How To Develop A Reading Habit

Forming a reading habit is the best investment you can make in yourself

Last year I went from reading zero books to now a voracious appetite for reading. In fact, I wish someone could pay me to read. There are so many books I want to read, but there is not enough time in the day for me to read them all.

Reading has opened up a whole new world and has shaped a new way of thinking for me, and I can see connections between two obscure topics.

Imagine reading a marketing book and realising how you market a product is the same as trying to publish your writing! The purpose of marketing is to create, share and engage. The purpose of writing is to create, share and engage. How do you start marketing a small business? You find the smallest viable market that will love your product/writing, and then you share it with this audience (This Is Marketing — Seth Godin for those who are wondering where I got the epiphany from).

I get many questions asking me for book recommendations or even how they can develop a habit of reading. Reading can be daunting, and I understand why people would rather spend time on activities that don’t require much mental effort. However, here are the reasons why I believe everyone should read more and ways to build a strong reading practice.

Why You Should Read More

There is a massive return on investment with reading that most people don’t realise. Books cost on average about £10.00. However, a single book can be one of the best investments you ever make. A piece of knowledge you gain from a book can be so transformative that it charters a different course in your life.

“Read 500 pages…every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it.” — Warren Buffett

One of the best feelings you can get from reading a book is when it awakens your mind and makes you see the world in a new light. It’s like a eureka moment!

Every book gives you insight and perspective from someone else. Too often, we feel like we are alone in our own struggles, but reading can help you realise that you are not alone and that others within history share your pain.

Reading has been very vital and essential to the survival of the human race and its existence. Writing books is how we transmit ideas and information to one another. It’s how we make great advances in the fields of technology and medicine.

Reading allows you to live multiple lifetimes; you are learning experience from others' experiences and gaining insight into their wisdom.

How To Read More

Find the time to read.

“But I am so busy, I barely even have any time to read!” — I hear you exclaim.

One of the most impactful way I found time to read was removing social media or cutting down Netflix time. Have you ever looked at your screen time and see how much time you have sunk into browsing social media? I used to be on my phone for 6+ hours a day, and Instagram took up a laughable amount of that time.

“Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way than most media today.” — Mark Zuckerberg

I deactivated the notifications for each of these apps and even went as far as deleting Instagram. At first, it was strange; I would mindlessly pick up my phone and swipe to where these apps used to be, but as my brain registers, the app is no longer there, and I quickly realise there is nothing to do on my phone and go to read instead.

Five to ten minutes here and there quickly adds up, and before you know it, you would have finished a book. Even committing yourself to one page a day is still better than not reading at all; at this point, you have no excuse to spend one minute of your day reading a single page.

Read what you are currently interested in. No one tells you to read a personal finance book first; if you care more about fiction, start with that. I started with a personal development book and then moved on to a range of topics which included investing and philosophy. Most importantly, reading doesn’t have to be a chore; it can be great fun if you’re reading about the things that currently interest you.

Another effective strategy that has worked well for me is to allocate reading time in the morning. I now get up earlier to spend at least one hour reading in the morning before the chaotic day starts.

Alternatively, if you have many commitments in the morning, such as attending to kids, you can make time for reading at night just before bed. Reading before bed can help you wind down and relax. Admittedly, I have tried to implement this; however, when I have come across a good book, going to bed doesn’t seem so appealing any more.

Play around with finding the time that works for you and make that the reading time for yourself every day.

Building a Reading Practice

When I started on my reading journey, I would consume books and be done with them. Now when I read a book, I take notes, dog-ear the corners (I know some of you will be horrified by this) and highlight. All of this helps me capture and retain all of the information I read.

This reading practise makes me actively engage with the reading material to apply the knowledge I have learned to areas that are important in my life. I will even write a running commentary on my thoughts so that when I re-visit this book later in life, I can see what my thoughts were at the time.

Reading books is great, but re-reading books are also important. It shows how you’ve evolved in your thoughts over time.

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” — Heraclitus

You don’t have to find new books to read; revisiting the old books you connected with and seeing how much you’ve changed since you last read can show you how much you have grown. You were a different person when you first read the book compared to the second or third time reading that book. This allows you to engage further with the reading material and deepen your connection with it.

Closing Thoughts

Making the time to read has been the single best decision and investment I have made in my life. I can feel the benefits of this already despite only having a reading habit for nine months. I can feel myself become more literate. I can think deeper on topics I already know about and, most importantly, see connections between topics that may have been distinct in my mind.

I recognise the importance of reading, but I read mainly because it is fun as it satiates my thirst for knowledge.

I have copied this rule from Ramit Sethi; If I am “thinking” about buying a book, I buy it instantly. I don’t debate whether or not it’s a good idea because even one idea or knowledge that transforms my life makes the book's purchase instantly worth it.