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Albert Einstein:
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”
When was the last time you lost yourself in a story? Not a Netflix binge, but a novel.
If you’re struggling to recall your last ‘good book’, don’t beat yourself up: 50% of adults in the UK do not regularly read for pleasure.
No surprise we can’t summon the effort and commitment required to engage with long-form fiction when social media is a dopamine drip feed with instant fixes and ‘bite size content’.
But reading fiction isn’t just about passing the time—it boosts mood and your work mojo. Don’t believe us? Try this experiment –
Read a book (by the book!)
Set aside just 15 minutes a day to read fiction. No rules—whatever you like, from crime thrillers to fantasy epics. Can’t commit? Try audiobooks on your commute or during chores. Track how you feel after a week. Are you calmer, more creative, and (dare we say it) nicer?
Bonus points if you swap book recommendations with team-mates! Can you get a reading buzz going at work? Or start a book swap?
Why It Works
Reading fiction really does light up the brain!
- Immersing yourself in another world engages your imagination, stimulates creativity and improves problem solving.
- Reading fiction releases tension by reducing cortisol levels.
- Unsurprisingly, it also improves empathy—useful when dealing with 9pm calls from a colleague just as you’re getting into Fifty Shades of Grey.
Crucially, reading strengthens our powers of concentration. Because we’re losing focus, people! As the number of ‘lapsed readers’ soars, a third of adults struggle to focus on reading for more than a few minutes at a time.
So, get back to that book (any book!). Rediscover the joy of fiction BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE (now that sounds like a page-turner!)
Struggling to find a good book? Here are some we’ve been enjoying recently…
Before the Fall, Noah Hawley A literary thriller (ie., gripping but good!). The story explores privilege, fate, and media sensationalism after a plane crash.
A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles We loved this story about a Russian aristocrat in house arrest in a grand hotel. An elegant, easy read – full of charm, humour and insights about resilience and finding purpose. Proper class!
Get Shorty, Elmore Leonard If time is short but you’re after a gutsy hit of escapism, Leonard is the guy for you. His books are filled with great characters, from loan sharks to cowboys; dry gags and steely one-liners. His language fires like the bullets his crooks never quite manage to get off.
The Midnight Library, Matt Haig A ‘celebration of possibilities’, this is a thought-provoking story about regret, choices, and finding the life you want (yep, work-life balance is in there).
The Rosie Project, Graeme Simsion A light but smart romantic comedy about a socially awkward professor (we’re all socially awkward inside..!)
Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel A compelling story about survival, art, and humanity after a global pandemic. (Trust us, it’s more hopeful than it sounds!)
Fancy a dip into Sci-fi? Try anything in The Culture Series by Iain M Banks. Start with Player of Games.
After a classic? Pride and Prejudice never gets old. Or discover Dickens – Tale of Two Cities is a corker (and relatively short!).