have you hugged a book today?

Today is Book Lover’s Day, and I just wanted to stop talking about my favorite books for a few minutes to talk about reading. It seems that our busy lives conspire against us taking even just 15 minutes a day to pick up a book and read. But I know that when I set aside a few minutes to read, I feel more relaxed, more centered, and ready to get back to the other tasks that are clogging up my to-do list.

I realize that I read more than the average person. I decided a couple of years ago to take up book blogging, and because of that many publishers have been very generous in sharing some of their titles with me. But even before that, taking just a few minutes away from the task at hand to pull out a novel and get lost in another world would help me return to what I had been doing with a fresh mind and a new perspective.

Earlier this year, digital library Scribd partnered with The Harris Poll to find out what American adults really think of reading. In an informal survey of over 2000 individuals, they learned that 85% of those surveyed believe that reading can improve their lives. And 81% of them don’t read as much as they want to.

The most common benefits of reading that they listed were feeling more relaxed, informed, happier, and smarter, but instead of stopping to pick up that book, they (okay, we) spend our time watching tv, staring at our phones, and looking at posts on social media.

How easy would it be to plug into a book instead of turning to Facebook right before bed? Or to put on an audio book while washing the dishes or exercising? Or taking one 10-minute break at work and reading on an app on your phone? How much better would you feel if you made that commitment to yourself?

And think of the advantages! You’ll be smarter than you were before. You can learn things that will help with your professional development, or with your relationships. You can stave off Alzheimer’s disease and reduce stress. You can impress your family and friends with what you’re reading. You can find out how the movie ends before you see it. You can travel without having to dig out your passport. You can even time travel through history or to a possible future. The possibilities are endless. All you have to do is to open a book.

Just 15 minutes a day can make a huge difference! And most of all, you deserve it!