“The point isn’t mastery. The point is practice.” 🤯 Whew, isn’t that the mindset we need for all of life? Also, I found this so refreshing to consider what my scrolling says about what I like (vs shaming myself for scrolling in the first place) and how that can shift that over to my reading habits.
If left unchecked, I am prone to all-or-nothing thinking. This is a daily practice for me. Sometimes I sit down to read before work and know that I have 30 mins. I look up from my phone and 20 mins have passed… I just want to shake myself. But I still try to make myself read for those remaining 10 mins and typically feel better after I do.
"The point isn't mastery. The point is practice." ❤️ You always seem to know what I need to hear, Petya! I love how you have turned the habits we all fall into on their head and made them work for you. I *intend* to carry a book in every bag, but then I forget. But juat reading this has reminded me that I cam read more than one book at a time!! That way, I always have one wherever I am. I'm already thinking which poetry and essay collections would work perfectly for this...🤔
I work from home most days so it’s easier for me, I am sure. But I think having a small essay collection or maybe short story collection in you bag or… dare I say it… a kindle… might work. My one recent learning is that whatever you think “doesn’t work with your brain” … may just be the thing that you have not given your brain a chance to learn yet. I prefer to read one book at a time on paper, but I realized that in this current stage in life that would limit my exposure to books. So now I typically have a main book, an audio book and a “chapter” book for on the go (theory, essays or short stories). It definitely IS an extra effort to think about all of this but to me that’s an effort worth making.
Such great tips! Short story collections are a great idea as I tend to prefer novels for my main reading at home. I think essay collections for me are also great because they relate to how I want to get better at writing own. Unfortunately, I've never been able to gel with audio books and I know this is a way of reading more. Might have to push myself!
Re: audio books, I like plot-driven stories on audio because I get wrapped up in the movement of the story and don’t need to underline like I do for my more language / character driven stories.
But I feel like small adjustments over time is better than dramatic changes that we can’t sustain.
This feels like one of the most important things I have read this year! Yesterday was a chemo day, and the fatigue was so present afterwards. I scrolled and I am not sorry, but I could have picked up a mystery instead of the heavier classics I had in process. Thank you for sharing this!
I can fully empathise with the self-imposed pressure to be reading quality over quantity and sometimes backing myself into a corner. I keep reminding myself that there is no reading police and we are no robots. So, we will feel like reading different types of books at different moments in our days/lives… and there will be seasons of not reading but maybe the point of those seasons is to integrate what we have been learning….
I started bringing a book with me to work and now read when eating lunch instead of scrolling. And I love it. I look forward to it. And I feel better when I'm done!
Every time I pull my book out at lunch, I feel so deviant and the pleasure I gain from reading just a few pages is completely disproportional to the level of effort involved 🤣🤣🤣
"I keep learning, over and over, how to redirect the time and attention I might otherwise give to my phone." Same! Thank you for sharing your practice to inspire us/me.
Yesterday morning I parked near a young man who was sitting in his car reading. A few hours later when I returned, his car was still there but he was not. I assume he was reading before heading into his workplace or while on his break. Bravo!
Also love the permission and reminder to have several books going! I love having the physical books in different places, different genres for different situations, and also audio options.
Doing all of this has upped my overall page counts and expanded the variety of my reading: short stories, literary magazines, autobiographies!
I particularly like autobiographies for the audio books especially if voiced by the author themselves!
I love this comment so much! I think I had a big breakthrough when I realized that reading bits here and there actually made me feel more connected to the books I was reading than I had previous assumed. I used to think that only a deep sitting would count… so I would read only at night in bed or for longer stretches over the weekend… but that meant that I would often just fall asleep after a page or not read at all on busier days. Now I feel like I am constantly grazing and it’s such a little treat to myself throughout the day, especially on really crazy days when I just NEED the extra nourishment.
