It's been a while since I've done a discussion post! I felt compelled to write a post about reading conditions, because well, mine are specific. I know a lot of people differ when it comes to attention spans, no noise vs. a lot of noise, and I figured we could chat about it.
Basically, I envy people who can read just about anywhere. I hear a lot of people share reading playlists, meaning they listen to certain songs when they read, or being able to read on public transport or just about any vehicle. The truth is, that is not me! I get very, very antsy when I am not in an ideal position to read, and this usually results in me just skimming the page and not really retaining anything at all.
My ideal reading condition involves dead silence. I cannot have any noise. No tv on in the background, no music playing. If I am comfy sitting on the sofa reading, and someone comes to turn on the coffee machine, I have to get up and move somewhere quiet. My attention span requires a lot of silence! My mother can just read in the living room while we're all talking and watching tv, and I don't understand how she can comprehend anything that she's reading.
I also oddly enough, cannot read at night. Reading at night seems like such a typical activity, and staying up all night to finish a book is so common in the book community. Not for me! Now this is also probably related to my anxiety. I get most of my anxiety at night, so I can't really focus on much anyways. When I am in my bed at night, my attention is wiped. I need to watch some trashy tv or a sitcom that isn't complicated, because my brain just doesn't want to think. If I read at night, it basically seems like a chore.
Lastly, all of you people who can read in moving vehicles are superheros in my opinion. I think I tried to read in a car once and got so nauseous for the rest of the day. But, I can't even read on planes or on trains which may be a little more stable. I'm sorry, if I am moving, I'm not reading.
So, what is my dream reading condition? Like I said, it get's specific. In my bedroom, door closed, shades drawn up to let in some natural light. It is mid-afternoon, after lunch so I won't get hungry, and not too close to evening so I don't feel sluggish. I have to sit on my bed too. No chairs allowed.
I really wish I could open up these conditions a little more. But, I guess we all have little quirks that make us enjoy the experience a little bit more! I think the one thing I would love to get into is listening to music based on the aesthetic of the book. I think that is so awesome.
Now I want you to share. What are your ideal reading conditions? Are you one of those superheros who can read in a car? Let me know!
Emily @ Paperback Princess
Great topic! I like quiet too, generally, although I do listen to some ambient music sometimes. It has to be fairly relaxing music though haha or I'll get distracted. If I do listen to something it helps if it's sorta related to what I'm reading? Like if I have some Celtic music music on while reading fantasy or something.
ReplyDeleteI can read in a car but I know a lot of people who can't or get carsick, so you're not alone for sure!
I love how you read to match what you’re reading! I think that’s so cool. I wish I could be able to read in the car. It would solve a lot of long road trips!
DeleteHa, I can *pretty much* read anywhere - with some exceptions.
ReplyDeleteBefore bed? - Yep.
When I wake in the morning? - Yep.
In the *ahem* bathroom? - Yep.
On public transport? - Yep.
In a car? - No. But my meds and/or Anxiety make me travel sick in cars, regardless of whether I'm reading or not.
Listening to music? - I can, but I end up blocking the music out, which kind of defeats the point!
Watching TV - Yeah. Although, I used to be able to do it a lot easier than I can now. I tend to stick to ad breaks & re-runs, or programmes I don't care about, because otherwise I lose the thread. I used to be able to literally watch the TV show while reading and follow the plot & everything, but the last bad Depression episode kind of killed that. Maybe it'll come back one of these days...
Anyway, how you read is how you read! Enjoy, Em! :) <3
That’s interesting to hear! I totally relate to anxiety making you car sick. It’s an awful feeling!
DeleteI’m sorry you have kinda lost that ability to focus on tv and a book at the same time! I have all my fingers crossed that it comes back soon! That’s an awesome talent :D
I think I can read just about anywhere, so long as there isn't anything else attention-grabbing going on. For me that means people speaking to me, or an interesting TV-show. I used to read myself to sleep, and I could only put up with long road-trips with reading. I love reading with music (sometimes that gets me in the mood to read!)
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome discussion post, Emily!! It's definitely one that I don't think about much :)
Thanks Geraldine! I think it’s great that you’re able to read in so many situations. I think it definitely helps to get a lot more books finished that way :)
DeleteI loved reading this post, and woah, we're very different, haha. I've been commuting to school (and kindergarten before that) since I was 5, so I'm 1000% fine with moving vehicles. The train is the best, but the bus and car are also fine, although that also depends on the driver, tbh. (That sounds bad, commenting on someone's driving when I can't drive, but it's the truth! There's a difference.)
