This is how to read more books
When it comes to readers, there are 3 broad categories:
- Avid readers
- Non-readers
- People who want to read more but “don’t have time”
Numbers 1 and 2 on that list know where they sit and are probably happy with how much they read (or don’t read).
It’s that third number I’ll be writing about in this article, and sharing a simple, effective trick for reading more books in 2021.
Personally, I’ve always been a reader. As a child I’d love nothing more than sitting on the chair or going to bed early to find out what these characters were getting up to.
Would they discover something amazing?
Would they escape the danger they faced?
Would I get much sleep or stay awake for “just one more chapter”?
It’s a love affair that has continued into adulthood, but I’ve had periods of time where the habit eluded me.
The first time was about 8 years ago and my wife bought me a Chromecast as a birthday present. It got plugged into the bedroom television and I probably didn’t pick up a book for about 6 months. Oops.
Other times I may just feel uninspired about what to read. Or I’m enjoying a new television series too much.
Whatever the cause, the end result is I face the same dilemma that lots of other people face: “I’m too busy to read.”
Aaah. Bullshit.
Let’s be honest here. “I don’t have time” and “I’m too busy” ultimately mean “I don’t prioritise it.”
Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, but we should be honest with ourselves about it.
The harsh truth is if we value something highly enough, we find the time for it. You may not have time to spend an entire day in your favourite corner, devouring a book from cover to cover. But you have time to read something.
The beauty of reading is that it can be done in small chunks, at stolen moments.
On the train (or bus). In the kitchen while the oven is heating up. In the bath (but not the shower).
Stephen King reads while he walks (although he did also get run over while doing this).
Based on your own schedule and responsibilities you’ll need to find your own routine, but the underlying point to remember is that it’s up to you to find where in the day you’ll make space to read.
First things first, pick a book that you want to read.
Ideally, something you absolutely positively cannot wait to start. Realistically, you’ll never successfully embed a new habit of reading more if the book bores you. So have no shame in what you pick, be it a child’s book or something notoriously bad, just pick something you’ll enjoy.
Secondly, set yourself a target, and make it a challenge but achievable. Three years ago I decided to get more serious again about reading regularly, and I used the Goodreads challenge feature to do it. There’s an option in there to set a target number of books to read in the year, and then every time you log a book as read, it automatically updates your challenge to let you know how well you’re doing. It’s very motivating to see that you’re 80% of the way there, or that you need to pick up the pace to hit the target.
Thirdly, don’t think about reading the whole book. I’m a lifelong reader who thoroughly enjoys it, and yet I still have moments in the first third of a book where I think “I’ll never finish this.”
This point is the most important one, the one that will help you read consistently day after day — and that matters, because while we tend to think in years, our life is made up of the actions we take daily.
So, don’t think “I have to read this book.” It’s far too daunting.
Instead, you’re going to break it down. When I was doing 75 Hard, one of the daily requirements is to read 10 pages. And I found that to be a sweet spot.
Reading 10 pages is very quick, and it’s a small enough number that it doesn’t feel like much of a commitment. If you do feel daunted by it, break it up — read 5 pages in 2 sessions.
You can read 5 pages over breakfast and 5 in bed. You can read 5 pages on the toilet, if needed.
I used to have a boss who would read every lunchtime at his desk, which is a great option for people who struggle to read at home for a lack of time or peace.
Most of the time when people say they’re too busy to read, they just feel overwhelmed at the prospect of reading a book, especially if it’s long.
So the simple, foolproof trick for reading more books? Just break it down. All you need to focus on is writing 10 pages a day.
Then another 10 the day after.
And another 10 the day after that.
Invariably you’ll find that you read more — 15, 20, maybe even 50.
Before you know it you’ll have read the entire thing, and realised how easy it is to fit into your daily routine.
That’s all there is to it. Don’t overthink it, don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be.
Find a book you’re excited to read and read small sections of it. If you can couple this with an assessment of your day to identify moments that get wasted, even better. What feels like 10 minutes here and there really add up over the whole day, and you could easily spend them reading instead.
Start today (or tomorrow if you need to buy a book) and make 2021 the year you implemented a fantastic habit.
