How to Start a Long-Lasting Reading Habit

Can’t remember when you read a book last? Or, do you feel like you should be reading a book but never get around to it? It’s not easy to get into the habit of reading if you didn’t start when you were younger, but there are ways to start reading more and develop one of the best habits to have in life.

How Much Do People Read?

Over a quarter of Americans report not reading a book, even part of a book, in the last year. That’s a pretty large segment of the population that doesn’t read at all. It’s a shame for a country with libraries in the smallest towns, hundreds of thousands of free books online, and a high literacy rate.

More of us do read a little, but not as much as we would like. It’s very easy to get distracted by other things. There are so many movies and podcasts to take up our waking hours. Then there are social media. Don’t get us started on that.

You may read quite a bit but only small pieces; news, headlines, texts, and short articles. That’s not bad, but not really what we mean by reading. By reading we mean, long duration, focused, concentrated time with a text.

How to Read More

Ready to tackle at least one extra book a month this year? Read on!

Set a Reading Goal

Set yourself a goal for the month. How many books will you read? How many pages? Proclaim your goal on social media, so you feel accountable. Challenge yourself.

Set a Reading Time

Give yourself a particular time when all you do is read. Turn off the phone, your computer, all your electronic devices. Just before bed is a great time to put aside for this. It helps you wind down and is usually a peaceful time.

Gamify Reading

A lot of our life is gamified. Why not read, too? Apps like Goodreads let you upload what books you’ve read, create lists, and write reviews and rate books you liked or disliked. You can follow and interact with favorite authors.

You can also challenge a friend to read. It helps if you know you have the pressure of a friend who is reading the same book.

Join a Book Club

There are many book clubs now, so why not join one? It can help if you don’t know exactly what you want to read, and it will keep you motivated since you won’t want to be left out when it’s time to discuss with the group.