So many people wish they could read more but struggle to find the time. Often, their careers take full priority and they are so overwhelmed with work that there is very little freedom at the end of the day to sit down and relax with a good book.
But what if reading could be beneficial to your career? Perhaps the mistake you’re making is viewing books as merely a diverting leisure activity to fill your evenings and weekends. But there are so many ways that the right books can help you progress up the career ladder and bring new ideas to your job role.
There are so many other benefits to reading. It makes you more well-rounded and curious about the world, it helps you relax and destress, and it can transport you to new worlds. But the professional considerations might just be the motivation you need to kickstart your reading habit.
If you’re still not convinced, here are five ways reading can help your career.
It cultivates empathy
Studies show that people who read regularly have a much stronger sense of empathy than those who don’t. The ability to understand people’s viewpoints and sense what they are feeling and thinking is one of the most important characteristics in business. It can only help you to have plenty of experience putting yourself in the shoes of myriad fictional characters, enabling you to be a better leader, employee, and coworker as a result.
It improves communication skills
Reading books often exposes you to new words and ideas, boosting your vocabulary and articulacy without you even realizing it. As a result, you will become much more adept at voicing your opinion in business meetings, writing important emails and documents, and defusing crises.
All jobs require reading
No matter what industry you work in or what position you hold, there’s a good chance your job requires you to read at least occasionally. We’ve all seen awkward mistakes that arise from misreading a document or putting a typo in an email, and your wealth of reading experience will ensure that you avoid these disasters. When you start a new job, you’ll be able to power through the employee handbook and complete all that lengthy paperwork without fuss and get to work right away.
It opens you up to new careers
Although the vast majority of jobs do require some reading ability, there are many careers on the market that are perfect for book lovers. If you want to work in publishing, editing, writing, or criticism, your erudite nature will look fantastic on your resume. If you don’t love your job right now, get a library card and take out a stack of books about your dream career. You will soon have plenty of knowledge to land you an interview and find work that’s right for you.
It helps you relax
Nothing will impede your work performance quite as much as stress. When you work hard each day in a high-pressured environment, you need something to help you wind down at the end of the day or you’ll end up succumbing to burnout. Reading is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress, and laying in bed with your favorite book before you go to sleep will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to go in the morning.
*This is a contributed post. You can read more about that here.*