Reading is excellent for the mind. It can help you unwind after a stressful day, broaden your vocabulary, and improve your mental health.
Yet, despite the best intentions, many people struggle to find time to read. Television, social media, and work commitments are all contributing factors.
Sometimes all we need is a little motivation, a reason to change, and a way to make reading an everyday routine. So, let’s take a look at 15 habits that will help you read more books.
Set a Daily Reading Goal
Setting a daily reading goal is a great habit to get into.
You can make reading a chapter a day part of your morning routine or set a goal to read a specific number of pages per day. These small but consistent efforts will add up over time, and you will find yourself flying through your books over the month.
Listen to Audiobooks
Lack of time is one of the most significant barriers to reading, so listening to audiobooks is an effective way to enjoy books while performing other activities.
Try listening to an audiobook while you exercise, do your morning commute, or put one on in the background while working from home.
Create a Dedicated Reading Space
Set aside a comfortable place in your home where you can read without distractions or interruptions.
This could be a space free of screens and background noise, where others know you are dedicating focused time to reading. You can increase your concentration by leaving your phone in another room.
Replace Screen Time with Reading Before Bed
Replacing screen time with a book before bed won’t just help you read more; it will also help you relax for a restful night’s sleep.
Using a tablet or phone before bed makes it difficult to switch off, particularly if you are heavily using social media. Reading for a short period will put your mind at ease and help you drift off.
Join a Book Club
Joining a book club can help you make new friends while encouraging you to read more.
It can also expose you to new genres and authors you may not have considered. You usually have to read the book within a week to give feedback at the next meeting, so you will have a deadline to keep you motivated.
Read Multiple Books at Once
Reading multiple books at once is a great way to stay motivated.
You can have several different genres on the go so that you always have a book ready that suits your mood. For example, you might have historical, fact-heavy nonfiction for when you want to focus and a much lighter read for your final reading in the evening when you are tired.
Set a Specific Reading Time Each Day
By setting a specific time to read each day, you will eventually get into the habit of reading without thinking about it.
This could be reading a chapter of your book as soon as you wake up, reading to make the morning commute go faster, or reading in bed to relax in the evening before switching off the light.
Use an E-Reader
It can be frustrating to finish a book partway through a journey. If you use an e-reader, you can take your entire eBook collection everywhere and always have something new to read or go back to that book you once parted ways from half way through.
E-readers are also great if you don’t have space at home for a bookcase, and you can back up your collection to the cloud in case it ever goes missing.
Use the Library
You don’t have to spend money to become an avid reader.
Your local library enables you to borrow books without cost, and if the book you want isn’t stocked, they can often order it for you. You can also read a chapter of a book you are interested in before borrowing it so that you are sure it will be something you read until the end.
Subscribe to a Book Subscription Service
Book subscription services are a great way to try new authors and provide you with something to read every month.
You can specify the genres you are interested in so that the books you receive suit your taste. Knowing that a new book will arrive every month gives you a natural incentive to finish the one you are currently reading.
Try Different Genres
Everyone has a favorite genre when it comes to reading, but sticking to one genre all the time can become dull and repetitive and ultimately affect your motivation to read.
Why not try a different genre every once in a while to keep things interesting? You may be surprised at some of the books and authors you discover.
Always Have a Next Book Lined Up
Once you start reading regularly, keep that momentum going by always having the next book lined up.
If you don’t, choosing and buying your next book will take time, slowing you down. Create a reading list on your phone that you can add to as you get recommendations, and use it to always have your next book on hand.
Swap TV Time with Reading a Chapter
Relaxing in the evening with some TV is a widespread habit, but it can leave you overstimulated or encourage you to watch more episodes to the extent that it harms your sleep.
Why not read a book instead? Reading is naturally relaxing, and the chapters give you natural breaks when you can put it down and go to sleep.
Put Your Phone on Silent While Reading
Limit distractions and increase your focus by keeping your phone silent while reading.
It’s easy to be distracted by constant notifications, but no one will resent you switching off for a while. You can also use methods like setting a 20-minute timer for uninterrupted reading or breaking off after each chapter to check your phone.
Get Book Recommendations
Actively seeking out recommendations is a great way to keep you reading.
Find trusted sources. This could be the newspaper you read, a book review website, a particular literary critic, or a friend with tastes similar to yours. This will mean that you always have a new book to discover, and it will expose you to books that you might not have considered.
