Can Reading Be A Habit?
Getting into the habit of reading is a great thing. It’s a great way to kill boredom, can help you remember things, and is fun for the whole family. Start small by reading for a few minutes daily to get into the habit.
Reading books you like and want to keep reading is a great way to create a reading habit and stay a reader for life.
Ten steps to productive reading:
1. Set aside time every day to read
Even if you only have 5–10 minutes to spare, read books at least once daily. Try to link the time you spend reading to something else you do daily. Make your reading time a pleasurable part of your day.
For example, you could read while you eat or drink tea. Reading before bed is another good way to get into reading. If possible, read at the same time every day, so your brain becomes used to it.
If you sit down for 10 minutes four times a day, you’ll have to read for 40 minutes. If you travel a lot, read instead of watching a movie or scrolling through social media on the plane, bus, or train.
When you decide what time of day to read, there is no right or wrong. If you want to read before night, spend the last 30 minutes reading. But if you’re going to read during the day, you could take a few minutes during your lunch break or after work.
2. Read some good books
If the book you’re reading isn’t interesting, it can make reading feel like work. But if you’re interested in what you’re reading, you won’t be able to put the book down, and the task will be fun. Pick fascinating books.
Ask your friends, family, or the librarian to recommend books in a genre you like or about a topic you’re interested in.
If the book doesn’t interest you, it’s okay to put it down. If you don’t like what you read in the first chapter or so, move on.
3. Always bring a book with you
Today, this is easy to do when you can carry some reading tool with you, either in the form of a physical book or a small e-reader.
Always take a book you can read whenever you have a spare moment. Carry some reading material If the bus is late, you’re in line, waiting to meet a friend, pull out a book, and read.
4. Sign up for a book club
When you’re part of a reading group, you must keep up with what you’ve read. Book clubs might help you get back into reading. You and your friends could also start your club. Make sure the club finishes the books and talks about them monthly.
Join a group that reads books you know will be interesting. If you like fantasy books, you should join a group discussing them.
You can also get a reading partner to help you keep yourself accountable to your reading goals and read the same book.
If you can’t meet in person or don’t want to, you could join an online book forum or reading-focused social media group.
5. Make a cozy place to read
Scene-setting improves reading enjoyment. Create a relaxing reading spot. It might be a chair or floor pillows; make sure it’s comfortable and inviting.
It is also important that the room has good lighting, so your eyes don’t get tired. Reading with a warm blanket and pillow is a terrific way to relax and refresh.
Have some snacks, tea, or coffee close by so you can enjoy them while reading multiple books.
6. Write down the books you’d like to read
If you have a lot of interesting books to read, you’ll be more likely to keep reading. When you finish a book, sometimes the only reason you stop is that you don’t have another one waiting for you.
These will be easier if you have reading lists you can look at so you always know what to read next. When you like a series, moving on to the next book is easy as soon as you finish the last one.
Look at best-seller lists or lists of books in the kinds of books you like to read.
7. Get suggestions based on the books you liked
If you liked a book a lot, you might also like other books by the same author or in the same genre. Websites like Goodreads have a reading list.
Ask your friends and family what they think you should read. You may also tweet, “It’s my favorite book. Is there a similar book?”
8. Write down what you read
Taking notes on the titles of the books you read is a fun way to track what you’ve read. Using the website Goodreads is a simple way to keep track of the books you’ve read and get ideas for new ones. You may also share what you’re reading with friends and family. Mark, when you started and finished the book and your thoughts.
Some libraries let you sign up for a program that keeps track of your checkout so you can look at the list online whenever you want.
9. Look around in bookstores and libraries
Browse through a lot of books is another great way to find new books to read. Used bookstores are a great way to find new and interesting books for a low price. Even better, you can get new books for free at the library.
If you don’t want to buy many new books, look around the bookstore and list the titles you want to read. You can also check to see if these books are in your library.
10. Set goals for reading
The best way to keep up a new habit is to make it fun and give yourself some goals. Try your best to meet your goal of reading a certain number of books each year. You can start by reading 5–10 books or try to read 100 books.
You could also make it your goal to read every book on a certain list. Setting a plan makes you more likely to reach it and will help you remember to read daily. A reading challenge can help you read more.
Getting a reading goal done is a lot of fun and makes reading even better.
Final Thought
Learning how to make reading a habit is a great use of time. Most successful people know that reading has helped them in their careers. It doesn’t mean that reading alone will make you a billionaire, but it will help you improve yourself.
Most people stop reading as soon as they leave college. If you don’t read, it will take a long time to improve. Your skills and knowledge grow faster when you read. When two people have the same years of experience in a field, the one who reads more usually has the upper hand.
Master the Art of Reading. We learn to read at a young age and spend decades reading for school and careers. Reading is easy to do. You only need the will to start.
