A few months ago, I noticed something frustrating.
I was spending hours online every day, reading articles, saving blog posts, bookmarking guides, and collecting resources I planned to read “later.”
The problem?
Later never arrived.
My browser bookmarks looked impressive.
My actual reading progress didn’t.
At one point, I had hundreds of saved articles across Chrome, Pocket, and my phone’s reading list. Every time I found something useful, I’d save it for the future. Somehow, the future never showed up.
That’s when I started experimenting with a system I jokingly called “MyReadiBGMsNGs.”
The unusual name started as a personal folder title for organizing reading materials, background resources, guides, notes, and growth-related content.
Over time, it became much more than a folder.
It evolved into a practical reading system that helped me consume information more effectively without feeling overwhelmed.
If you’ve ever felt buried under saved articles, unread newsletters, PDFs, and online resources, this experience might sound familiar.
The Problem Most Readers Face
The internet makes information incredibly accessible.
Unfortunately, it also makes information incredibly easy to collect without actually reading it.
I’ve done this more times than I want to admit.
I’ll find:
- A useful productivity guide
- An interesting case study
- A book recommendation
- A tutorial
- A research article
- A personal finance post
Instead of reading it immediately, I save it.
The result?
An ever-growing pile of unread content.
At first, saving information feels productive.
Later, it becomes digital clutter.
My Wake-Up Call
One weekend I decided to clean up my saved articles.
I expected maybe fifty unread items.
There were over four hundred.
Four hundred.
I honestly couldn’t believe it.
Some articles had been sitting untouched for over a year.
That moment forced me to ask a simple question:
Why was I collecting information instead of using it?
That realization became the foundation of my MyReadiBGMsNGs approach.
What MyReadiBGMsNGs Means to Me
For me, MyReadiBGMsNGs became shorthand for:
- My Reading
- Background Materials
- Notes
- Guides
- Sources
The exact wording isn’t important.
What matters is the system behind it.
Instead of endlessly saving content, I created a structure that encouraged actual reading and learning.
The goal wasn’t collecting more information.
The goal was making information useful.
The Simple System I Started Using
The first version was incredibly basic.
I created five folders.
Read Now
Articles that deserved immediate attention.
This Week
Resources I wanted to review soon.
Reference
Materials worth keeping for future projects.
Learning
Long-term educational content.
Delete Later
Items I wasn’t sure about.
This structure immediately reduced the chaos.
Instead of one giant pile, everything had a purpose.
The Mistake I Made Early On
At first, I still saved too much content.
The folders became organized clutter.
That’s not much better than regular clutter.
I eventually created a personal rule:
If I save something, I must have a clear reason.
Questions I ask myself now include:
- Will I use this information?
- Is it relevant to a current goal?
- Can I find it again easily later?
- Am I genuinely interested in reading it?
If the answer is no, I don’t save it.
That one habit reduced my digital clutter dramatically.
Tools That Helped Me Stay Organized
You don’t need expensive software.
I experimented with several simple tools.
Pocket became one of my favorites for saving articles.
Instead of opening dozens of browser tabs, I could save everything in one place.
Notion
I use Notion for organizing longer resources and learning projects.
It’s flexible and easy to customize.
Google Keep
For quick notes and reminders, Google Keep works surprisingly well.
Chrome Bookmarks
Sometimes simple bookmarks are enough.
The key is maintaining organization.
Kindle App
For longer reading sessions, I often use the Kindle app because it reduces distractions.
The best tool is the one you’ll actually use consistently.
Unexpected Benefits
The biggest surprise wasn’t reading more.
It was remembering more.
Before using a structured approach, I constantly forgot what I had read.
I’d finish an article and move on immediately.
A week later, most of the information was gone.
Once I started taking notes and organizing content intentionally, retention improved significantly.
Reading became more useful.
Not because I was reading faster.
Because I was reading better.
How I Process Information Today
My current approach is simple.
Step 1: Read
Focus on understanding rather than speed.
Step 2: Highlight
Save important ideas.
Step 3: Summarize
Write a few sentences in my own words.
Step 4: Apply
Find a practical use for the information.
Step 5: Archive
Store useful resources in organized folders.
This process sounds basic, but it works remarkably well.
Why Most Reading Systems Fail
I’ve tested dozens of productivity methods.
Most fail for one reason.
They’re too complicated.
People create elaborate systems with:
- Multiple apps
- Color-coded categories
- Complex tagging structures
- Detailed workflows
Then they stop using them.
I’ve been guilty of this myself.
The best system is usually the simplest one.
If maintaining the system takes more effort than reading, something is wrong.
Real-Life Example
Last year I wanted to learn more about personal finance.
Instead of saving hundreds of articles, I created a focused reading list.
I selected:
- Ten quality articles
- Two books
- Three podcast episodes
- One educational course
That was it.
The result?
I learned far more than I did during previous years of endless content collection.
The lesson was obvious.
Focused consumption beats unlimited consumption.
Every time.
Common Mistakes Readers Make
Over time, I’ve noticed several recurring mistakes.
Saving Everything
Not every article deserves permanent storage.
Reading Without Purpose
Having a goal improves focus.
Ignoring Notes
Writing reinforces learning.
Chasing Quantity
Twenty mediocre articles rarely outperform one excellent resource.
Multitasking
Trying to read while checking notifications usually reduces comprehension.
How Smartphones Changed Reading Habits
Smartphones made information more accessible than ever.
They also introduced new challenges.
Notifications.
Messages.
Social feeds.
Constant interruptions.
I noticed my reading quality improved whenever I activated focus mode.
Even thirty uninterrupted minutes produced better results than two distracted hours.
That realization changed how I approach learning.
Attention matters.
A lot.
Building a Sustainable Reading Routine
One mistake I made was treating reading like a massive project.
I thought I needed hours of free time.
Turns out I didn’t.
Fifteen minutes daily works surprisingly well.
Small sessions accumulate quickly.
A person reading fifteen minutes every day completes far more content over a year than someone waiting for the perfect weekend.
Consistency wins.
Almost every time.
Why Organization Matters More Than Speed
Many people obsess over speed-reading techniques.
I’ve tried several.
Some helped slightly.
None solved the real problem.
The issue wasn’t reading speed.
It was information management.
Reading faster doesn’t help if you forget everything afterward.
Organization creates long-term value.
That’s where MyReadiBGMsNGs made the biggest difference for me.
It transformed random information consumption into intentional learning.
What I Learned From the Entire Process
Looking back, the biggest lesson wasn’t about productivity.
It was about attention.
Information is everywhere.
Useful information is abundant.
The real challenge is deciding what deserves your focus.
Once I stopped trying to save everything, learning became easier.
Once I stopped collecting content like digital trophies, reading became enjoyable again.
And once I created a simple system, I finally started using the resources I had been gathering for years.
Final Thoughts
If the term MyReadiBGMsNGs brought you here because you were curious, the idea behind it is surprisingly simple.
Stop treating information like something to collect.
Start treating it like something to use.
Create a manageable system.
Read intentionally.
Take notes.
Apply what you learn.
Keep only what matters.
Most importantly, don’t let useful resources sit untouched in endless bookmark folders.
I’ve made that mistake enough times for both of us.
A smaller collection of genuinely valuable reading materials will almost always outperform an enormous library you never open.
And honestly, that’s the biggest change MyReadiBGMsNGs brought to my own learning journey.
