Some of our most successful entrepreneurs read eight times more than the average American and attribute success to their love of reading, and we have all heard research that says reading with young children is one of the best ways we can spend time with them.
Yet … the average American reads only 19 minutes a day. Even worse, about half of teens say they read for pleasure only once or twice a year now.
Books seem a pastime that has become relegated to only the very young and the very old.
I admit, as a relatively new mom to an active toddler boy, I don’t have time to read nearly as much as I would like. I even have a huge pile of unread parenting magazines and sleep training books to prove my point. Unless Goodnight Moon and Dr. Seuss books count? I’ve read Goodnight Moon enough times in the past couple of years that I’ve made up a melody to accompany the words. Surely this gets me some sort of bonus points.
I keep coming across articles like this one, which made me aware of the alarming statistics above:
It’s challenged me to pick up — and finish — a book this summer.
As you’re packing for that beach getaway or even enjoying a “staycation” at home once the kids are out of school, I encourage you to join me in backing away from the TV or laptop. Pick up a book instead, and rediscover what it is about reading that enchanted us as children.
I should add that our own CEO Jan Risher is a voracious reader and has instilled the love of reading in both of her children as well. If Inc.’s article is any indication about entrepreneurs’ reading frequency being directly related to their success, Shift Key should be in a pretty good position.
Need some ideas for summer reading?
Check out these lists from Bill Gates (image above from his site) and Oprah.
At Shift Key, we make communication capital. We are journalists who know how to create original content, the foundational layer of digital marketing. We understand audience and the information your audience wants – whether you are an agency, brand, company or non-profit. Content is the bedrock of digital marketing. Shift Key creates unique and informative content that feeds marketing activities across a mounting number of channels, generating buzz for brands and leads for products and services.