Re reading: secret, most academics read only a) things they have to review b) things they have to cite. So if you do those two things, anything else is a bonus. Say Yes to reviewing. Allow yourself to read things that you come across and feel like reading, even if they're irrelevant, provided the habit doesn't get out of hand. Go to seminars. Look up things you don't understand from their abstracts in Wikipedia in advance. Ignore me and do what works :-)