My current answer is “too many.” But I’m going to change that.

I suppose having too many books to read is a first world problem. I am guilty of reading several different books at any given time. I suppose I get bored with one or get suddenly interested in a new topic and start another one. I need to change this bad habit.

It’s time to focus on one book at a time. My goal is to have only one book on my nightstand. Okay, maybe two. But this means I need to get serious about the kinds of books I choose to read. As I pointed out in the post Knowledge is not power, it’s not enough to just read a book and move on. Here is the framework I will use to choose books:

• The topic needs to be of interest. Don’t bother reading a book because everyone says it’s a great book if I’m not interested in the topic.

• The topic needs to be timely. When I read a book, I want to immediately take action based on what I’ve learned. If the topics in the book do not coincide with the goals I’m focusing on right now, it’s not the right time to read the book.

• Don’t start reading a second book unless there is synergy with the first book. I may experiment with this one. If I decide to read two books instead of just one, I may choose the same topic for both so that I can make connections with the ideas in each one.

• Who has time for fiction? As much as I would love to read a good novel or short story collection, I am too focused on personal development right now. 

So which book earned the coveted spot on my nightstand? The Power of When by Michael Breus, PhD. I have been focusing on improving sleep, and I am very interested in the science of chronotypes. 

Which book or books are on your nightstand?