Reading books. I was never a reader as kid. And, for the last 10 years or so of my adult life, the only reading I've done was programming tutorials, documentation, and whatever I ran into on the web. Certainly, there wasn't any reading done for fun.
But, last month after picking up lunch one day, I actually walked into the used book store and bought a book. Yesterday, I started reading book #4. Kinda surprised I went through the first few so quick.
I've been reading on my lunch hour most days, but spent this weekend going through 2/3 of one I started last week.
Not sure how much it's "paying off", but I'm definitely staying off my phone/web at lunch. The stories have me more engrossed than I anticipated too.
Reading is AWESOME. I am in the same boat as you - never read much as a kid, mostly read stuff on the web up until about a year and a half ago. I found a couple really cheap used bookstores near me around that time, and I have never looked back.
For me, fiction is such a nice break from the technical stuff that I am exposed to day in and day out. I feel it has helped me to be more empathetic, has exposed me to all sorts of different characters/personalities, and has made me a more well-rounded person in general. I also feel as though I am more frequently able to find the right words to adequately express my ideas.
Another thing that's great about reading is talking about books with close friends. Their insights on the book might be something that would have otherwise gone completely over your head.
Adding to this... If you are already a reader but find yourself only reading in spurts i.e. you find a great book, only read on vacation, ect. I'd suggest being more open to quitting a book when you start to lose interest. I went from reading 10 books a year to 25+ because I'm willing to put a book down. It's also helped me define what I actually enjoy reading.
Am I disappointed I only made it 300 pages into Infinite Jest? Sure. But I've read 4 other books since I set that down last month.
But, last month after picking up lunch one day, I actually walked into the used book store and bought a book. Yesterday, I started reading book #4. Kinda surprised I went through the first few so quick.
I've been reading on my lunch hour most days, but spent this weekend going through 2/3 of one I started last week.
Not sure how much it's "paying off", but I'm definitely staying off my phone/web at lunch. The stories have me more engrossed than I anticipated too.