Books are something I have always had a deep fondness for from when I first started reading, but when you leave school, start work and get busy with blogging and friends, reading can fall by the wayside. However for the last 4 years I’ve managed to read at least 40 books a year and over 10’000, pages which has always been my goal. It’s not as many as some people but it’s something I am happy with so I thought I’d share just a few tips on how I manage to squeeze reading into a busy day.
Take a book everywhere and use every second
This is one of the most important things you can do to up your book count. That five minutes when you are in the queue for the bank, the journey from the pub or waiting in the doctor’s office are all prime times for short reading bursts. These really add up to a big increase in reading, even if it’s just a page at a time. Reading before bed is a big one for most people too and it helps them wind you down, but I’ve not had much time for that since I started blogging so I fit it in wherever I can.
Utilize Goodreads
I started reading books so much more when I started using Goodreads. For those of you that don’t know, Goodreads is a website that tracks your reading and shares your reading with others. You can set reading goals and it tracks your books, ratings, page and book numbers and a ton of other info. The part that helps me the most is the percentage read, just add the page number you are on and it will tell you how far you are through you are. I find this immensely satisfying and it does motivate me to read more. The yearly reading goal works similarly, just enter how many books you want to read and it will monitor your reads and tell you if you are on track etc. Some people find this really motivating and others resent the pressure, so go with what works for you. For the last few years I’ve had mine set at 40, but this year I dropped it to 30 to give myself some breathing space and it’s actually made me read more. Add me so we can track share our books!
Read what you want
People can be so apologetic and embarrassed by their reading choices that it stops them reading at all. I often hear people say ‘ Well I would like to read but I only really read YA’ or ‘I can only reach for chick lit’ or ‘I find I just want to read Harry Potter again’. Here is the thing, it does not matter! Often if I’m in a reading slump I find reading something simple or familiar really helps. Reading something you know you will like, or is just nice and short, is rewarding and it’s a great boost to help you expand your horizons and get you into a reading flow.
Read a page from your next book straight away
This is the biggest thing for me that stops me from ever putting a book down and not getting round to starting another. As soon as I finish a book I immediately pick up the next one and read the first page, just like that you’ve continued your flow. Plus I think picking your next book is one of the biggest thrills of reading. I always overpack books if I go away just incase I end up finishing one and don’t have another *the horror* or even if I am nearing the end of a book and I’m just on my way to work, keeping the flow of your reading really helps.
Neglect your phone
This is the biggest thing and also one of the hardest things to do, every time you are in a situation where you would reach for your phone to check Facebook, grab your book and read a page instead. Not getting distracted by social media, even when you have all the time in the world to read, is one of the things I now find really hard (damn you smart phones) but once you get used to it, it does get easier.
Be inspired
Booktube and book bloggers really inspire me to read more. Suddenly I have a reading list as long as my arm after seeing their content. Hearing people discuss books they love just gets me really excited to read more, and you will soon find people who like the same style of books as you. That’s why I posted my first ever reading round up on Youtube last month. While it’s not a good idea to rush a book just to get onto the next one, having a ‘to be read’ pile just waiting to be explored does push on as I get excited to see what’s in the next one. Follow book Instagramers, Youtubers and bloggers and soon you’ll be totally inspired to read more!
So that’s just a few of my ideas, if you have any I’d love to hear them! If you have a Goodreads follow mine here so we can support each other’s reading goals!
Thanks for reading,
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Creating a cosy space for reading
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