Have you ever read a book and felt like it could change your life, only to forget its insights when you needed them most? I certainly have.

Since 2017, I’ve devoured over 250 books on a wide range of topics. But looking back, I’m embarrassed by how little I can recall. Most of those books seem to fade from memory within a few weeks.

We often receive advice encouraging us to read as much as possible. When I started, my main goal was to consume as many books as I could. However, in hindsight, it seems I was more focused on the act of consuming rather than truly absorbing knowledge. I took pride in reading over 50 books in a year, but now it appears as an exercise in futility as I can scarcely recall any useful information from what I read.

In simpler terms, my reading habits were akin to binge-watching a Netflix series or YouTube, where I consumed content without truly absorbing it.

Realising the inefficiency of my reading habits, I decided to adopt a different approach:

• Note-taking: I keep a notebook or tablet handy to jot down key points every few pages.
• Highlighting: On Kindle, I highlight interesting passages and later make notes from these highlights.
• Book summaries: I use book summary apps to get an overview before committing to a full read.
• Skipping or abandoning: If a book or a chapter doesn’t engage me, I don’t force myself to finish it.
• Digital notes: After a few weeks, I transfer my physical notes into a searchable notes app (currently using Anytype).
• Regular review: I revisit my notes once or twice a week to keep insights fresh.
• Rereading: Occasionally, I revisit my favourite books, as reading them adds more value than I anticipated.

While my reading process is still a work in progress, it has led to a shift where I now read 1-2 books monthly. Surprisingly, I’ve found it adds more value than my previous reading attempts. If anyone has more interesting ideas on how to retain more of what we read, please do share, as I would be happy to learn.