YES! I used to worry that I would not be able to stay tracking with a longer or more challenging read if I had multiple books going but now I see that isn't the case! The variety and freedom have be reading more based on mood or situation. Win, win! ❤️
I keep a book in the loo and sometimes forget to take my phone in with me. Today, for example, I just read some interviews about residents of Norislk in Siberia because I'd forgotten my phone and had my pants down before I realised.
I am so excited for the zoom meeting! It will be at 7 pm for me, because I live in Portugal, but since is Saturday, I will just make sure my boyfriend will be the one feeding our baby girl 🤣
Also loved your tips! I feel I am scrolling a lot lately but I am a first-time mom and sometimes I simply don’t have the energy for more. Either way, I am trying to read on my Kobo while breastfeeding and I actually feel like I can fly pages by if I want to
This has given me so much to think about, thank you! I love the idea of not judging but redirecting. This is what we do with little kids when we need to help them change their behavior, and more and more I think that we need to treat ourselves the way we treat them: kindly, gently, making sure our needs are met, and nudging ourselves in the right direction.
One shameless plug (since I work for the publisher): Attensity by The Friends of Attention is coming out in early 2026. It's a manifesto about our attention and I found it kind of radicalizing. I still struggle a ton (for all the reasons you mentioned), but I think about attention much more regularly and critically than I did before.
I love this! I too love scrolling and often look at my screen time as a reminder that it's not about HAVING time but rather MAKING the time to read, but I haven't really thought about how to make the phone algorithm vs. reading life push-pull work for me instead of always pushing up against it. like curating your own book algorithm!
Oh man... I just wrote you a whole dissertation and lost it.
I was saying that simply having clarity around what is important to me and then having a very specific list of activities that go along with that (reading, of course, but other things too)... just helps make that switch from scroll-tunnel back to reality a bit easier.
Also, I don't think that everything online is drivel. Most of the content I consume on screen is books and reading related, and I am sincerely grateful for it.
the curse of the substack comment 😭 but totally agree — it's very possible to consume meaningful content online and i think the "being online is all bad" argument is boring. that clarity on what's important is key!
To choose reading over scrolling, two things I do: 1) Listen to audiobooks, so whenever I need to grab some air or conquer some housework, my brain is incentivized to pick up the ongoing narrative. And 2) I don't use social media on my phone. Ironically, this incentivizes me to pick up my laptop more, but once I do that I can force myself to write something instead ( I never try to draft anything on my phone).
I tend to read in bursts and then have long lulls, and I practice some of your tips including reading multiple books at a time and having books easily accessible around the house.
Finally, it's a total thrill to see you reading LEVERAGE rather than grabbing your phone! I hope millions of people around the country decide to make the same choice.
I will share more substantively in my end of month round up BUT your book has been endlessly more entertaining than anything that has come across my screen WHILE also being so fucking timely… so, yeah. More of this, please.
You inspire me Petya! If I have a book that enthralls me or that is enjoyable, 9/10, I'll reach for the book first. So, maybe that's the key, always have a good read on me!
Petya, keeping a book within reach in every room where one is likely to be is one of the most effective ways to avoid scrolling but actually reaching for that book rather than the phone is the greater challenge. I struggle with it but I keep trying and am determined to win this battle of the book vs phone. Glad you have written about it and shared your thoughts which seem to resonate with a lot of us.
Love the ingenuity of this phone vs book breakdown Petya!
It’s a daily battle but we can win it! 😅
“The point isn’t mastery. The point is practice.” 🤯 Whew, isn’t that the mindset we need for all of life? Also, I found this so refreshing to consider what my scrolling says about what I like (vs shaming myself for scrolling in the first place) and how that can shift that over to my reading habits.
If left unchecked, I am prone to all-or-nothing thinking. This is a daily practice for me. Sometimes I sit down to read before work and know that I have 30 mins. I look up from my phone and 20 mins have passed… I just want to shake myself. But I still try to make myself read for those remaining 10 mins and typically feel better after I do.
