I’ve been writing about focusing on what matters lately by making good choices with how and what you consume. Some things are just a complete waste of time like the local news. Other things have a good alternative, like reading the Economist instead of going to news sites.

As I wrote last time, though, in this mobile world that isn’t enough. You have to make sure your smartphone is serving you and not enslaving you. And beyond that I’m convinced to lead a life of growth and meaning you need to read. Probably more than you are right now.

So how do we do that? The solutions that come to mind immediately are: on our smartphone, a paper book, or a tablet. I’m going to talk about a better way to read books: through the Amazon Kindle.

A few years back a friend asked me what I thought about the Kindle, and my opinion to him as of July

16, 2010, was: “It seems like having a book would be better.” Well, thankfully my friend didn’t listen to my awful advice and bought one, told me about it, changed my mind, and I haven’t looked back.

Here’s what’s so great about the Kindle:

1. Distractionless: yes, that’s a feature and not a bug. I like it that there aren’t pop-ups telling me all about the emails I’m not reading or the cool Facebook posts that I need to be looking into. I’m here to read. The Kindle helps me read.
2. Battery Life: I don’t have to be preoccupied with powering the stupid thing while I’m using it. I can read. I have to charge it every once in a while. It’s not like the power sucking smartphone or tablet.
3. Position Independent: this may seem small to some, but I like reading while I’m laying down. And I get comfortable holding a book in one hand. Then I read fast and get to the other side of the book. So I have to move to read the other section. It seems like a small thing, and admittedly a first-world problem, but I love how I can read the Kindle with one hand laying on the same side for as long as it is comfortable.
4. Sleep Friendly Lighting: I have the Kindle paper white that doesn’t blast light into my eyes and keep me up. I can do a little nighttime reading with a very small amount of light. It also doesn’t distract my wife.
5. Borrower Capable: I have learned to take advantage of my library’s borrower privileges on the Kindle. This is easy once you figure it out. I do admit to buying more books than I would have before, but I think that’s a good thing as long as I read them.
6. Keeps Your Place: I pick up the book and read exactly where I left off. I don’t have to think about it. I just go.
7. Read More: I’ve read much more than before. If I’m interested in a topic, I can get a book on that topic and read through it quickly while I have a passion and interest in the book.
8. Portable: I admit to not doing it very often, but if I want to, I can read on my smartphone or even my computer to continue my reading.

I highly recommend going for a Kindle. You need to read to meet your goals, and in my mind there is no better way to do so than with the Kindle.