5 Tips to Help You Read More Books This Year

Reading provides so many benefits beyond entertainment. According to Healthline, reading strengthens the brain, increases empathy, builds vocabulary, reduces stress, and it can even help you get a better night’s sleep.

While all of those benefits sound amazing, it can be difficult to find more time for reading in your busy life. Don’t worry though, with a few simple tips, you can rediscover the joy of reading and make more time for it in your day-to-day life.

Check out these 5 tips to help you read more books this year.

1. Set a goal.

The first tip that will help you read more books this year is to set a goal. According to a study by psychologist Gail Matthews, when people wrote down their goals, they were 33% more successful in achieving them than those who formulated outcomes in their heads. So, whether you want to read 10, 20, or 50 books this year, write it down somewhere.

A fun place to record your reading goal is on Goodreads. Goodreads is the world’s largest online community of book lovers. On the platform you can find new books to read, check out reviews, create reading lists, and set a yearly reading goal. Recording your reading goal will help you monitor your progress and it will help you stay on track.

2. Pick the format that’s right for you

Some people prefer reading physical books because they enjoy the feel of a page in their hands. But, others prefer reading ebooks because they’re easier to take with you anywhere. If you’re not sure which format you prefer, try them both out. You might discover that reading a particular format makes the experience more enjoyable for you, which will help you naturally read more each day.

There’s also another format you can try out if you want to read more books this year…

3. Listen to audiobooks

Guess what? Listening to audiobooks counts as reading! So, if you really don’t have the time to sit down for a few minutes each day with a book in your hands, you can listen to audiobooks on-the-go. Listening to audiobooks is a great way to get some reading in during your commute, while you’re doing the laundry, or even while you’re responding to business emails.

With an app like Audible you get access to thousands of audiobooks you can listen to right from your smartphone. Even better, many libraries let you borrow audiobooks too. Check out if your local library lends out audiobooks through the OverDrive app so you can listen to audiobooks for free!

4. Set a dedicated reading time

Your day is probably filled with important tasks and chores that need to get done, so it can sometimes be hard to find time for reading. But, if you want to read more books this year, you need to set a dedicated reading time. Setting a dedicated reading time will make reading more of a habit.

Choose a time that works for you. It can be as little time as 10-15 minutes in the morning or you can choose to read for 30 minutes each day before bed to wind down. Pick a time that’s likely to be free of distractions so you can easily focus on your daily reading.

5. Read what you enjoy

When trying to get back into reading, sometimes people choose books they don’t enjoy and then give up on reading altogether. So, if you want to be more successful with reading this year, make sure you take the time to find books that you’re going to love.

If you’re not sure what kind of books you like, think about what kind of movies or TV shows you like watching. Do you like mystery thrillers like How to Get Away with Murder? Or do you like watching romantic movies like The Notebook? Your taste in movies and TV will help you figure out what genre of books you’re likely to enjoy. Then, do a Google search for “books like How to Get Away with Murder” or something similar, and the results will provide you with a number of curated lists.

And if you start reading a book and aren’t liking it, it’s okay to stop. Instead of struggling to finish a book you don’t enjoy, pick up another. Reading books that you truly enjoy will make reaching your goal much easier.