Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. Years ago, I discovered an audiobook app that connected me to the public library for free, and it has been one of the best resources I've ever had. I kept a growing list of fiction and nonfiction books that interested me, and I can't imagine returning to a time when I didn't have this ability.
The time I spend reading has grown even more valuable to me ever since I found Readwise, a wonderful app that has made it a breeze for me to remember and revisit the most valuable insights and lessons from the books, articles, and other content I consume.
While reading, I often come across important points or lessons that seem significant at the moment, but over time, I tend to forget them. I could keep a digital or paper scrapbook of notes and quotes, but this requires me to…
always have these materials at my disposal (which never happens),
dedicate time to maintaining them (which I don't have),
and have a way of retrieving the information I've read when I need it (no matter where I am).
Readwise offers a solution to these problems without any extra work. It links to my Kindle app and all other book-reading apps I have, including my public library app. I can capture highlights and notes from anything I read, whether it's an article, book, PDF file, or website, and save it instantly to Readwise.
On my phone app, or in my PC browser, I quickly highlight what I'm reading, spend five seconds dictating a note about my thoughts on what I've just highlighted, and that's it. I continue reading and go on with whatever I'm doing. The dictated note turns into text and is tethered to what I just highlighted. I never have to do anything else. It takes almost no extra time or effort at all. This way, everything important about what I read, or every important thought I have about something I'm learning (or sometimes it’s just a question about something I don't understand) gets captured immediately without any extra work or organization. Readwise automatically pulls that data from all my apps into its database without me ever having to open the Readwise app at all. It always syncs up in the background. It's amazing.
Readwise offers a feature that I never use, but many find beneficial: it periodically selects your highlights and notes and sends them back to you in a list as a reminder of what you've read. This is a great way to have your thoughts eventually recycle back to you without having to do any additional digging.
If you are a reader, it can make your time and effort spent reading much more valuable by retaining the ideas and thoughts you value most. There is a free version of Readwise and a paid upgrade. I tried the free version for a while and have been a subscriber ever since.
Happy reading!
P.S. This is not a paid endorsement. I am not being paid or compensated for this post by Readwise or its affiliates in any way. I just love the app.
Thanks much for the info!