1. Put it in your daily routine
If you want something to happen, you need to schedule it. Find a slot in your usual routines, or pick a time you think you can stick to every day, and commit to reading then. This keeps momentum going and helps reading become a habit.
2. Take books with you
Humans generally have a lot of “dead time” in our lives. Things like waiting for an appointment, or taking a train, or standing in a grocery queue are wasted time – unless you have a book on you. Take the book you’re reading everywhere you go, and not only will you read more, you’ll never get bored!
3. Read one chapter when you wake up/before you go to sleep
Starting or ending the day (or both!) is a great way to transition between life and sleep. It’s also easy to stick to (and become a habit), and that extra chapter every day will really add up.
4. Read physical, ebooks and audiobooks
Sometimes it’s not feasible to read a physical book – such as when driving – but this is still time you can leverage. Listening to an audiobook utilises time when you’re already doing something else (meaning you don’t even have to find extra time in your day). And if it’s not convenient to carry around a physical book, add ebooks to your phone or devices, so you can read even if you don’t have the hardcopy.
5. Set a goal
Adding a goal or target can make reading more fun and motivating. This can be anything, from the number of pages you want to read in a day to the number of books you want to finish in the entire year. Having exterior goals as well – like joining a book club, where you have to read a book in a certain time frame, or competing with a friend – can also be useful, because you have someone else holding you accountable.
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