Know when to give up a book

It can be difficult to go from waking up in the morning to getting yourself working right away. So give yourself a mental warm up exercise beforehand.

For example, try reading an interesting book that gets your brain going, write down your ideas or do some crossword/Sudoku puzzles.

When you have to do something difficult, ask yourself these questions to determine if you're impulsive or need to speak up.

• Do I really mean it, or do I just want to hear my own voice?
• Can I defend it if I'm challenged on it?
• Can I say it thoughtfully?

• Read the cover and preface.
• Read the table of contents, which will give you a feel for the map of the book.
• Understand the language of the book. This means skimming the index. Not only will this give you an idea of the r...