How To Make Reading A Habit (For People Who Never Liked Reading)
I am not going to tell you to set reading goals so that you can finish some arbitrary number of books in a year, or make a commitment to reading a certain number of pages each day. Reading isn’t a responsibility or a chore. (At least, not the kind of leisure reading that I’m talking about. RIP students.) This is for people who are genuinely interested in reading more for the personal enjoyment and enrichment that it brings.
If you read Part 1 of this ‘For People Who Never Liked Reading’ series and determined books might be for you after all, here are some methods for incorporating them into your life.
Make it social.
I have been a (metaphorical) card-carrying member of a number of book clubs in my time. When I don’t have any club meetings on the horizon, I tend to do a lot of meandering with my books. I’m also guilty of starting new books before I finish current ones, a habit that can easily spiral into a mess of tangled plot-lines. Social reading helps keep me motivated and focused on a single story.
Many book clubs have transitioned to meeting via Zoom during These Trying Times™, which definitely increases the convenience factor. However, with so many people experiencing Zoom Fatigue, an online book club may not be for you. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a social reading experience though. Instead, try reading along with a friend or partner. Being able to talk about books is one of the greatest joys of reading, and hobbies are often made so much better by sharing them with someone.
Try audiobooks.
I’m not a book purist. There are definitely people out there who believe that audiobooks “don’t count” or are considered “cheating,” but I’m not one of them. Listening is a drastically different experience from reading a physical book, but ultimately what matters is absorbing the content.
You read because you are interested in stories or you want to learn something. Whether or not audiobooks are as effective educationally as traditional reading is…contested. However, I think it’s obvious that listening to the material is far better than doing nothing at all. So to go from being a non-reader to an audiobook aficionado is a marked improvement.
Audiobooks offer a great way to incorporate books into your life if you normally don’t have a lot of uninterrupted time to sit and read. I often listen to them when I’m driving or cooking.
Designate a spot for books/reading.
There’s no need to go out and buy a twelve foot tall bookshelf right from the outset. Simply choose a spot in your home where you will keep books that you’re reading or plan to read, and a spot where you intend to do your reading. This can help reading feel like a more active part of your lifestyle.
Nightstands have always been a popular spot for keeping current books. It also serves as a good reminder because you’ll typically see the book right when you wake up and before you go to sleep. Personally, I’ve also been known to keep books in my bag and car just in case I’m ever stuck somewhere waiting.
Ultimately, the thing to remember is that in order to develop a new habit, you have to actively make room for it in your life. Put it on your schedule, give yourself the space, and set yourself up to succeed. That’s the difference between, “I do that all the time” and “I tried that once.”