Reading is one of the most exciting ways to learn new things, work on yourself, and lose yourself in another world. But sometimes, it can be hard to fit reading books into a busy schedule. How many times have you found yourself longing to sit down with a good book and cup of hot cocoa; shutting yourself off from the hustle and bustle of life? We know we crave it, a lot! So how do you read more books? Well, it’s not as difficult as it may seem, and starts by making small changes in your day to day life.
Shut off from the internet for a while
If you’re on your lunch break or commuting to work, it’s often easy to flick through your phone and read a few online articles; usually to gain a bit more information on the world around us or a particular topic. Or even just nose on what your friends are up to. However, online articles are often too concise and lack the kind of information that is going to stick in our minds or change our lives for the better (apart from this article, of course). If you switch this online time to reading an actual book, you will find yourself feeling more fulfilled. Books are normally better and more tightly written, and authors spend intense hours finding the most extensive research to fill their pages – even if it is a fiction book. So switch the small stuff for the big stuff, and you’ll find yourself flitting through the pages in no time.
Read 20 pages each day
Although it may sound like a big favor to ask you to read every single day, reading 20 pages each day is completely manageable. Depending on your reading pace, 20 pages will take you on average around 30 minutes to read – and we reckon you all have 30 minutes a day where you don’t have anything to do (it could be waiting for your dinner to cook, or sitting on the toilet!) If you continue to read 20 pages of your book each day, you’ll be able to read around 36 books per year. And of course, if you double that up and spend an hour reading each day, you’ll read 72. That is an incredible feat.
Give yourself more time
If the above seems too absurd (we bet you’re thinking, who has a free hour each day?!), then you need to make the time yourself. This could just be getting up an hour or half an hour earlier each day to give yourself time to read. Not only will these allow you to meet your reading quota, but you’ll definitely feel even more relaxed and raring to get started on your day after reading a good book.
Centralize reading in your own home
In a time where your television set rules your house, it’s incredibly easy to get home from work, stick on your favorite show, and binge watch Netflix for the whole evening. But would you still do that if it wasn’t in your lounge? Many scientists have found that centralizing books in your own home can increase your reading time. This means moving your TV to another room and replacing it with a bookshelf. So instead of getting in and watching soaps, you can read about wonderful adventures to faraway lands… That sounds better, doesn’t it?
Get yourself a list
There are millions of book lists strewn across the internet, and in magazines, and one of the best ways to read more books is to give yourself a goal. Find a ‘Top 50’ book list that you like the look of and try and make your way through it across the year. Cross each one off as you finish it and feel the satisfaction!
Reading books doesn’t have to be a chore, and you can easily read more if you take these simple steps. So, which book are you going to read first?
