The government of a wealthy city-state has introduced a new program that offers financial incentives to citizens who read for at least 15 minutes daily, aiming to counteract the growing trend of doomscrolling. Launched earlier this month, the initiative seeks to promote improved concentration, critical thinking, and imagination through a gamified reading experience.

Under the scheme, participants accumulate points based on their reading time, which can then be exchanged for monetary rewards. The program encourages people to integrate reading into their daily routines, whether during commutes, lunch breaks, or before bedtime.

Melissa Tam, chief of the national library board, emphasized the importance of creating sustainable reading habits through gradual, consistent efforts. “We know that habits are built through small, consistent actions,” she said. “So, we are starting with a simple goal: just read for 15 minutes a day.”

This approach follows earlier government initiatives aimed at enhancing public well-being through behavioral incentives, such as awarding prizes for meeting daily physical activity targets. The new reading program represents a continuation of efforts to promote healthier digital consumption patterns and foster positive habits among the population amid concerns about the negative effects of excessive screen time and the consumption of troubling news online.