I’ve been meaning for months to write a blog post about the benefits of reading as self-care. For obvious reasons, now seems as good a time as any.
Reading has always been my go-to activity.
Worried about something and need to know more about it? Read a book.
Worried about something and need to distract myself from it? Read a book.
Need to shut out the white noise of the world and remind myself how to focus on one thing at a time? Read a book.
Heaps of time to kill – at home, in a waiting room, while travelling? Read a book.
It has been clear from watching the stress levels rise across my social media feeds and in-person communities over the last few weeks that not everyone has tuned in to the life-changing magic of books yet.
That’s reasonable. We are living in exceptional times – for those working in frontline jobs, on casual contracts, or as freelancers, there are financial pressures that accompany the COVID-19 pandemic that can’t just be wished away. For those personally affected by the virus, there are even more pressing things to think about.
But for every one of us, for our own wellbeing and mental health, it’s important to have a way of taking the occasional break from the strangeness of it all – from the pressure, the panic, and the 24-hour news cycle. Books are one of the most accessible ways of doing that. Continue reading “Reading as self-care”
Ruth Dawkins Freelance Writer 