University of Kwazulu-Natal

How To Read More Books A Complete Guide To Cultivating A Reading Habit

Bonisiwe Shabane
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how to read more books a complete guide to cultivating a reading habit

Hey friends! Have you ever felt like your book pile is growing faster than you can read it? You’re not alone. Let’s be real — in today’s busy world, finding time to read more books can seem daunting. But trust me, with some simple strategies and a dash of commitment, you can turn reading from a hobby into a daily ritual. In this guide, I’ll show you how to read more books effectively, keeping it practical, fun, and totally doable.

Before diving into the how-to, let’s talk about why reading more is worth the effort. Knowing these benefits can boost your motivation. After all, who wouldn’t want to gain all these advantages in just a few extra pages a day? The first step to reading more books is setting achievable targets. Goals keep you motivated and provide clear direction. Tip: Use a journal or an app to track your progress.

Seeing your achievements can be very motivating. Each year I try to read 100 books or more. I don’t always make my goal — minor life events like pushing a whole human being out of my own body derailed my 2023 progress, for instance — but for the most part, I’m... So, how am I able to avoid the pitfalls of endless Twitter doomscrolls or getting sucked into a TikTok binge? It’s not always easy, I’ll tell you that. But if one of your resolutions in 2025 is to read more books, I’ve found that there are a few (relatively simple) ways to help beef up your reading habits that don’t involve swearing...

(Then again, Netflix subscriptions are outrageously expensive these days — your wallet is probably better off with that new thriller your got from the library, instead.) A little disclaimer: the following tricks aren’t rocket science, but then again, I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s always easy to consciously prioritize reading in your life if you don’t already. (Presumably that’s also why you’re reading this blog post.) For me, it helps that 1.) I love reading (love it), and 2.) that I’m a pretty fast reader, and always have been. If that doesn’t sound like you, never fear — I’m here to help whether you want to increase how many books you read this year, or if you simply just want to be more... A post shared by Quinn📖 (@whatisquinnreading) One of the best things about a voracious reading habit is that it’s (mostly) free.

You can obviously shell out for new hardcovers the day of their release as often as you please, but getting yourself a library card will open you up to a giant (and most importantly,... Access to the library doesn’t mean you have to hoof it to your local branch whenever you need a new book, either — libraries work in tandem with apps like Libby, which let you... Simply sign in, link your library card to your account, and voila — you’re well on your way to a growing TBR pile. If you have extra cash to burn, you can also consider a subscription service on top of your library membership — I use Kindle Unlimited myself, and am a former Book of the Month... In our day of distraction, it can be really difficult to actually read the books that you want to read. We have many of the same distractions that our ancestors had, but on top of those, we also have some brand new ones, like the social media ‘infinite scroll’, which intentionally utilizes principles from...

Today, attention is a major commodity. Millions and millions of dollars are spent on capturing your attention and holding it—the very same attention that you need for achieving your own goals and projects, like reading those books you want or... Now, this post is just a little bit ironic because I too am asking for your attention. However, I don’t want to lure you into an infinite abyss of doom scrolling. Instead, I’m going to introduce you to some of the best tools that I use to direct my attention towards reading and to keep my attention there for as long as I decide. I have a lot of different jobs—I host a philosophy and theology podcast, I’m an accidental notebook czar on YouTube, I write essays here on Substack to help people learn philosophy, I preach at...

All of my jobs and projects require me to have read a lot, and to continue reading even more. In this post I share my best tips for reading and understanding what you read. Most of us develop comfort zones with food. Expand your palate and discover new flavours, techniques and connections The Ukrainian boxing champion Usyk’s recent claim that ‘discipline is better than motivation’ was psychologically astute Breathing was once a natural reflex.

How did it become a high-stakes biohacking ritual taught by wellness celebrities? Reading is a powerful activity that can transform our lives in many ways. From enhancing our knowledge, expanding our vocabulary, to boosting our creativity and imagination, reading has numerous health benefits for our mental and emotional wellbeing. However, in today's fast-paced world where social media, TV shows, and video games are constantly vying for our attention, finding time and motivation to read can be a challenge. If you're someone who wishes to read more but struggles to make it a habit, this article is for you. In this blog, I'll share some tips and tricks that can help you cultivate a reading habit and make it a part of your daily routine.

