How-To Saturday: How To Read More Books

A lot of people that I know have asked me how I manage to read so many books. I am naturally a fast reader, but I also manage to read a lot of books, even when I don’t have time. So I thought that I would talk about ways to read more books.

My current total of books that I’ve read in 2020 is 75 books, which is a lot. I don’t usually count books that I re-read. I read about four or five books a week, sometimes more or less depending on how busy I am. For example, the week I had exams, I only read one or two books, but the past few weeks I’ve been reading a lot more.

Here are some tips for reading more:

Pace yourself- Don’t finish a book just to get it over with. I am sometimes really guilty of doing this. I hate to DNF books. But if you don’t like a book, making yourself finish it can sometimes make you miserable. If you don’t like a book, it typically takes longer to read it. So don’t make yourself finish a book if you don’t want to.
Set aside time to read- This is probably the most obvious tip, but it really helps. Here are some specific things you can do:
- Read at the same time every day- This will get you into a routine of reading and you’ll be able to read more consistently. Having a consistent reading schedule will allow you to read more books than if you didn’t
- Read during times that you aren’t doing anything- A lot of my friends claim that they don’t have enough time to read, but they also manage to spend a lot of their time on social media, watching TV, or doing nothing.
Treat reading as something you have to do- Sometimes, if I’m not reading enough, I tell myself that I HAVE to finish reading for certain things. I tell myself that I have to finish books to review them or for my book club, and this allows me to read more.
Treat reading as the highlight of your day- A lot of people procrastinate on their work and therefore have less time to read. If you treat reading the same way as you treat binging Netflix, as if it’s something relaxing and fun.
Don’t get mad at yourself if you struggle- Reading more books is a long process, so don’t get discouraged if you can’t meet your reading goals. It is okay!

What do you do when you want to read more books? Let me know in the comments!