Spaces · 2 min read
A place for the current book
Make the book you are reading easier to find than the distraction beside it.
Choose the actual reading place
Think about where you already sit when you have a few minutes. Check whether the light and the surface nearby suit a book. You may need only a clearer side table or a movable lamp. Start with the place you really use instead of designing a reading room for an imagined routine.
Leave a small invitation
Keep the current book and its bookmark within reach. If you take notes, add a pencil and a small sheet rather than a large collection of stationery. Leave enough room to set the book down open or closed. A useful corner makes beginning feel like one action rather than several preparations.
Keep it ordinary
At the end of a session, put the bookmark at the next page and return the book to its place. If a different location works better, change the arrangement. The corner should follow your day. Its value is measured by whether you open the book there, not by how elaborate it looks.
Written for the Amber Shelf Journal editorial collection. Read at your own pace.
