I love reading. The source of materials that I read comes from webpages, books, newspapers, and magazines. Normally I would read digital books and webpages from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phone. The screen size is just perfect to carry around and read while waiting. Whenever I come across webpages that I wanted to save for later reading, I would use the Evernote tool to save the webpage for later reading.
One of my biggest challenge is sorting out my reading materials. Around the house and my office desk, I have all kinds of half and to read materials. The same goes to my digital reading materials as well. As I accumulate more reading materials, it has become overwhelming. I see books and magazines everywhere and I would get distracted by some other reading materials as I am just reading through whatever that was in my palm.
I have spend the weekend trying to get myself back in order and free up some space in the house. The first thing that I did was to put all my reading materials into one location in the house. In this case, that would be my study room. I have to fight the temptation to procrastinate the clean up whenever I pick up something that catches my interest at that time. Without any thoughts I just want to pile all the notes, books, magazines and newspaper clipping into one area.
With all the reading materials laying in one central location. I look at my short term and long term goals. The goals will be the basis of how I should sort out the reading materials. For example, I have given up hope on learning how to code. Those programming books goes straight to the donation bin. I am still trying to aim to be certified as a PMP practitioner. Those materials will stay and pile together. For those really long term goals such as learning French, I would put those aside on the "maybe" pile. During the sorting process, I have to be ruthless. Whatever reading materials which I have not touch for more than a year, it is lightly that I will not need it again. Those goes into the donation bin. During clean up, I have found old prints that the ink has stuck the papers together already.
After shredding a bag full of papers and stashed two boxes of books and magazines. My reading list now is more manageable. My short term goal reading materials will be sitting next to my desk, while my long term goal reading materials are kept in the bookshelf. The "maybe" books will be in the storeroom.
The idea is to keep all the books in their respective locations. I will not simply put my books around the house. Whenever I need a break from the book, it has to go back to the same place where I took it. When I finish with the reading materials, I would either consider to be filed, shredded or given away. By doing so, this helps me to keep the house in order as well as making sure I get the necessary reading done and not get distracted.
If I have better ways to manage your reading materials, do share! Remember though, books can only give you knowledge and not wisdom.
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