We could all benefit from reading a little more. It’s sometimes difficult to find the time to read, no matter how much we may want to. While putting the effort into developing your reading habit is something you have to fully commit to, changing the way you decide to read can make it easier to commit.
1) Use GoodReads
GoodReads is a social network specifically for readers. It allows its users to create reading lists, make virtual bookshelves, and see what their friends are reading. A sense of community makes reading a little more fun, and it always helps to have that reading list. You’ll know what you’re working towards and be able to create a reading adventure.
2) Buy Books Digitally
If you have a digital reading device, you’ll only need to carry one thing. You can buy books from your couch and read whatever you want, whenever you want to read it. The convenience leaves you without an excuse. Just make sure you’re using a secure connection when you purchase eBooks, especially if you’re on public WiFi. You have an entire library at your fingertips.
3) Set Reasonable Goals
Reading enthusiasts have a tendency to brag about lofty reading goals. You might not be able to finish a book a week with your current schedule – especially if it’s a long book. Even a book a month is more than zero books a month. Don’t overwhelm yourself with goals you can’t meet. You can always finish early, but you shouldn’t feel like reading is a high pressure chore.
4) Don’t Read Things You Hate!
If you have a hard time picking up a book again, it could be because you don’t like it. Don’t judge your own tastes based on what other people are reading. Some people adore The Great Gatsby. Other people can’t stand it. If you’re one of the people who would rather read anything else, then read anything else. It’s hard to invest yourself into a book that doesn’t actually interest you – reading shouldn’t be work.
5) Have an Accountability Buddy
Some people join book clubs because it keeps them focused on reading, but others feel like book clubs are too much trouble. If you don’t want to involve yourself in an entire club, partner with a friend who likes to read. Whether you’re reading the same thing at the same time and discussing it as you go or reading different things and telling each other about them, reading will feel like a fun hobby that brings you closer together.
6) Put Reading in Your Routine
Whether you read more or less than your allotted time, you should have some time allotted. Avid readers like to enjoy a book with their breakfast and coffee. If that will work for you, bring along a literary companion. You might prefer reading as a way to relax before bed. If it becomes a part of your day to day life, it will be easy to keep up with your habit.
7) Make the Most of Your Spare Time
Read whenever you can read. If you have a long commute or a lengthy wait at the doctor’s office, spend that time reading. If you would have otherwise spent that time unproductively, it never hurts to read instead. You’ll finish books much faster when you pick up a book in your spare time.
Concluding:
Anything can become a habit with time. As long as you try your best to stick to reading, you’ll find that it becomes easier as you immerse yourself. You might not be one of those people that can read a full book cover to cover in one sitting, but you can still be well read by taking a little time to do it each day.
BIO: Sarah Kearns is a hard working mother of three daughters. She is a Senior Communications Manager for BizDb, an online resource with information about businesses in the UK. She loves cooking, reading history books and writing about green living.
