If you’re like me, your reading list is endless, and your bookshelf reflects a life full of curiosity and purpose. But amid all the books, how do we ensure that what we read fuels entertainment, personal growth, and professional growth?

Over the years, I’ve developed a personal reading framework that helps me stay intentional and balanced in my reading habits. It’s simple and flexible and ensures every book I pick up contributes meaningfully to my journey. In this post, I’ll share my approach to creating a framework for self-improvement, leisure, or creative inspiration.

1. Define Goals for Reading

Before diving into any book, ask yourself: Why am I reading this?
Having clear goals will guide your choices and help you prioritize. My goals generally fall into three categories:

• Learning: Books that build skills or expand my knowledge. These include non-fiction titles on leadership, mental models, or business insights.

• Leisure: Fiction and poetry that offer escapism and spark joy. Think Neil Gaiman’s enchanting stories or Haruki Murakami’s dreamlike worlds.

• Emotional Growth: Works that nourish my soul, like Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed, and poetry, poems or haiku.

I always take a moment to reflect on what I’d like to gain from my reading this month or year. For example, I ask myself: Am I looking to enhance a skill? Decompress after long workdays? Or develop empathy and perspective?

2. Create a Balanced Mix of Genres

A well-rounded reading diet is like a healthy meal—it should have variety! Here’s how I balance my genres:

• Fiction fuels imagination and creativity. It also improves empathy by helping me see the world through different characters’ eyes.

• Non-Fiction provides practical knowledge. I use these books to learn frameworks and strategies, especially ones I can apply to my career or personal life.

• Poetry and shorter works offer quick bursts of inspiration and reflection. They’re perfect for mornings with tea or quiet evenings with Mister Pops (my ever-curious cat).

I branch out when I feel stuck in one genre. For example, if I’ve been reading lots of nonfiction lately, I switch to a great fantasy novel—this rekindles my love for storytelling.

3. Build a System for Note-Taking

Books are like treasure troves; a sound note-taking system ensures I can revisit the gems whenever needed. Here’s what works for me:

• Highlight Key Takeaways: I underline passages that resonate with me or jot down ideas in the margins as I read. (Yes, this is ‘mutilating’ my books, but they’re meant to be consumed and loved this way. I won’t have it any other way…)

• Summarize After Each Chapter: If I’m reading nonfiction, I write a 2–3 sentence summary of each chapter in a notebook, or if it’s an ebook, I use an app like Notion.

• Capture Quotes, Text, and Passages: I use Readwise to capture anything that resonates with me. Readwise nicely resurfaces everything I’ve ever captured, and that truly aids recall and encourages daily reflection.

• Reflect and Apply: After finishing the book, I take 15 minutes to ask myself: What were the key lessons? How can I apply them to my work or personal life?

For instance, after reading The Great Mental Models, I used First Principles Thinking to improve decision-making for a complex project at work. I write this post not only to share but foremost to remind myself.

4. Set a Realistic Reading Rhythm

It’s tempting to devour books, but life’s demands often get in the way. My approach is simple:

• Daily Touchpoints: I carve out 20–30 minutes for reading daily. It’s usually in the evening, curled up in a blanket. Even 10 minutes daily adds up to hundreds of pages over a month!

• One Book at a Time (Per Category): I usually read one fiction and one non-fiction book simultaneously to keep things varied.

I experiment frequently to find what works for me. I notice it tends to change in different stages of my life.

5. Revisit and Rethink Framework

My reading framework isn’t set in stone. As life evolves, so should my approach. For example:

• When preparing for a workshop, I gravitate toward books on data, leadership, or strategy.

• I might immerse myself in poetry or novels that nurture my creativity during quieter months.

In other words, I regularly review my framework to adjust based on my needs and interests.

Summary: Crafting a Reading Framework

Building a personal reading framework doesn’t have to be complicated. Start small:

1. Write down reading goals.

2. Choose books that align with those goals.

3. Set aside time each week for reading and reflection.

Over time, if you, too, are embarking on this journey with me, you’ll find that this intentional approach not only enhances your growth but also deepens your love for books.