Absolutely. It feels like part of the work is not accepting defeat, and instead choosing how to move forward and build practices that sustain us.
"The point isn't mastery. The point is practice." ❤️ You always seem to know what I need to hear, Petya! I love how you have turned the habits we all fall into on their head and made them work for you. I *intend* to carry a book in every bag, but then I forget. But juat reading this has reminded me that I cam read more than one book at a time!! That way, I always have one wherever I am. I'm already thinking which poetry and essay collections would work perfectly for this...🤔
I work from home most days so it’s easier for me, I am sure. But I think having a small essay collection or maybe short story collection in you bag or… dare I say it… a kindle… might work. My one recent learning is that whatever you think “doesn’t work with your brain” … may just be the thing that you have not given your brain a chance to learn yet. I prefer to read one book at a time on paper, but I realized that in this current stage in life that would limit my exposure to books. So now I typically have a main book, an audio book and a “chapter” book for on the go (theory, essays or short stories). It definitely IS an extra effort to think about all of this but to me that’s an effort worth making.
Such great tips! Short story collections are a great idea as I tend to prefer novels for my main reading at home. I think essay collections for me are also great because they relate to how I want to get better at writing own. Unfortunately, I've never been able to gel with audio books and I know this is a way of reading more. Might have to push myself!
(Also: I have placed a reserve on the Savas short story collection you read recently!!)
I can’t wait to hear what you think! 👯♀️👯♀️
Re: audio books, I like plot-driven stories on audio because I get wrapped up in the movement of the story and don’t need to underline like I do for my more language / character driven stories.
But I feel like small adjustments over time is better than dramatic changes that we can’t sustain.
That's a great idea, I'll try Libby for some plot-driven books!
This is so clever. I have a few of the same habits, but you've given me some new ideas to consider and put into practice.
I am so glad! We all need a mutual support group!
This feels like one of the most important things I have read this year! Yesterday was a chemo day, and the fatigue was so present afterwards. I scrolled and I am not sorry, but I could have picked up a mystery instead of the heavier classics I had in process. Thank you for sharing this!
Oh Chris! Sending healing thoughts your way.
I can fully empathise with the self-imposed pressure to be reading quality over quantity and sometimes backing myself into a corner. I keep reminding myself that there is no reading police and we are no robots. So, we will feel like reading different types of books at different moments in our days/lives… and there will be seasons of not reading but maybe the point of those seasons is to integrate what we have been learning….
I started bringing a book with me to work and now read when eating lunch instead of scrolling. And I love it. I look forward to it. And I feel better when I'm done!
Every time I pull my book out at lunch, I feel so deviant and the pleasure I gain from reading just a few pages is completely disproportional to the level of effort involved 🤣🤣🤣
"I keep learning, over and over, how to redirect the time and attention I might otherwise give to my phone." Same! Thank you for sharing your practice to inspire us/me.
What choice do we have, right?! I want my brain!!!
Yesterday morning I parked near a young man who was sitting in his car reading. A few hours later when I returned, his car was still there but he was not. I assume he was reading before heading into his workplace or while on his break. Bravo!
Also love the permission and reminder to have several books going! I love having the physical books in different places, different genres for different situations, and also audio options.
Doing all of this has upped my overall page counts and expanded the variety of my reading: short stories, literary magazines, autobiographies!
I particularly like autobiographies for the audio books especially if voiced by the author themselves!
I love this comment so much! I think I had a big breakthrough when I realized that reading bits here and there actually made me feel more connected to the books I was reading than I had previous assumed. I used to think that only a deep sitting would count… so I would read only at night in bed or for longer stretches over the weekend… but that meant that I would often just fall asleep after a page or not read at all on busier days. Now I feel like I am constantly grazing and it’s such a little treat to myself throughout the day, especially on really crazy days when I just NEED the extra nourishment.
