Book reading is not just a habit. When pursued with dedication and interest, it becomes a lifestyle that integrates itself into our daily routine. The habit of book reading is essential for cognitive development, learning new vocabu-lary and, in the long run, acquiring knowledge. Moreover, reading fiction stirs our imagination and explores emo-tions and situations we might never encounter in real life, while reading non-fiction allows us to experience diverse perspectives, gain knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of real-world issues and events.

In this article, I will explain some of the key benefits of reading books to help you incorporate this valuable habit into your daily routine.

Improves cognitive stimulation: Reading is an exercise for the mind. When we read anything, it helps us develop our imagination, as well as creative thinking skills.

To get the most from reading, you must focus on each word at a time, so that it stays in your mind and you develop an understanding of its meaning. Our cognition develops when we observe, question and ponder the information we are reading.

Develops emotional intelligence: Reading helps us in developing our emotional intelligence. So when reading fiction, through the characters’ journey, we gain a sense of empathy. Similarly, by reading historical ac-counts and biographies that come under the non-fiction genre, you learn about the struggles and sacrifices, the political and social situations and other information about all those who have shaped the history of this world.

Reduces stress: If you are under stress and want to divert your mind, then reading is one of the best activities. You can take a break from the monotonous routine of your school life or official chores, while entering into a world of fiction or non-fiction that provides relief from the daily grind.

It is advised that you keep a journal or diary with you when reading and keep writing down key points from the book, the phrases or sentences you may find unique or the words that you may not be too familiar with. This exercise will relieve stress and give you an engaging activity to pursue.

Develops communication: If you are aspiring to be a writer, then the habit of book reading is the first step to help you become one. Reading develops our sense of writing sentences, gives us a direction of what narrative to write and provides us with a framework of what may work. Consider reading a work of fiction and understanding how the dialogues are written. It will help you create dialogues when you are writing your manuscript.

Moreover, reading works of non-fiction helps you develop a keen understand-ing of how to present information to the relevant audience.

Here is a word of advice for aspiring writers: do read the opinion or op-ed articles in daily newspapers to comprehend how to present maximum information within a limited word count.

Stirs our imagination: Reading is akin to entering into a world where you can live your imagination. The characters of the Harry Potter series, Gnadalf from The Lord of the Rings; and Aslan from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, among others, are some of the examples of characters who have become a part of our memories for their character arc and actions in the story. These characters and the settings, story and the climax, action and the suspense combine to form a magical combination that we experience through words.

Imparts knowledge: There is immense knowledge in books that we acquire when we read them. Through non-fiction narratives we get insights into business, management, finance, self-development, sports, com-munications, leadership, entertainment. Through these books we become aware of trends, analysis, insights and information to these subjects and topics.

This knowledge broadens our mental horizon and facilitates us in becoming confident when discussing such topics in social gatherings.

Make reading a hab-it

Remember your goal must not be to become a reader, but to develop a habit of reading. This habit, when done with consistency, will become an integral part of our lives. Reading demands not only our concentration but also our time and commitment.

Explore new niches: Don’t limit yourself to one genre or niche. The more you explore, the more aware you become. For instance, if you are interested in reading mysteries, also read adventure stories, biographies and encyclopaedias.

Read to learn: Your reading activity provides you with learning opportunities for growth. Each book that you read gives you a sense of direction and insights into your emotions and develops an emotional attachment with the topic you are reading, so that you can understand the topic from its core.

Discuss what you read: If there is an exciting information or story you have read, share it with those around you. It will be not just a good topic of conversation, but will also make you remember it for a long time.

Discussing about the books you have read with others can also lead you to finding out about other great books and writers from fellow readers. You can then exchange books and have more books to read without spending money.

Write what you’ve read: When reading starts to improve our language skill and stirs our imagination, it is only natural that we may feel the urge to write ourselves. We may want to write something ourselves, which can be a creative piece inspired by a story we’ve read or just our observation and opin-ion on something. Don’t hold this urge back, grab a pen and paper and write — or start punching on the keyboard and write on a computer.

You can even start by keeping a diary, notebook or journal for random scrib-bling, do have a place where you note down thoughts, ideas and sentences that come to mind.

So nur-ture the reader in you and let words stir your intellect and skills to develop new aspects of yourself that you didn’t know existed.