Do you often feel that you are taking care of your family’s needs instead of your own?

When was the last time that you picked up a book? Busy people today never seem to find the time to enjoy the hobbies that they once enjoyed since they are too busy working and busing their kids from one activity to the next. Should you feel that you are unable to accomplish small tasks on your to-do list or socialize outside of your circle on topics that stimulate a conversation, why not try joining a book club?

Some people are unable to pick up a book and read it from cover to cover. In fact, people are more likely to pick up a self-help book and work on personal development rather than read books for fun. According to a survey conducted by the University of Calgary, 43% of people will pick up a book referred by a friend or family member.

Joining a book club encourages stimulating discussions, gives people a chance to express their opinion and intellectually challenge themselves. Reading the same book as your peers along with a deadline for the meetup will encourage readers to allocate time on a regular basis to read and to make sure that they finish the book in time for their book meeting.

Gabriella Lacopo is the founder of a barre studio and women’s book club in Laval. She is an avid reader and advocate for self-care. She expresses the importance of taking the time to do an activity that you love.  “I really noticed that women needed to be more encouraged to take that time for themselves. Women also had a need to share their thoughts, ideas and inspiration – and the book club gave us that platform,” says Lacopo. “Depending on our journeys, we can interpret a particular story in a very different way - giving our members a platform to talk about their perspective, share their thoughts and help each other feel heard and understood. The book club has definitely led to so many intellectual and therapeutic discussions that I think we all very much appreciated.”

Joining a book club is a great pastime because you can engage with people in all walks of life who have a mutual interest of reading. Also, the book genres chosen in the group will give you an idea of what types of books the club in engaging in. You can share common grounds with people who are also reading the book to spark conversations. Most book clubs are free to join and you can even vote on what types of books the group is willing to read. What’s more, many book clubs are held entirely online these days, and offer the opportunity to meet people from all over the world!

“In a world that shares so many different beliefs & ideologies it is important that we learn how to communicate and articulate a thought or an idea in a group setting without judgment. We learn this in the book club and it is a nice life lesson to carry with us every day,” says Lacopo.

Reading not only opens a world of mystery, romance and self-help but it can also help busy people escape and spend their time on more meaningful tasks instead of mindlessly scrolling through their social media. Spend time focusing on hobbies that bring joy to your life.