A Side Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic? Reading Got a Lot Harder

https://www.chronicle.com/article/A-Side-Effect-of-the-Covid-19/248568

by pseudolus • 6 years ago

57 31 6 years ago

codysc• 6 years ago

I've noticed this in myself and others. There is so much novel (no pun intended) stuff happening to everyone now that, I think, there isn't the downtime needed to effectively pay attention/think the way we're used to.

At the end of my day I can usually switch out to side projects pretty easily. But now, that's MUCH less productive.

smoyer• 6 years ago

I've done some reading but perhaps not as much as normal. What's not discussed here (and I'm clearly a single data-point) is that my "maker" projects (where I'm working with my hands) are more pleasurable and I think I've actually been getting more done with them. I usually listen to music or podcasts (I love my WorkTunes - https://amzn.to/2zkmXtc) so my mind is somewhat engaged while I'm building. I've noticed that many of my neighborbood's yards are maintained better than in previous years so maybe others are looking for a more physical past-time too?

bityard• 6 years ago

Seems to be behind a paywall?

dajohnson89• 6 years ago

That's the joke. Reading is harder

xamuel• 6 years ago

The past few years, I've been doing a lot of side-project type stuff during the train commute. The lockdown has made me realize how valuable it is being forcibly isolated from the internet by a daily train ride. With the internet at my fingertips, there are way too many distractions to productively work on writing a paper or reading a book.

dpau• 6 years ago

It's been noted that the pandemic has caused a dip in streaming audio and podcast traffic, those moments of time when we are "busy but free" during commutes turn out to be valuable slivers of time in which we catch up and enjoy all that content. Lately I've been making up chores for myself just so I can have an excuse to play my audiobooks..

dhosek2• 6 years ago

I've fallen way behind in my podcasts because I don't have the time that I usually do in the office/commute to listen.

0xff00ffee3• 6 years ago

Meh. Since this article is largely anecdotal, I might as well add my 'dote to the anec:

I'm on Book 5 of Dune (Heretics of Dune), averaging roughly one a week since this started. I read my weekly issue of The Economist throughout the week with breakfast.

For my "project" I'm studying up on STM32 low-power states, something I've wanted to do for ages and now have more free time. So I'm going back and fixing some of my projects to be more efficient. I've also finally figured out how to use Eclipse -- efficiently! -- on Linux with the ARM GCC toolchain. So that's a plus. Now I'm studying Silicon Labs Simplicity Studio. These are things that have been backing up on my project list for almost a year.

Also grinding through the Linux Networking Drivers book, but that's an effort.

So, I'm reading a lot, both technical and (pulp) literature. Granted, Herbet isn't Pynchon, but it's still reading.

EDIT: Yeah, this is a not-humble-brag, but what the hell!

simonklitj• 6 years ago

Man! On book 4 of Dune myself, and it's been going a lot more slowly than the first three. About 30% in, is it worth it?

floren2• 6 years ago

God Emperor is the 2nd best Dune book, so read it at least once.

tspiteri2• 6 years ago

Book 1 is in a class of its own. Books 2 and 3 are a little slower than 1. Book 4 is very slower as you say.

Book 4 brings out the most different reactions: some people even prefer it to 1, some just find it too slow. If you don't like the beginning, I don't think you'll like the rest as it doesn't change its pace. Maybe the problem is reading it in quick succession after 1, 2 and 3. The first time I read it it was after a break from the other 3 and it turned out I now love it (though I still prefer 1). If you're finding it frustrating a third of the way through, I would recommend dropping it now. Then if you feel like it, maybe restart after some time, maybe then it would work, and maybe it wouldn't.

Then books 5 and 6 pick up the speed once more, I find them very fast paced.

0xff00ffee3• 6 years ago

To reiterate the other reply to your post, God Emperor of Dune is the 2nd best book in the series. It really pushes the envelope on imagining what the final outcome of a religion might be. It's a little polemic-heavy, but it IS a god we're talking about. :) Book 5 is the sleeping pill. After the frenzy that is 1-4, 5 just plods along in a dense aftermath.

Scarblac• 6 years ago

Book 4 is very special to me as it's so strange.

5 is back to action!

sonofhans• 6 years ago

Yes, very worth it. I've read all Frank Herbert's books and short stories. The last two Dune books, IMO, are the best things he wrote. It seems like he figured out that the Bene Gesserit were the most interesting thing he created, so he geeked out on them for two books.

barnabee• 6 years ago

Meh indeed. I'll add to the anecdata: I've read more since the lockdown started than I have in years despite being busier than ever. I've also been more productive in work and other projects.

tluyben2• 6 years ago

Same here ; I devour books and am far more productive (and fitter; newsflash, it seems meetings don’t work so well on my energy levels).

Never been more focused; helps that it is finally quiet (no cars, airplanes, people here).

Think this might become permanent for me.

lookdangerous• 6 years ago

It's encouraging to hear about good use of all the free time we have, so thank you.

droidist2• 6 years ago

I noticed I've been much less focused and productive, but I figured it was due to being stuck inside with a lack of activity. Yes, I know going outside for exercise is technically allowed, but there's a difference between theoretically being able to do something and having it automatically built into your life (walking to do errands, etc.) Regretfully, I've never been someone who made a point to consistently exercise, but I've been recently committing to walk at least a mile each day.

jacquesm• 6 years ago

Bike on a training stand. Works wonders for me.

floren2• 6 years ago

I've finally started running consistently, even though I've worked from home for the last 2+ years so nothing really has changed. My current plan is to run an additional 1 minute per day until I hit 30-40 minutes (5k times), then start working on speed. I'm heading out for 23 minutes today.

hannibalhorn• 6 years ago

It's not just reading/studying - even for those of who normally work from home, having the rest of the household around all the time is quite a distraction. I'm definitely not getting those large chunks of uninterrupted time where I'm at my most productive.

jfalcon• 6 years ago

You may need to update your time management and optimize it for remote productivity as the reality is that we do better after waking up than during the middle of a day filled with meetings and social interaction/interruption. It may mean shifting your schedule earlier to make it work but tbh: it's a '24h' world.

twomoretime• 6 years ago

I imagine lots of us are less productive because it's much easier to get away with not working.

Remote work is great but let's face it, humans aren't naturally inclined to make money for others without accountability. Some of us need motivation and supervision beyond a paycheck silently deposited twice a month.

An unfortunate consequence of human nature and, to some degree, western culture.

hombre_fatal• 6 years ago

I wonder how much of this is just the effort to get work done at home which is always a challenge for surely most people. You are just less accountable for what you do hour to hour and it's easier to procrastinate or do something else. A temptation every remote worker has to transcend (or bust).

SubiculumCode• 6 years ago

Anectdotedly, I've been extra productive in my writing/analyses.

dhosek2• 6 years ago

I have actual data on my writing productivity to back this up. There's a chart at http://www.dahosek.com/writerly-resolutions-march-status-qua... which shows my progress on my novel for the month of March. Once the quarantine began, my progress collapsed. April has not been much better. My reading has not necessarily fallen off, but other productivity has.

kortex• 6 years ago

This is really refreshing to read. I feel like despite being home nearly all the time, I'm simultaneously logging less work hours, getting fewer chores done, exercising less, and overall more tired. I think I am playing with the dog more at least but I feel like I'm in a time warp.

I am currently chalking it up to the monotony being quite exhausting subconsciously, even if it doesn't seem like it at first.

darepublic• 6 years ago

The cancellation day care is a big factor for me.. but I apart from that u don't notice a difference

A Side Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic? Reading Got a Lot Harder

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