by Sunelle |
Last Updated: 10/01/2021 I consume a lot of content from books, podcasts, online articles, and online courses.
Books
I have been on a mission to read more books in the past few years. I started with a goal of 50 books a year in 2012, but I achieved this goal not only in 2012, but also every year since then. Furthermore, I achieved this despite postgraduate studies in 2015-2017 – it was tough, but I finished quite a few books just before the end of each year to meet my goal.
In 2019 I read 94 books. And, of course, I suddenly felt the need to challenge myself to read 100 books in 2020.
At the end of 2021, I read 155 books! This was partly because of slightly longer morning reading times caused by Covid, but even without Covid, it would have been around 100 books!
Podcasts
I started listening to podcasts in 2013 when my commute to work became over 2 hours per day. Although I read while sitting on the train in the mornings, I needed something to occupy my mind in the afternoons when I was exhausted after a day at work.
I am currently subscribed to over 70 podcasts. Most release new episodes weekly. Some podcast episodes are long, while others are short. With such many podcast subscriptions, I am always behind in my listening and am always playing to catch up.
Online articles
I also use an RSS reader to follow over 2600 blogs and sites. I don’t really everything that is published, but I scan and read whatever looks interesting on a given day. Naturally, I save numerous articles for reading later.
I am also subscribed to over 50 newsletters. I don’t always read every newsletter, but I scan it and save articles I may find interesting for reading later.
Online courses and videos
I went through a phase of compulsively buying online courses and watching videos on various topics I am interested in. I love learning new things and getting better at old things.
The problem with my content consumption
A colleague mentioned that he had bought some books on time management and productivity to help him learn how to do more with his limited time. I asked about the books, and I read them in 2019. When he asked me for my view about the books, I had to dig deep and look at my Kindle highlights before I could give him any feedback… This did not make me feel good at all.
A while later, I knew I was listening to podcasts and videos without really taking anything in. I don’t think I was even really listening! It was almost like having white noise on to distract me. This realization made me feel uncomfortable.
I realized that I consume a lot with little retention because I consume mindlessly. I then asked myself why I consume so much if I cannot remember anything and hardly ever apply what I learn. What is the purpose of reading, doing so many courses, and listening to podcasts? The type of books, articles, and courses I read and did, and the podcasts I consume are not light entertainment – they are all non-fiction, practical items – meant for learning, experimenting, and applying.
The decision
What mattered more to me was that I should use and keep what I consumed, especially as I was spending reasonably large amounts on these items regularly. Spending money to learn was a significant value for me, but I was not living this value by learning… I was wasting precious time and money on items with no long-term benefit. The problem was not the content itself; it was me and my approach to consumption.
I decided I wanted to continue with content consumption but do it more intentionally, even though it would require slowing down and consuming less. Did volume matter? I did not need to prove how fast or how much I could read or consume. This was about what is important to me – gaining knowledge, retaining it, and applying it to improve my life and make it more interesting.
Steps to follow to better my content consumption
I decided recently: I need to consume with intention by trying to be more present while consuming. I need to give my full attention to what I do while doing it. This will be a long journey, and I may have many setbacks along the way, but I need to learn to control myself and focus better while consuming anything I consider worthy of my time.
Some steps I have already taken and some I am busy with:
- Reading slower and trying to understand and take in what I am reading for non-fiction books. Fiction books are for light entertainment, I don’t need to remember anything except the enjoyment of reading these books.
- Taking more notes on what I read, I take the time to review my notes to make sure they make sense and will be usable in the future.
- Unsubscribing to many newsletters. I am also not allowing myself to subscribe to new newsletters unless I unsubscribe to another.
- Taking notes of those podcasts, online courses, or videos that I listen to learn. The “fun” podcasts are like fiction books, just light entertainment.
- Taking action and applying what I learn instead of just learning continuously. That is also why I have experimented more. It is also one reason I have started this blog. It is a place to capture my thoughts and lessons from what I consume and experiment with. I will also publish non-fictional book summaries here to increase my accountability to myself. I have recently become interested in learning in public and will explore that topic here as well.
Since making these changes, I think my consumption has become more mindful, but there is still a long way to go. I will document my feelings, my findings, and my teachings here as an accountability mechanism and to track my progress.