life as poems 'n letters

Read this if:

• You’re a bookworm, but it’s getting out of hand.
• You want to know how Blinkist helped me return to reading without falling back into my old habits.
• You’re a lazy, busy, and budget-conscious geek looking for a smart way to consume books.

Quick App Review

I’ll keep this brief, guys: Blinkist has been one of my best investments ever. After trying it out, I quickly upgraded to the Plus version. Thankfully, I managed to snag a 50% discount on a limited offer, which you can check out here. I’m planning to upgrade to Premium by October this year!

A Little Backstory (Feel Free to Skip This Part!)

Let me tell you a bit about my reading journey. If there were a scale from 1 to 10 for being a bookworm, I’d definitely be an 11. My reading habits have always been intense, spanning everything from fiction and non-fiction to magazines, novels, newspapers, and even daily newsletters. Back in high school, you’d often find me in the library from 9 AM to noon. My routine? Read all the newspapers (yes, all three of them), then dive into encyclopedias, from volume 1 through 10, and then pick up books on medicine, biology, psychology, business, accounting—the list goes on.

By the age of 15, I had already devoured over 120 novels in both English and Tagalog. As much as I loved reading, it started getting out of hand. I’d find myself lost in thought, staring at a blank wall for hours (okay, maybe not that extreme, but you get the point). It was a bit overwhelming, and I realized that my passion for books was taking up more time than I could afford.

The Reality Check

Over time, I realized that our time isn’t limitless. With so many other priorities—work, school, and life in general—I became more conscious about what I was reading. I started asking myself three key questions before committing to a new book:

My “Book of the Damned” Checklist:

1. Money and Worthiness: Should I buy this book, or can I just find a summary on Google?
2. Time: Do I have the time to read this? How long will it take me to finish, and is it worth the time investment?
3. Purpose: What will I gain from reading this book? Is it for pleasure, knowledge, or practical application? If it’s an amazing book, why not?

Most of the time, I’d just look for a summary if the book didn’t seem essential, if I didn’t need the information immediately, or if I didn’t want to spend the money. Plus, if a book seemed like it would take more than a day to finish, I often didn’t even start it. I don’t know why—maybe it’s a time management thing. So, I made sure to do the math to predict if the book would be worth my time.

Whenever a book passed all the criteria on my checklist, I knew it had to be a good one. But even then, I set limits. I’d give myself an hour or two, maybe a whole day on the weekend if I was lucky. I didn’t want to find myself lost in a book for days on end again, staring at that metaphorical blank wall. Once I finished reading, I made sure to apply what I’d learned to my life and move on.

Enter Blinkist: A Game-Changer for Book Lovers

I stumbled upon Blinkist while browsing Google Play, and I have to say, where has this app been all my life? Whoever came up with Blinkist is a genius! For someone like me, who loves to read but has limited time, this app is a lifesaver.

With Blinkist, I don’t feel the need to read a book cover to cover in one sitting. Instead, I can get the core insights from a book in just 10-15 minutes. This is perfect for those of us who are:

• Busy with a million things on our to-do list.
• Short on time but still want to keep learning.
• Looking to get back into reading without overwhelming ourselves.
• Budget-conscious, preferring to save money where we can.

Blinkist condenses books into bite-sized summaries called “blinks,” making it easy to digest information quickly without feeling like you’re missing out. Since discovering Blinkist, I haven’t gone a day without using the app. It’s become an essential part of my daily routine, allowing me to read in a way that fits into my busy lifestyle.

Why Blinkist is Worth It

Seriously, if you haven’t tried Blinkist yet, you’re missing out. It’s one of the best ways to read smart, stay informed, and keep learning—all without the time commitment of reading full books. For me, it’s been a game-changer, and I can’t recommend it enough. Definitely worth the space on your phone!

Plus, I’m always on the lookout for new apps, especially on Google Play. If you’re an app developer or just have a suggestion, feel free to contact me here if you want your app featured!