Habits

One of the most influential books I've read is The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg. He explores how habits work, and how we build (and change) them.

A habit I built shortly after reading this book was reading every morning before I left for work, for at least 20 minutes. I'm a utilitarian reader — there's many other things I'd do for pleasure — so primarily read out of a love of learning. 20 minutes is short enough that I don't miss sleep, and long enough to make progress every day. It's turned into my haven, my morning meditation. I make my coffee, and read about something that interests me. Sometimes it's from Longreads, an article I bookmarked, or one of the several books I'm reading.

This isn't the only reading I do, but it's my base. It's always there.

Over the past year and a half, it's changed my life. Try it: set 20 minutes aside, attach a reward (coffee, tea, etc), and read. You'll be surprised how much you can accomplish in just 20 minutes.

Update October 2019: Funny reading this years later. I read and listen to audiobooks a lot more now, and have built a love for less-than-utilitarian reading.