The first step to reading more is to set a realistic goal for yourself. Whether it's one book a week, one chapter a day, or 30 minutes of reading every day, choose a goal that suits your schedule and interests. Writing down your goal and tracking your progress using a planner or an app can help you stay motivated and accountable. To make reading a habit, you need to prioritize it in your daily schedule. Whether it's in the morning, during lunch breaks, or before bed, find a time that works best for you and stick to it. You can also make use of idle time, such as waiting at the doctor's office or commuting on public transport, to read a few pages or listen to an audiobook.

Reading the same genre or type of books can get monotonous and may hinder your motivation to read. To broaden your reading horizon, try exploring different genres, authors, and formats. You can also take inspiration from book clubs, reading challenges, and online communities for fresh reading recommendations and diverse perspectives. Reading requires focus and attention, and distractions can disrupt your reading flow. To minimize distractions, create a conducive reading environment by turning off your phone notifications, choosing a quiet spot, and using noise-cancelling headphones if necessary. You can also practice mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing and meditation to improve your concentration and reduce stress.

Before she was 19, Shelby Zang didn't consider herself a reader. "You could not catch me reading a book," Zang tells TODAY.com. Then, during a gap year between high school and college, she started reading books she genuinely liked — and now she's able to go through eight books in a week (yes, really). On her online book group, Zang, 23, sees many other readers go through a similar transition. All of this is to say: It's never too late to build a reading habit or start to read more books. But the question, for many, is: How?

Between professional and personal obligations and the distractions of modern life (see: that endless list of shows to watch), making time for books seems daunting, if it's not something you do already. To answer that ever-pressing question, we spoke to authors, bookstagrammers and TODAY's Book Lover in Chief, Jenna Bush Hager herself, for tips. Follow them, and you might be reading more books in a month and year than ever before. Maybe even in a day. Greetings friends and happy new year! It’s been a long time and I’ve missed my bookish corner of the internet.

Truth be told: it’s kind of hard to blog about books when you are not reading books. 2024 was basically one massive reading slump from mid-January until September, when I started reading again for graduate school (but I promise, you don’t want me to review what I was reading!). My Patreon voted for this topic about a year ago but I never got around to finishing and posting it. If cultivating a reading habit is on your list of New Years resolutions, you’ve come to the right place Why should I want to read more, anyway? Because it’s good for you (and fun, too)!

If you’re a follower of this website or book blogger yourself, you definitely have experienced the benefits of reading for yourself, but the post felt incomplete without a brief foray into the many benefits. I read a handful of scientific journal articles for this section and it was interesting to read about how reading positively affects our body beyond simply my anecdotal “I feel better when I read... Let me know if you’d be interested in a longer, dedicated article on this topic as I certainly would be interested in a deeper dive! You’ve decided that you want to read more books, and that’s the important first step to cultivating a reading habit. But if you want to build a habit that sticks, you have to make it easy and attractive to do instead of the variety of other distractions vying for our attention at any given... Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs.

If you purchase a book, we will receive a small commission at no cost to you. This post may contain links to buy books, and you can read our affiliate disclosure here. Reading is one of the most enriching and relaxing habits you can develop. Whether you’re looking to escape into another world, learn something new, or simply spend your time more meaningfully, reading more books this year can be a game-changer. However, with busy schedules and endless distractions, it can be challenging to prioritize books. To help you out, we’ve curated 25 actionable tips that can fit into any lifestyle.

If you’re ready to get started, don’t forget to check out our Ultimate Guide to Reading Tips for even more strategies to supercharge your reading life! Instead of aiming to read 50 books in a year right away, set a manageable goal, like one book a month or even 10 pages a day. Breaking your goals into smaller, achievable chunks makes the process feel more rewarding and less daunting. Check out our Reading Journal Prompt for 2025 for ideas on setting your Bookish Goals. Congrats, you're already one step there by reading this post. The main requirement to do something is wanting to do it.

It will push you to work on it and find ways to do it. To develop a reading habit, you must want to create one first. Reading is like anything else. If you want to do more of it, you have to build it into your routine and read as a habit. Whether your last book was good or not, whether you have movies on your watch list or not, whether they serve an exact purpose or not—you should be compelled to pick up a book. Building a reading habit, like any other habit, doesn't happen overnight or even in a week.

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