Reader Tips on How to Read More Books More Often

Posted on 1/19/2023, 9:27:07 AM

Did you know the average adult only reads four books in a year? Reading is a great way of relaxing, staying in the loop, and even increases your brain’s memory capacity and comprehension skills. Many people believe they just don’t have the time to read. 

If you find yourself thinking about reading more than actually cracking a book, try out these reader tips.

Set A Goal For Yourself 

If you are a goal motivated person, you should keep track of your reading and try to hit different goals. The website Goodreads allows users to set a reading challenge where you pledge to read a certain amount of books before the year’s end. However, if that seems too nebulous or isn’t enough to keep you motivated, you can set shorter, smaller goals such as reading 15 to 20 pages a day. 

BookRiot offers many different reading challenges, such as reading the first and last books published by a late author or reading authors from different places all over the world. 

Seeing small goals add up is a great way to keep you working toward a larger achievement—a lofty, unreasonable, or unspecific goal is less likely to be accomplished.

Read What You Like 

While “read what you like” sounds like obvious advice, many bookworms often get stuck when they feel obligated to read the same books as their friends or the buckle down on the non-fiction works topping the New York Times Best Sellers List.

While it is very important to read books about current issues, it is a good idea to read a book you like or something more light-hearted during or after. 

Look Into Speed Reading 

Speed reading doesn’t mean you simply scan a page and flip through book after book. Some techniques that are a part of speed reading are skimming, meta guiding, and rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP). 

Skimming focuses on increasing your word processing speed and cutting down on the time you spend fixating on certain words or passages you don’t understand because the context you need will likely be somewhere lower down on the page.

The meta guiding involves using your finger or the tip of a pen to guide your eyes on the page. This helps you focus on the words rather than the activity in your peripheral vision.

RSVP is a unique method that is used to speed read content digitally. Programs like Spritz flash individual words at a time at whatever WPM speed you set. It eliminates the time you would otherwise spend fixating on words or sentences in a book.

Speed reading is most likely best used if you are reading for pleasure rather than reading to learn and retain new information. 

Join (or Start) a Book Club

Reading a book with a group of people is a great way to make sure you stick to your goal. With like-minded individuals and a schedule to follow to keep you accountable, you’ll be hitting your goals in no time. You may find you enjoy the book much more because of the discussions you and your group have.

A book club doesn’t have to be in person, either. Internet forums like Reddit are a great place to start when looking for a book club to join (or to start one). 

Bring a Book With You Everywhere You Go 

If you commute to work by bus or train, that is the perfect time to read. You’ll likely find you have more idle time than you realized. Whether it is waiting at a bar to meet with friends, waiting in long lines, or killing time on your lunch break, you can read a few pages.

This is also where an e-reader like a Kindle from Amazon or a Nook from Barnes and Noble could come in handy if you don’t want to carry a paperback around. 

Get it on Audio 

Even if you can’t have a physical book in your hand, that doesn’t mean you can’t read. Audiobooks are a convenient, hands-free option to consume all the titles on your to-be-read list. They are perfect for long commutes, at the gym, working around the house, cooking, or when you just need to put on some headphones and have some time to yourself. 

You can download books on your Kindle and get the audio companion through Amazon’s program Audible so you can switch between reading and listening to finish your book at your own pace. 

Schedule Reading Time Into Your Day 

You may think you simply do not have enough time to read but chances are you can cut out a bad habit to make time to read. If you spend time scrolling through social media sites on your phone before bed, put it in your nightstand and pick up a book instead. 

Also, if you are looking to replace a bad habit with reading, why not kill two birds with one stone and read a book about self-development? 

Know When to Quit

Holding yourself to an unreasonable goal or committing yourself to finish books you don’t enjoy is likely to cause burnout. If you view reading as an obligation rather than something fun, you are less likely to start doing it in the first place.

Reader Tips for Success 

Tackling your to-be-read pile may seem like a daunting task but we hope these reader tips help you get more reading time in your day. Remember, the most difficult part about reading a book is just opening it.

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