I Didn’t Read for a Week: Here’s What Happened
I did it: I spent one week without reading. No books, no social media, no Googling things. I also didn’t watch TV or movies or listen to podcasts. I did allow myself to listen to music (you can hear more about why on Episode 23 of the podcast). Why, you might ask, would a person with a book podcast stop reading for a week?
Ironically, I stopped reading for a week because a book suggested it. I’m currently working my way through Julia Cameron’s celebrated book and course The Artist’s Way, and in last week’s chapter, Cameron recommends what she calls “reading deprivation.” At first, when I saw those two words together, I felt a sinking sense of dread within. I hadn’t read about the exercise yet, but how many ways can you spin the term “reading deprivation?” The first thoughts I had were those of anxiety about the work I would have to set aside. My instinct, I realized, was to be worried about being unproductive, not to be sad that I couldn’t enjoy books for a week. Well, that settles it. Julia wins again, I thought. I recognized in that moment that reading had become tied to productivity, overstimulation, and constant motion for me, when really, reading is something I appreciate because it’s pleasureful and slow and defiantly leisurely.
By the time I’d finished learning about the exercise, I felt excited to begin. No books for a week sounded like a bummer, but the promise of no social media? No Downton Abbey/girl scout cookie depression spirals? No news, no Google rabbit holes, no proofreading? I was sold. I took a day to get all of my reading-related work out of the way and then, last Friday, I launched into a week of no reading. Many of the results were obvious improvements that I just hadn’t motivated myself to make before. I’m so glad I did it.
From Day 1, my anxiety levels drastically decreased. When I didn’t have the choice to constantly work my brain into an overstimulated tizzy, I felt much better. And yes, that lower-stress outcome is a very obvious result of this exercise. Of course I felt calmer when I wasn’t unconsciously but deliberately stressing myself out all the time. But there was something about setting hard-and-fast rules for myself that made achieving that outcome much easier. If I hadn’t totally ruled out media consumption for a week, I know I would have let little things slip in—a quick scroll here, a gloomy article there—that would have diminished the positive effects I felt. Of course there were moments of anxiety throughout the week (that can happen quite a bit for me), but when they appeared, I was forced to be present with those feelings and confront them instead of pushing them away in favor of a Netflix binge. And because of that, I was usually able to move through that anxiety much more quickly and smoothly. By getting rid of the “junk food for the soul,” as Cameron calls it, I found my brain feeling a lot healthier.
I also noticed that I was much more present and mindful during my media-free days. Before my week of reading deprivation, I would often choose to pay attention to media instead of paying attention to what was happening right in front of me. I would sometimes watch a show over lunch instead of focusing on my food. I would listen to a podcast while washing dishes instead of letting myself hear my own thoughts. When those distractions were off the table, I found myself really enjoying the quiet, peaceful moments of presence that cropped up throughout the day. I savored each bite of food, danced in the kitchen while I cooked, and found myself far more present and focused (focused enough to do my taxes. That says a lot.)
Decluttering the brain is just one of the objectives of reading deprivation that Julia Cameron lays out in The Artist’s Way. Another goal of the exercise is to put yourself into a more creatively productive state. If you can’t “gobble other people’s words,” as Cameron puts it, you’ll just have to use that time and energy to create something of your own. When it came to this part of the exercise, I have to admit that I judged myself a little as the week unfolded. Okay, brain, I took away your toys so now you can make some stuff. Go! But that’s not how brains work apparently. I found myself with more energy and desire to create, but remaining creative blockages still left me feeling some resistance. So I dabbled with writing a story. I played with songwriting with a friend a tiny bit. And now I’m writing this post. Now that I think about it and write it out, those things awesome. They’re creative achievements. Good job, brain! You’re making some stuff.
Over my week without media consumption, I realized that I habitually consume a lot of trash. It’s trash that hits my dopamine happy place in the moment, but ultimately it contributes nothing to my life and actually robs me of a lot of valuable time. One goal I have as I begin consuming more things again is to take in less junk. Less social media, less mindless television, less stuff that I don’t actually care about. After a week of no reading, what I really missed was books. I am so excited to get back to reading books. I had my moments of missing television too, but that felt different. I missed TV when I was feeling low, trying to procrastinate on something, or trying to tune out of what was happening. When TV wasn’t an option, I ended up being much happier with how I spent my days and handled my emotions. My mind was clearer. I had more time and energy. Without an easy way to distract myself, I naturally spent time on the tasks I truly needed and wanted to do. That’s a benefit that I hope to make into a habit. And look what that budding habit has already gotten me—this blog post! Here’s to many more.
P.S. If you’re interested in trying The Artist’s Way for yourself, I welcome you to check out our upcoming Artist’s Way Book Circle. You can read more about it and become part of the community here.
