learning, reading computer screens and documents, however when was the last time you read a book or a chapter of a book? I usually find that I have read so many pages of text these days that sometimes a book is the last thing to pick up and enjoy. This is something I am ensuring that I am doing on a regular basis.
Books tend to co
me to be online and again you are reading some sort of device or screen as we move from paper to paperless, however the feel of holding a book and reading it is still my preference. Either way taking some time away from those emails and documents is a good thing.
99U.com has recently published a couple of articles that explore reading and taking reading breaks;
- The Power of Taking Reading Breaks
- Marginalia, the Anti-Library, and Other Ways to Master the Lost Art of Reading
One thing that resinated with me was the quote
Keep a stack of interesting books on or near your desk and you’ll always have material on hand to nurture your mind when you need it most.
I don’t have a stack of books at work, but in my study at home I have a few that I reference on an occasional basis. Some of these are work based and some not.
- The Art of System Architecture – Rechtin, Maler
- Software Architecture in Practice – Bass, Clements, Kazman
- The Trusted Advisor – David H Maister
- Oxford book of Proverbs
- Leonardo Da Vinci – Charles Nicholl
- Information is Beautiful – David McCandless
A colleague at work recently posted a comment that shows the power of taking a break and reading from a book;
“I read the chapter of a book over lunch and it felt good and I learnt something”
Lunch time is a great time to have a read, however if you are finding it hard to free your lunch time check out my blog post on “Lunch? No I’ve got a meeting!”
Do you have a stack of books that you refer to? Whats in your list?
Max Hemingway 