4 Ways To Get Yourself in the Habit of Reading More Often

Who out there loves to read? Okay, well that might be a silly question considering you are reading this article on a book lovers’ blog. The real question is... Who out there loves to read, but feels like they never have time to actually sit down and read? 

This is one of the major things that I have been struggling with since I started as a Freshman in undergrad. It was, hands down, one of the biggest changes I went through because books went from being a huge part of my life to being nonexistent because of my busy, rigorous schedule. The crazy thing is, even when I had free time during my college years, I rarely found myself picking up a book for pleasure. Why? I had a hard time picking up a book to read for my own enjoyment because I had just been required to read all these books that I wasn’t exactly thrilled or excited about reading for college. 

It really wasn’t until the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the shutdown, where I took the time out of my day to read again. Rediscovering my love for reading was one of the very few positives that this pandemic brought me. It even brought back a little piece of me that I had lost touch with: my childhood. Personally, one of my favorite things about books is the excitement that rushes through me when I pick up a new title. I get excited for the possibilities that await me on the pages.

It’s common knowledge, though, that the more a person grows up, the busier life gets. Well, during the pandemic, I graduated undergrad. Now, I have two jobs and am going to graduate school to get my Master’s degree in Publishing. I can’t imagine life getting busier for me than it is right now. But now, that I have my love of reading back, I don’t want to ever let it go. Life gets busy, but we can’t let the chaos take away the things we love most. 

So, I told myself that I needed to come up with ways to ensure that I stay in the habit of reading often. Here are some of the tips/ways I try to get in the habit of doing to make sure I have time to read. 

1. Try to pick a time where you are free most days, and use that time to read. 
2. Eliminate all distractions when it’s time to read. Find a quiet space, silence and put down your phone. Allow yourself to get lost within the story. 
3. Audiobooks are a great way to “read” while running errands, while driving to and from work, or when you are just generally on the go. 
4. Set goals for yourself when you are reading. For example: I want to read at least 30 pages today or I want to get to chapter 10 by Friday. (Don’t limit yourself to your goal, though. Feel free to read more!).

There are certainly many more ways to get in the habit of reading more often, but these are the ones that have worked for me. Give them a shot and see if they work for you. Feel free to explore other ways and find what helps you foster your love for reading. 

Adulting is hard, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy ourselves along the way.