ReplyDeleteI'm honestly fine with any noise, I can even read through my classes, haha. I used to do that on history classes - we had the worst teacher - in high school. *hides* Did it in uni lectures a few times, as well. When I'm on the train I like to listen to music (so I don't have to hear the people around me, or their voices are at least muffled) and then I either sleep or read. When I'm home, though, I like to read without any noise, but then again, I'm fine with even the tv in the background.
Great discussion! :)
We are completely different haha! Also I can relate to having feelings about other people’s driving. Some people are just a little too shaky!
DeleteI guess it helps that you’ve commuted all your life. It must be a great way to pass the time! I only started commuting this year (and I’m the one doing the driving so can’t really practice reading in that sense haha!) but who knows, maybe audiobooks are in my future?
This had me wondering. I read better when it's quiet, but I also get uncomfortable when silence becomes too "deafening." I also like to read with soft background noise like music or quiet conversations, but I also get uncomfortable when it's "too loud." Sometimes I feel like there's no in between haha :) But this post really had me thinking that maybe it just depends on my mood on what ideal reading conditions I find good at that time. :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes it really does depend on the mood! I think it’s good that you’re kinda in between. You get the best of both worlds :)
DeleteI CAN read anywhere if I must. I can read in the car and in a crowded place. But ideally I want to be warm and cozy in bed with my cat and a cup of tea while it gently rains outside. THAT is perfect. I don't need dead silence like you, so sometimes I will turn on some music to play quietly in the background. But when people are talking really loudly near/around me, I CANNOT focus. What a cute and fun discussion today!
ReplyDeleteThanks Erin :D I guess expectations vs. reality definitely plays a factor lol. Sometimes you just have to work with what you’ve got!
DeleteLike Cee Arr above, if I have music on the background while reading, I end up blocking it (even if I'm "just" reading a post...or my grocery shopping list haha). I can read pretty much anywhere (except on moving vehicles - I get carsick enough as it is if I'm not riding shotgun), but I need my silence. I used to read in my bed once, but the one I have now has a headboard that won't support me, so I simply sit on its side (if it's a short reading session) or on a kitchen's seat, and here I go. And of course I read at my computer desk if it's an ebook, because I don't have an ereader.
ReplyDeleteYeah I wish I could block out other sounds, but normally I just end up paying too much attention to them! Yeah, moving vehicles is a big no-no.
DeleteI am pretty particular about my reading conditions too!
ReplyDeleteIt’s one of the great tragedies of my life that I used to be able to read in the car/on the bus but I can no longer. I’m not sure what changed, but one day I realised it was making me feel nauseous and no matter how many times I tried after that, I always ended up feeling ill. I can technically still read on a train, but only if I have someone with me, otherwise I am too aware of the people around me to read.
As for noise.. I prefer little to none. Having the TV on in the background makes it impossible for me to concentrate, and I will leave the room if someone puts the coffee machine on too :’) But I will sometimes put on ambient nature noises and I find that nice.
My ideal conditions are very similar to yours - I’d pick mid-afternoon as well, but ideally I’d be on the couch in the sun :D
This is such a unique and interesting post!
Thanks Sabrina! It does look like our reading choices are quite similar. I have been getting into ambient noise a lot to help me sleep, so maybe it’s worth giving it a go when I read as well.
DeleteOof, if I try to read even for just a minute in a moving vehicle I get so sick for what feels like hours *shudders*.
ReplyDeleteKinda like if someone steps barefoot on a lego and it doesn't bother them, I feel like that and reading in a car are superpowers for sure!
Haha, so true!
DeleteI also have some specific reading conditions, but they mostly have to do with noise. Like you, I need complete silence. I like reading at night because then the house is silent since everyone is asleep. During the day there's too much noise.
ReplyDeleteI've had mild success with reading on trains, but weirdly enough, only with e-books. On planes and in cars I can't read, because of the noise and motion sickness, respectively.
And I can't read unless I'm comfortable, so I usually read in or on my bed, or in a super comfortable chair!
Comfort is obviously a huge factor. I wish I could read at night because I feel like that is when the house is most silent, but alas, I find it super hard to concentrate.
DeleteThanks for stopping by my blog!
Great topic! I also prefer silence, although that is often not the case since my family is so loud lol �� and I do like to read at night but my eyes get tired faster so mid day is always preferred! Awesome post!
ReplyDelete-Jamie @BubblyBooks
My family's pretty loud too. I love them, but my dad is Italian which means he does not have an indoor voice lol!
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