Jan 18
Tracy reads non-fiction exclusively and hasn’t been an avid fiction reader since she was 12. She’s often wondered if those with ADHD read more non-fiction than fiction so she asked her of smart ADHD women.
Here’s what Tracy covers: Do those with ADHD really have a preference for non-fiction? What are the reasons that might be so? If you struggle with reading non-fiction books you might be interested in this hack to actually finish them. This feeling that many of us have that there’s never enough time to learn about everything we’re interested in.
The character strengths that so many of us share which is apparent in our love of non-fiction books. How non-fiction books help us to make connections and generate new ideas How audiobooks can help us when we lack focus What to do when you’re afraid you’ll hyperfocus on a book and can’t stop reading until you’ve finished reading the book Do you read non-fiction for knowledge or recreation? What about the women who only read fiction? How do they feel about reading non-fiction? What’s Katy’s hack for reading non-fiction, learning and remembering what you learn?
APPLE
SPOTIFY
YOUTUBE
"I don't read for recreation. I read for knowledge, because you know what? I don't recreate."
- Tracy Otsuka
"Don't feel like you need to read a book cover to cover start with the chapter that interests you most, then use that interest to motivate you to finish the book or at a minimum read more of the book than you would have had you started reading at the beginning."
- Tracy Otsuka
"Think about trying an audiobook. You know, when my ADHD got really bad like, kind of in my mid 40s, I found myself buying a lot of books because I was so interested in the subject, but I couldn't read them, I couldn't get through them."
- Tracy Otsuka
- Tracy struggled to read fiction after stopping for pleasure during junior high school, despite resuming reading for school and later for personal development.
- Tracy values curiosity and learning, prioritizing topics that interest her, and hyperfocusing when reading.
- Participants discuss their reading habits, with some preferring nonfiction for its informative value and others finding it more engaging than fiction.
[06:42 - 10:48] Reading Habits and Motivations Among Women
- Members of a book club share their reasons for reading, with 33% prioritizing knowledge and the rest citing both knowledge and recreation.
- Tracy and others discuss how they prioritize nonfiction reading for knowledge and learning, while some prefer fiction for escapism and enjoyment.
- Tracy suggests starting with the most interesting chapter of a book to maintain motivation, then listening to the audiobook for better retention.
[10:48 - 19:29] Workarounds for Reading Challenges with ADHD
- Tracy suggests starting with the most interesting chapter of a book to maintain motivation, then listening to the audiobook for better retention.
- Tracy also recommends reading the book while listening to the audiobook, taking notes and highlighting important points, and using hyperfocus as a reward for completing tasks.
- Tracy provides tips for managing ADHD, including paying attention to how one feels when stopping and writing down what needs to be remembered.
