Is reading better than watching TV? I believe it is. Is reading better than playing video games? I’m not so sure if it is. If learning is important to you, but not necessarily so, and if pleasure is what you want, these activities can be pleasant in their own ways. Reading might be better than many activities if you want to educate yourself and improve your chances of succeeding in your work.

If you’re serious about creating the habit of reading, what’s important is finding a time you can read every day—often that’s early morning or late at night, or both. For others, it might be during their lunch break. You only need to read for 10 to 20 minutes a day to form the habit.

Then, you need to find a place that’s comfortable. Make sure it has good lighting, the temperature is nice and you’re in a good chair. Or you can find some place that you can relax in without falling asleep, although there’s nothing wrong with sleep.

Next, be sure to shut off the TV, Internet, cell phone, radio, or other music, let reading be a quiet time. Mark an “x” on your calendar every day you read, and try to keep your unbroken “x” es going as long as possible. A habit is much easier to get into if it’s something you enjoy, not something you are made to do. So make the time you spend reading a joy. I’ve been a lifelong reader, so the pleasure of a good book is one of my favorite things in the world. I love to lose myself in the world of a book.