The Habit of reading used to be more common in the days before the internet and smartphones. Nowadays, the most typical excuse people have for not reading is a lack of time. I am sure you have used this excuse as well at some point. I used to lament my lack of reading books, too, and would usually blame time. However, last year, I read 30 books, a jump from 5 books the year before.

You may have read or heard about the “Nixon Shock” of 1971 when President Nixon abolished the Bretton Woods international financial exchange system. The Bretton Woods monetary exchange system was an agreement between the United States, Canada, Western Europe, and a host of other prominent countries to back their respective currencies against a set amount of gold.

One of our most significant weaknesses as a species is that we have a propensity for instant gratification. The evolutionary processes that have molded us into who we are have also given us tendencies that are not conducive to productivity.

Most of us have an inherent understanding that reading is essential. We hear it all the time from successful people, and it also makes sense when you think about it. How does one learn about the world? How does one go about expanding one’s knowledge? Of course, by reading. It seems like an obvious thing to do to become more informed and increase one’s intellect. However, at the same time, we find ourselves unable to reach our reading goals. This hindrance is usually caused by a lack of time, or so we think, but mostly, we don’t know how to utilize our time and develop smart reading habits intelligently.

For most of my adult life, I have believed fervently in the idea that reading should be a gradual process. I thought that you should take your time with a book and systematically absorb all the insights. Why shouldn’t you? After all, reading is not a competition but a pursuit of knowledge. Why rush it? This does make sense at the surface, as I have grown older; however, I have realized that not all reading should be treated the same.

How many times have you read a book or an article only to forget everything after a few days? If you are anything like me, I am sure you don’t have a photographic memory. This has been a constant struggle in my life. I have always liked reading books, but I seldomly remember the essential details once I have finished a book. I encounter this problem the most with information-dense non-fiction books. Ironically, non-fiction books are the ones that you want to remember. Unlike a novel, in which even if you forget the tiny details but remember the main plot, you can still remember the “gist”. However, if you read a history book, you would want to absorb all the vital information to bring it up in a conversation or on a test.

College is an entirely new experience compared to the years of formal education leading up to it. You suddenly have complete freedom over your time, which can prove to be problematic initially. Cleaning your room can seem like a hellish prospect when you can easily watch a movie. Why write that paper today which is due in a week? Of course, we all know how that goes. One day turns into two, and then before you know it, the deadline is hanging over your head.

However, college does not have to be a reckless and lawless land. You can easily avoid these pitfalls by putting in some time and effort into better organizing yourself. Reading this article means you are concerned about how you can better organize yourself, and for that, I commend you. Let’s look at some of the changes you can make to achieve this goal.