2/17/25: Reading as Self-Care

I am a planner!  In my office, on the bulletin board, staring me in the face, are sheets that list my personal goals and professional goals.  Something I never used to be great at, but now I prioritize is self-care…seriously, it is #5 on my list of “2025 Personal Goals”.  Each Sunday I sit down with my planner and sketch out the week.  I have a spot where I list “personal” and “professional” must-dos.  Under personal, I always have “Read 20×4”.  Why is it always there?  Because reading is one form of self-care for me, and if you’re a reader, I bet it is for you, too. 

Don’t get me wrong, I take time to get my hair done, get a massage at least once a month, go out with friends, but reading is my daily self-care.  Just this morning I felt hustled – kid drop off, grocery shopping, Wal-Mart pick up, Valentine party snack making, mopping floors, laundry, dishes, all that before 10:30am, and I just needed to stop.  I knew I had a meeting in 20 minutes, but I set a timer for 15 minutes, sat down, read my book, and felt my heart and my mind slow. I felt prepared to do what I needed to for the next couple hours. 

Baylor College of Medicine did a study in May 2024 about mindful reading and mental health.  They stated reading helps reduce stress and anxiety and takes your mind away from the other things happening in your environment.  Mindfulness is creating a quiet space to focus and be present in each moment.  Mindful reading allows you to focus on reading, not necessarily the “endgame”.  This is where I find self-care; the ability to push out all the distractions and just be present with my book. 

Personal thought, but this would more likely be achieved with your favorite fiction book.  I know when I’m reading non-fiction, my mind does not relax, in fact it speeds up. 

The article has a lot of great information about the benefits of reading and mindful reading, I’d encourage you to go check it out https://www.bcm.edu/news/mindful-reading-and-mental-health

Do you use reading as a form of self-care?  What is your favorite book to get lost in?