When I was younger, it seemed that everyone loved to read. Maybe it was all the instructed reading I had to do for school that ruined it (especially as I got to college), but I’ve never been one to read for pleasure. Even when my sister’s and my babysitter would tell us it was “Toes Up Time” (AKA, the window of the day she wanted us all to grab a book and read), it just wasn’t enjoyable for me. Despite this regrettable quality of mine, I’ve always loved the idea of reading.
There have been a couple books here or there that I decided to sit down and read over the past decade (i.e., the DaVinci Code and Hunger Games trilogy), but I’ve gone years without reading a single book, which always felt wrong to me. That’s why a couple years ago I made the conscious decision to make a change and seek out the motivation to read regularly.
When I set my goals for 2018, I included one that said: “Always be working on a book to read.” Even if I wasn’t able to read every day or get through many books, I wanted to always have a book that I was in the middle of. This simple goal is how I ultimately motivated myself to pick up reading as a habit. However, it didn’t come easily; I still had to work at it.
Considering my success with reading in 2018, I decided to make a similar goal for 2019: “Read an average of 1 book per month.” I ended up reading 8 books the year before, so I wanted to challenge myself by not only keeping up my reading routine, but also making it more productive.
I know others like me who wish they could pick up a habit of reading but have always struggled. So I wanted to share some tips that really changed the game for me and made reading not only a habit, but also something I’ve come to enjoy.
1. Set a goal and track your progress.
Whether it’s a book per month, a chapter each day, or some other goal—having something to work towards can be a huge motivator. I highly recommend making your goals small, so they feel more attainable (especially at first). Knowing I have one book to read each month has been really helpful for me this year. I read more some days than others but know I’m still making progress.
2. Read book genres you actually enjoy.
After you set your reading goal, go find a book or two that actually interests you. Speaking from experience, don’t just read a book because you feel like you should read it (I have this issue with classics). There’s a time for these books, and it’s after you’ve established a routine. If a book’s not your style, you won’t want to read it, so the habit will become a burden. Once I discovered the personal development genre (with popular authors like Rachel Hollis and Gretchen Rubin), I became hooked. I try to choose one of these every couple months because I know I love them.
3. Work it into your routine.
It’s hard to keep up with any habit until you’ve worked it into your routine. The best time for me to read has been right before I go to bed. Matt and I still get to hang out in the evening, but right before I go to sleep, I pick up a book and read it for usually 10-30 minutes (which definitely takes some discipline if we’ve been out all night or are binge-watching a show). If I’m especially into a book, I’ll work it into my morning too. But having it be part of my go-to-bed routine has really helped me.
4. Always have your next book on deck.
Don’t underestimate the power of having your next book to look forward to. This has been shockingly motivating for me when I’m being slow with finishing a book. Having the next book I want to read on deck is exciting! This has inspired me to research books every once in awhile, too, even though I’m still working on one. (The Amazon books department is a great place to find highly reviewed ones to give you ideas, by the way.) It’s a very new area of shopping that I’ve come to enjoy. I should probably join a library soon, though, because my book collection is starting to overwhelm the bookcase.
5. Bring a book with you anywhere you go.
If you know you’ll have downtime at any point, bring a book with you. While most of us probably pick up our phone to mindlessly scroll during these times, reading just feels more rewarding (and doesn’t kill your phone battery). I’ve learned this tip the hard way, because even when I didn’t think I’d have time to read on trips recently, there were very obvious chunks of time when I knew I could be reading but didn’t have my book with me. When you’re not sure if you’ll have time to read or not, just throw the book in your bag or car. It’s always a nice option when you’re bored!
Do you enjoy reading in your free time?
What are some books you would recommend?
