Reading is a very broad term. There is not a day that goes by where we are not reading something, whether it is for leisure or for work. Most people consider reading to be a chore or a task that requires a lot of effort and it doesn’t have to be. In this blog post, I am going to share 5 tips that helped me increase my reading.
I have been in school for the last 20+ years of my life. Last summer, I finally obtained my last and final degree (A PhD in Education) which opened up more time for me to read leisurely. I am reading a lot more now that I have more time to read. It is my hope that these tips would help you to read more too.
Set Reading Goals
Each year I participate in the Goodreads Reading Challenge. By doing so I set a goal that will establish how many books I will read for the year. This year I set a goal for 30 books where as of now I am about six years ahead of schedule. I am intentional about meeting this goal and do everything in my power to hit that.
If you are someone that is trying to get back into reading, start with a realistic goal. Don’t try to be an overachiever. It’s not necessary to read 100 books right out the gate. When school first started winding down I knew I wanted to read 10 books in the year and slowly ramped up. Set those realistic goals and crush them!
Determine your medium for reading
Everyone does not like to read with a tangible book. Nowadays, you can read a real book, e-book, or even listen to an audiobook. Personally, I love e-books. This is partly because I don’t have the storage for real books. Once I move into my home, I will get back into buying and reading real books. I know that I don’t like audiobooks. It is annoying for me to hear people talk (One of the reasons I also don’t like podcasts!). Understanding which medium you prefer will help you to understand how much time you should allocate to your reading goals.
Create a Reading Routine
I read before I fall asleep every night. Once I complete my night skin routine, I grab my book. For me, this is a great time to read because I am settled in bed and ready to doze off. Reading often puts me straight to sleep. When you get into a consistent reading routine, your body will automatically expect it which would make adjusting much easier. Determine a good time that works for you where you are able to hold a sustained amount of time for just reading distraction free. The end of the day works best for me but maybe the morning works better for you.
I try to read for a minimum of twenty minutes but of course it could be longer depending on how involved I am in the story. There really is no reason for that number but I thought twenty minutes was a good chunk to make progress within a book. Ultimately, decide what works best for you.
Read During Any Downtime
As an E-book reader I am able to read virtually anywhere. I might be traveling in an Uber and decide to pull out my book, really pull up my book on my phone. During those times when I am just scrolling on my phone, sometimes I just open my book. If it is a goal to read more, you can choose to read during your downtime. Get off Tik Tok, get off Instagram, get off Twitter and Facebook and open up Libby or Hoopla. These are great resources to get E-books as well as audiobooks and magazines.
Find books you enjoy
The easiest way to increase your reading is to find books that you enjoy. It took me a while to narrow in on the reading genres that I love. I had to test the waters of different book genres that I liked to see what I like and don’t like. I am obsessed with romantic comedies, historical fiction, and mystery/thrillers. Now, when I pick up a book within any of these genres I am able to zoom through books much more quickly.
Now that I have shared these tips I hope that you decide to read more. I love to read and love to hear what others are reading. Be sure to follow my bookstagram page, @kandacewithakreads, to follow the books that I am reading. If you also enjoy reading and promoting literacy, grab some of my Go Read A Book merch.
Check out my other book reviews here.
