University of Kwazulu-Natal

How To Read More Books This Year Practical Tips For Busy People

Bonisiwe Shabane
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how to read more books this year practical tips for busy people

I used to be the girl who would read at least a hundred books a year. However, the last two years have been busier than usual as I have made several huge life changes, so I had to come up with a strategy to help keep me reading despite my... If you’re like me, where between work, family, and daily responsibilities, finding time to read can feel impossible, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered! The truth is, you don’t need endless free time to read more books. You just need a strategy that fits into your lifestyle. Here are some practical tips to help you read more this year, no matter how hectic life gets.

Aiming to read 50 books this year? That’s great! But if you only read 10 books last year, try setting a goal that challenges you without feeling overwhelming—maybe one book a month or a total of 20 books. Last year, I read 30 books and my reading goal this year is 50 books. I hope to meet this goal but to be honest it’s not about the numbers at the end of the day but enjoying the journey and stories. Pro tip: Use apps like Goodreads or StoryGraph to track your progress and stay motivated!

You don’t need hours to read—just 15-20 minutes a day can make a big difference! If you’re anything like us here at Once Upon a Book Club, you’ve probably wished for more hours in the day for literary joy! But with busy schedules, reading usually takes a back seat. Don’t worry! Whether you’re a casual reader or tackling an ambitious reading goal, we’ve got you covered with our team’s practical tips and tricks to make more time for books this year. Let’s make 2025 the year you finally read more, even with a packed calendar!

Let’s start with the numbers – but don’t panic! This is the kind of math you’ll actually enjoy. For example, if you take about 8 hours to finish a book, ask yourself, how many minutes a day can you reasonably commit to reading? 10 minutes a day? That’s about 5 hours a month, which adds up to 6-7 books a year. 30 minutes a day?

That’s 15 hours a month, or 20 books a year. You overachiever, you! Life moves fast. Between work, school, family, and endless to-do lists, it can feel impossible to find time to sit down with a good book. But if you’ve been wanting to get back into reading or just want to fit more books into your schedule, you’re not alone. Here are some easy, practical tips to help you read more—no matter how busy your days are.

1. Save Time with the Library’s Online Resources When you’re busy, making time to visit the library might feel impossible. That’s where our online resources come in handy. You can borrow e-books and audiobooks without leaving home—saving time and making reading more convenient.

Whether you’re grabbing an audiobook to listen to during your commute or an e-book to read in those random free moments, apps like Libby and Hoopla (among others) let you instantly access a huge... No need to worry about returning physical copies either—everything’s just a tap away! Who says you have to sit down with a book in hand to count it as reading? Audiobooks are a game-changer for busy schedules. You can listen while commuting, cooking dinner, cleaning the house, or exercising. Suddenly, that time spent in traffic or doing chores turns into productive reading time.

With the library’s audiobook and e-audiobook collection, you’ll always have something good to listen to. In between those New Year's Resolutions to eat healthier and exercise more, why not give your brain a bit of a workout too? Regular reading leads to positive impacts on your mental and emotional well-being, including slowing down cognitive decline, bolstering empathy and curiosity, improving your vocabulary and reducing stress. Reading can also help you get better sleep. Like any habit or skill, you'll benefit from being consistent and prioritizing reading in your life. There’s no magic solution, but there are hacks to help you up your reading time in 2025.

Between trying new formats, knowing when to put down the book and the best time to pick a new one up, these seven suggestions will benefit any reader – seasoned or rookie. For tips, I asked Al Woodworth, a senior editor at Amazon Books who reads hundreds of books a year, and Ryan Carr, a book influencer who read almost 70 books in 2024, almost double... Take a moment to reflect on why you want to read more in 2025. Is it because you want to join in on the BookTok fun? Need to get off your phone more? Is there a subject you want to learn about?

So many books, so little time! With these simple tips from BookTokkers, librarians and other literary experts, you can read more books without completely rearranging your life. Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.Learn more. While we all know the benefits of reading, the reality is that life gets hectic. There’s a reason “read more” is such a common New Year’s resolution.

As work piles on top of chores and social and family responsibilities, reading for pleasure can often take a backseat. When I was an English major in college, I happily read two books a week, but when I was at my first full-time job, I was lucky if I was able to read two... It was only once I realized how much I missed being engrossed in a juicy page-turner that I decided to readjust my approach and learn how to read more without taking time away from... We talked to big-time book lovers—book reviewers, librarians, book influencers on social media and Reader’s Digest Book Club members—to gather their tried-and-true tips for reading more books. From finding the best books for your taste and schedule to selecting shorter books for your limited attention span, this attainable, sustainable and judgment-free advice will get you to read every day. Join the free Reader’s Digest Book Club for great reads, monthly discussions, author Q&As and a community of book lovers.

Want to read more books but can’t find the time? Discover 30 practical, real-life tips to help you read more books—even on the busiest days. I know how it feels—your TBR’s exploding, life’s nonstop, and you can’t remember the last time you finished a book you loved. Over the years, I’ve tried every trick in the book (pun intended!) to carve out reading time, stay motivated, and actually finish what I start. Here are 30 practical reading tips—from tiny habit tweaks to social hacks—that helped me read more books. Let’s dive in!

Block 15–30 minutes on your calendar—just like a meeting. Morning coffee, lunch break, bedtime: pick a sweet spot and stick to it. Stash one in your bag, car, and nightstand. When life pauses—waiting in line, a delayed train—you’re ready to read. I power through chores, commutes, and workouts by listening on Libby or Audible. Suddenly, “busy” becomes “bookish.”

Many busy individuals share a common desire to read more books but struggle to find the time. Juggling work, family, and social commitments often leaves little room for leisurely reading. Yet, the benefits of reading are too significant to ignore. Key takeaway: It is possible to cultivate a reading habit even with a hectic schedule. This article explores practical strategies tailored for busy people that will help you read more books this year. By adopting these realistic strategies, you can transform your approach to reading and seamlessly integrate it into your daily routine.

Whether it’s setting achievable goals, leveraging technology, or creating an inspiring reading environment, these tips are designed to make reading a rewarding and consistent part of your life. Reading regularly offers a multitude of cognitive, emotional, and professional advantages that significantly enhance your life. By immersing yourself in books, you can unlock a range of benefits that extend beyond simple enjoyment. Engaging with written content consistently helps to increase your verbal intelligence and expand your vocabulary. Encountering new words and phrases within different contexts improves your language skills organically. This not only sharpens your communication but also enhances your ability to articulate complex ideas effectively.

Let's cut to the chase: you want to read more, but your calendar is a battlefield. Between work, family, and the endless scroll of social media, finding time to sit down with a book feels like a luxury you can't afford. But what if the problem isn't a lack of time, but a lack of strategy? The truth is, you don't need to block out hours of your day. The world's most avid readers aren't swimming in free time; they've just mastered the art of fitting reading into the cracks of their lives. This guide will show you how to do the same.

First, let go of the idea that you need a quiet room and a cozy armchair. Reading can happen anywhere, in any format. The Gist: Audiobooks are your secret weapon for "reading" while your eyes and hands are busy. Driving, doing chores, working out—these are now all opportunities to get through your reading list.

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