YES! I used to worry that I would not be able to stay tracking with a longer or more challenging read if I had multiple books going but now I see that isn't the case! The variety and freedom have be reading more based on mood or situation. Win, win! ❤️
I keep a book in the loo and sometimes forget to take my phone in with me. Today, for example, I just read some interviews about residents of Norislk in Siberia because I'd forgotten my phone and had my pants down before I realised.
Good times, any way you look at it!!! 🤣🤣🤣
Applying this wisdom to my life, immediately. Number one on my to do list today is to sprinkle books I’m reading through the apartment.
Also, love a reframe, apply the behaviors of scrolling toward reading and squeezing a bit more out of life than just going through the motions
As a culture we have accepted mobile devices in all areas of life. I feel like we can do the same for books.
I am so excited for the zoom meeting! It will be at 7 pm for me, because I live in Portugal, but since is Saturday, I will just make sure my boyfriend will be the one feeding our baby girl 🤣
Also loved your tips! I feel I am scrolling a lot lately but I am a first-time mom and sometimes I simply don’t have the energy for more. Either way, I am trying to read on my Kobo while breastfeeding and I actually feel like I can fly pages by if I want to
I was trying to pick a time that would work for people in Europe too. I am so excited to meet you in real time!
This has given me so much to think about, thank you! I love the idea of not judging but redirecting. This is what we do with little kids when we need to help them change their behavior, and more and more I think that we need to treat ourselves the way we treat them: kindly, gently, making sure our needs are met, and nudging ourselves in the right direction.
One shameless plug (since I work for the publisher): Attensity by The Friends of Attention is coming out in early 2026. It's a manifesto about our attention and I found it kind of radicalizing. I still struggle a ton (for all the reasons you mentioned), but I think about attention much more regularly and critically than I did before.
Ummm... can you help me get an early copy?!
Maybe! I'll DM you. :)
I love this! I too love scrolling and often look at my screen time as a reminder that it's not about HAVING time but rather MAKING the time to read, but I haven't really thought about how to make the phone algorithm vs. reading life push-pull work for me instead of always pushing up against it. like curating your own book algorithm!
Oh man... I just wrote you a whole dissertation and lost it.
I was saying that simply having clarity around what is important to me and then having a very specific list of activities that go along with that (reading, of course, but other things too)... just helps make that switch from scroll-tunnel back to reality a bit easier.
Also, I don't think that everything online is drivel. Most of the content I consume on screen is books and reading related, and I am sincerely grateful for it.
the curse of the substack comment 😭 but totally agree — it's very possible to consume meaningful content online and i think the "being online is all bad" argument is boring. that clarity on what's important is key!
To choose reading over scrolling, two things I do: 1) Listen to audiobooks, so whenever I need to grab some air or conquer some housework, my brain is incentivized to pick up the ongoing narrative. And 2) I don't use social media on my phone. Ironically, this incentivizes me to pick up my laptop more, but once I do that I can force myself to write something instead ( I never try to draft anything on my phone).
I tend to read in bursts and then have long lulls, and I practice some of your tips including reading multiple books at a time and having books easily accessible around the house.
Finally, it's a total thrill to see you reading LEVERAGE rather than grabbing your phone! I hope millions of people around the country decide to make the same choice.
I will share more substantively in my end of month round up BUT your book has been endlessly more entertaining than anything that has come across my screen WHILE also being so fucking timely… so, yeah. More of this, please.
Super stoked to see your final thoughts! The ending's a banger.
You inspire me Petya! If I have a book that enthralls me or that is enjoyable, 9/10, I'll reach for the book first. So, maybe that's the key, always have a good read on me!
Petya, keeping a book within reach in every room where one is likely to be is one of the most effective ways to avoid scrolling but actually reaching for that book rather than the phone is the greater challenge. I struggle with it but I keep trying and am determined to win this battle of the book vs phone. Glad you have written about it and shared your thoughts which seem to resonate with a lot of us.