How to read more books

If you’re reading this you a) love to read but don’t have the time, b) are in a terrible reading slump, or c) would like to get through more books in a smaller amount of time. So here are a few tips that might help you get into a good reading routine that work for me.

1. Audiobooks

We’re starting off with one of my personal favorites. I love listening to audiobooks while I’m doing mundane activities such as cleaning, cooking, driving, etc. Suddenly those activities become much more interesting when you add in a good thriller — or whatever you like to read. There are a few places to get audiobooks such as Audible or Scribd, but I like to get mine from my local library. You can check your local library to see if they offer audiobooks but if not then I would suggest trying Scribd because it’s cheaper and for the most part you get to listen to an unlimited amount of books per month. Audible is good too if you like to keep your audiobooks after listening to them.

2. Keep an e-book downloaded on your phone

As much as I prefer reading an actual book I feel like ebooks are very convenient. You carry your phone everywhere, and as much as I’d like to make it a habit to carry a book everywhere I go, sometimes books can get a bit bulky. You never know when you’ll get stuck in a line somewhere or stuck in a boring social situation and wish you had something to read. I also find them great for when I can’t sleep at night. While my husband is sound asleep, I can still read my e-book and not have to turn on any lights. Again, you don’t have to purchase these yourself. More than likely your local library will have a wide range to choose from. But if not, Scribd has a good range as well at a reasonable price. You can even get 60 days free if you click on my link.

3. Read what you personally enjoy

There’s a lot of pressure to read certain books in a certain amount of time just because it’s “admirable” or “impressive”. But honestly that’s why so many people get discouraged from reading or end up in a reading slump because they’re trying to get through this classic novel that so-and-so says is a must-read. We don’t all have the same taste in books just like we don’t all have the same taste in movies and tv shows. I’ve gone through times when all I read are thrillers just because that’s what’s keeping my attention at the moment. Reading should be a leisurely activity not a chore so find a book that grabs your attention and read it.

4. Join Goodreads

I’ve had a Goodreads account for years. It’s great if you’re looking for new books to read and want to keep track of what you’re reading. You can also follow other people and see what they’re reading. All in all, Goodreads is a great way to see what other people think of a book or to see what people who have a similar reading taste to you are reading. You can also rate the books you’ve read and write a review if you so desire. I love looking what the top read books for the week are and see what books Goodreads has recommended to me based on the books I’ve read. It’s like Spotify for books. Goodreads also allows you to set a reading goal for the year if that’s you’re thing, which leads me to my next point.

5. Give yourself a reading goal

For the past couple years I’ve been giving myself a reading goal for the year. The main reason for this was to help me keep track of the amount of books I actually read during the year and to help me read a constant amount per month so that I could reach my goal. But I think at this point I’ve been reading a satisfying amount so I don’t feel like I need to set a yearly reading goal anymore. So if a yearly reading goal isn’t your thing, try maybe a goal of reading 30 min. a day or even a weekly or monthly goal. Or if reading more of a certain genre or author is one of your goals, try a goal of reading one book from that category a month. So whether you’re using Goodreads to keep track of your reading goal or your planner, I suggest finding a system that works for your so that you can keep yourself accountable, at least until you get into the rhythm of reading.

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R.R. Martin

Let me know if you’re going to try one of these tips!

xx