Summer Reads - August/September 2021 - Shelf Unbound Magazine

Page 130

F E AT U R E

Forest Reading: The Benefits of Reading Outdoors. BY WYATT BANDT

With summer’s arrival, many of us have plans to spend time outside whether that’s by the beach, playing sports, or going on a road trip. However, there is one thing that you may have not thought to add to your summer to-do list that requires zero planning: taking time to read outdoors. Despite the fact that spending time outside is ripe with serotonin and vitamin D, I’ve found that I love reading outside for totally different reasons. It has helped me read more enjoy reading and life more wholly, and here’s why. First, when you go to a new place, it removes you from your everyday environment. In your home, you have habits associated with that space. For example, boredom or lapses in focus can result in us going to the fridge or reaching for our phones. However, if you set aside a particular place or environment for a particular activity, it is easier to concentrate because that’s what that place is for. So, just like the kitchen is for cooking, the park can be for reading!

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AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021


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