6 Tricks to Help You Read More Books

One of the most common comments I get from readers is ‘I wish I had time (or more time) to read’. I get it, I really do. We’re are all crazy busy, all the time. Stay-at-home moms, working moms, single boss babes – we all have 100 billion things to do and keep up with in a given day.

Here comes the ‘but’.

My philosophy for life in general, which absolutely applies to reading, is that is that you make time for things you really care about. If you kind of like reading a little bit here or there but aren’t really that passionate about it, that’s totally fine! I’m not judging you even the tiniest bit for that, because we are all different and that’s wonderful. I’m not here to recruit readers. 

But if reading is something that you truly enjoy, something that relaxes you, transports you, or makes you feel like your real self, then making time for that should be a priority. For these kinds of people, reading is one of the best ways to practice self-care. So if you identify as a bookworm and want more books in your life, here are five practical tips for helping you work more reading time into your daily routine:

Read more than one book at a time

Have you ever felt like reading but the book you’ve been enjoying doesn’t fit your current mood? Maybe you don’t want to read an intense thriller or a nonfiction book with a heavy topic right before bed, or maybe you’re not in the mood for chick lit on a dark, stormy afternoon. If you have more than one book in progress you will always have something you are ‘in the mood for’ at your fingertips. This doesn’t work for everyone, but it definitely helps me read more. One ‘rule’ that I usually follow to make this flow smoothly is to make sure your books aren’t too similar to each other in tone, subject, or genre. This helps eliminate confusion when you switch back and forth.

Try an audiobook

You can listen in many situations that aren’t conducive to reading with your actual eyeballs. Examples of times when you will frequently find me listening to an audiobook are when I’m driving, exercising, or doing brainless chores like dishes or laundry. Switching up your method of consumption can also sometimes help you get through a book you might have trouble with on paper. I’ve recently realized that although I enjoy reading classics, I really, really enjoy listening to many of them. They seem more accessible when you have them read to you instead of digesting them yourself.

Have a book on your phone

Standing in line at the grocery store? Waiting on a kid who’s running late at soccer practice? Since we always have our phones handy, having a book downloaded and ready is the perfect way to read more during short wait times when it doesn’t feel worth it to haul out a physical book or a Kindle. And it’s so much better for your mental health than scrolling through feeds.

Join a bookclub or reading challenge

Accountability can help you make time for a book you want to read but feel selfish taking the time for when there are other things you could be doing. But remember what I said earlier about reading being a form of self-care? If you know this to be true for yourself, consider joining a book club or just pairing up with a friend to read a book that interests you both. You’ll read that book because you know someone is counting on you for discussion, and you’ll be glad you did. If you don’t want to read a title just because others are, reading challenges are a low key way to maintain some freedom of choice but also feel some accountability, especially if you declare your commitment to finish it to someone. And checking off boxes as you go down the list is so satisfying!

Read with your kids

Reading advanced books to younger children is fun for you, but it’s also good for them! Hearing books read aloud that are a notch or two above their current reading level helps children accelerate their vocabulary and grammar skills. Many children are capable of comprehending and enjoying stories that are more complicated than what they can currently read for themselves. This results in quality parent/child time by giving you something to bond over and discuss, while giving your child a boost academically, and giving you an excuse to pick up a great story. Win/win/win.

Be a quitter

Don’t be afraid to put down a book you’re not enjoying. This doesn’t necessarily increase your reading time, but it does help you use your existing time more efficiently. There are too many great books out there to waste time on bad ones!

So to recap, don’t feel guilty about making time for something that is important to you. Reading is a wonderful way to learn, decompress, escape, connect, or all of the above. If you want to read more I hope you are able to implement at least one of the tips in this post to increase your reading time today. And remember, every little bit counts. Reading even ten extra minutes a day adds up to almost sixty-one hours of reading time at the end of a year! How many books could you read in sixty-one hours?

What’s your favorite way to squeeze in extra reading time?