how to read more often

As adulthood approaches, this means more responsibilities. More responsibilities mean less time to read.

I go through periods where I want to read, but I don’t have the time or the energy to do it. As a college student, all I do is read, so whenever I have a moment to sit down with a book of my choice, it’s the last thing I want to do.

But I still love to do it. Reading is such a magical experience that can take you to a completely different reality. One of the best feelings in the world is being sucked into a great book. I miss that and I know other people feel the same.

So if you’re looking for tips and tricks on how to incorporate reading into your life, check out the rest of this post.

And if you’re interested in listening to the audio version of this post, check it out next Wednesday! In the meantime, you can listen to old episodes by clicking the ‘Podcast’ tab or searching The Writer Chick on your platform of choice.

Let’s get into it, shall we!

Pick a designated reading time

This seems counterproductive considering I was just talking about how we lack time to read but hear me out.

It’s a matter of time management. Carve out time to read, even if it’s only for ten minutes. You can take time to do it in the morning when you first wake up or you can read at night. Maybe you’re the type of person to read in the middle of the afternoon.

I know that when I did read, I usually preferred to do it at night so I could unwind after a stressful day. The morning doesn’t work for me because that’s usually when I’m more productive, so I like to take that time to work on things that are more important like classwork, my business, Instagram stuff, etc.

Keep a list

I actually do this now! I have a list of books in my Notes app so I don’t forget about potential books that I want to check out.

This is helpful if you’re stuck in a reading slump or you don’t want to waste time searching for potential books to read. You can just consult your list if you’re in the mood for fiction or non-fiction and go from there.

Now, mine is pretty basic because I just write the title and the author and put it in its respective category (i.e. fiction and non-fiction), but you can be as in-depth or as simple as you want.

Here’s mine:

I love to do this when I visit book stores because sometimes I don’t have the money so I just save it for later. This is usually when I visit Barnes & Noble because all the books there are way too expensive so I usually find it online or I’ll buy it on Amazon for less.

Read 15-20 pages everyday

This goes right back to picking a designated time to read. Once you do pick your preferred moment (i.e. morning, night, afternoon) then try to read 15-20 pages. I know that seems like a lot, but it’s actually pretty manageable.

However, I know I have to read less because my attention span sucks (thanks to social media), so you can adjust this as needed. I can usually manage about 10 pages before I get bored unless it’s a really good book.

But pace yourself! Don’t get upset if you can’t get to this number right away. It takes time to build up a routine.

Read more than one book at a time

So yes, this might seem weird, but it actually helps.

I do this because I have a hard time focusing on one thing at a time or I might get bored with one book. I wouldn’t recommend reading more than two or three at a time so you don’t get confused, but it can help whenever you feel stagnant.

I usually alternate between fiction books and self-help books.

Set a reading goal

This is another thing I implemented recently. If you have a GoodReads account you can set up your reading goal for the year and check the books off as you finish them.

I think it’s helpful to have something to look forward to, so it can motivate you to read more. The only downside is overly pressuring yourself to meet that goal. If you don’t meet it, then that’s fine, but don’t get so caught up in the numbers that you miss the point of it: to read more often.

For example, I’m two books behind, but I’m not stressing out over it. If I meet my goal, then great. If not, I can always try again next year.

Feel free to follow: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20707827.Kayla_Jones

Start a Book Club

Now, this is dependent on the type of person you are, but if you find it easier to read when you have other people you can connect with then a book club might be a good solution for you.

Sometimes having other people hold you accountable will force you to read more. Personally, book clubs have never worked for me. I still have a hard time keeping up even if I’m the one running it or I’m joining one. I’ve been in two different book clubs and I always dipped after the first one because I hate groups (the introvert in me is strong) or I didn’t really like the books we were reading so it was hard for me to stay engaged.

But I know other people are different, so you could probably create a Facebook Group, conduct it over Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.

Carry a book with you

I do this too. I usually keep a book on hand or I always keep my Kindle close by in case I get a couple of minutes to read. So instead of scrolling on Tik Tok or social media use that time to read a couple of sentences.

This is something I’m trying to work on too because I always deviate to social media when I’m bored. It’s definitely a struggle, but it’s something that can be worked on.

It’s okay to DNF

It’s okay to not like a book and it’s okay not to finish it either.

If you don’t already know, DNF means ‘did not finish’ because sometimes a book is just so terrible or slow that forcing yourself to get through it is like swallowing a handful of nails.

I can’t count the number of times that I hated a book and just quit reading it. It’s better to move on to something you enjoy instead of spending time with a book you hate and subsequently destroying your motivation.

If anything, it prolongs the process because you’re spending more energy avoiding the book, which means less time that you’re spending reading.

I actually have a list of popular books that I hated, but I’ll save that for another post.

Audiobooks are a godsend

Last but not least, audiobooks are a godsend.

If you genuinely have no time to read a physical book or you’re the type of person who prefers someone reading to you, then audiobooks might be a good fit.

There’s a bunch of audiobooks out there to look forward to and it’s something you can always take with you on the go. You can listen to a book in the car, at work, at the gym, on the bus, etc.

I like audiobooks, but only if it’s self-help because I feel like those are better verbally. I usually stick to physical books for fiction.

Final Thoughts

So even when it feels like you don’t have time to read, you do. You just have to intentionally carve out that time or find other alternatives. You also have to hold yourself accountable in order to start reading more often.

It’s easier said than done, but if it’s something you want to accomplish this year then you have more than enough time! Start small and work your way up.

Hope you guys enjoyed this! Make sure to sign up for my email list if you want to receive updates on podcast episodes, special guests, interviews, etc. Otherwise, good luck.

Until next time!

-The Writer Chick