After “reducing weight,” “stopping procrastinating,” and “fall in love,” “reading more” is one of the most common goals that people set for themselves. And rightly so: a good book can be immensely fulfilling, can teach you about topics that are beyond your daily boundaries, and may create characters that are so vivid that you feel as if you know them personally. If you want to maintain a healthy reading lifestyle, there are a few things you can do.
Related media: What Happens To You When You Read Every Day
Let’s Get Started!
First, recognize that reading a good book is a lot of fun. If you force yourself through a bad book (or an exceptionally difficult one), it will seem like a chore. If this happens for multiple days in a row, consider dropping the book and selecting one you’ll really enjoy.
Aside from that, try the following suggestions for cultivating a lifetime reading habit:
Set Times
There should be several moments throughout the day that you set aside just for reading for at least five to ten minutes regardless of the circumstances. Make reading at meals a habit, for instance, by doing it every day (and even dinner if you eat alone).
Additionally, if you read every night and every time you sit on the can, you can read for a total of 40 minutes every day. That’s a fantastic beginning and would make a fantastic daily reading habit on its own. However, there is more you can do.
Always Carry A Book
Take a book with you wherever you go. When you leave the house, always make sure to have at the very least your driver’s license, keys, and book. You can keep the book in your car and bring it to the office, appointments, and pretty much anywhere you go unless you know you won’t be reading (like at a movie). Grab your book and start reading if you have to wait somewhere, like the doctor’s office or the DMV. A wonderful way to kill time.
Make A List
Make a list of all the wonderful books you want to read. This can be kept in your journal, a pocket notepad, your personal home page, your personal wiki, or anywhere else. Add to it whenever you hear about a good book, whether it’s online or in person. Keep a running list of the books you have read and check them off when you’re done with them.
Find A Quiet Place
Find a quiet spot in your home where you can sit in a comfy chair (don’t lie down unless you’re going to sleep) and read a nice book without being interrupted. To avoid distractions, there should be no television or computer near the chair, as well as no music or loud family members/roommates. If you don’t have a place like this, make one.
Reduce Television/Internet
If you truly want to read more, try limiting your TV or Internet usage. This may be tough for many people. Still, every minute you spend away from the Internet/TV could be spent reading. This could result in hours of book reading time.
Read To Your Kids
You absolutely must read to your kids if you have them. The best approach to guarantee that your children will be readers as adults — and to support their success in life — is to instill in them a love of reading. Find some excellent children’s books and share them with the kids. In addition, you are spending time with your child while also forming a reading habit in yourself.
Keep A Log
Like the reading list, this log should include not only the title and author of the books you read, but also, if feasible, the start and finish dates. Better yet, add a remark with your views on the book to each one. After a few months, looking back at the log and seeing all the fantastic books you’ve read is very fulfilling.
Have A Library Day
Do your best to go to the library once a week, at the very least.
Read Fun And Compelling Books
Look for books that really grab your attention and hold it. The purpose of this is to make you want to read, even if they aren’t literary masterpieces. Move on to more challenging material once you’ve developed the habit of reading, but for now, pick something entertaining and engaging.
Stephen King, John Grisham, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Nora Roberts, Sue Grafton, Dan Brown… They all tell fantastic stories, which is why everyone loves them. Other stuff you might like: Kurt Vonnegut, William Gibson, Douglas Adams, Nick Hornby, Trevanian, Ann Patchett, Terry Pratchett, Terry McMillan, F. Scott Fitzgerald. All excellent storytellers.
Make It Pleasurable
Your favorite time of day should be when you read. Enjoy a treat of some sort, such as a delicious cup of tea or coffee, while reading. A decent blanket and a chair should be at hand. Go to the beach or read during the sunrise or sunset.
Blog It
Including it in your blog is one of the best methods to develop a habit. Make one if you don’t already have one. It is free. Send your relatives there so they can recommend books to you and offer feedback on the books you’re already reading. It makes you responsible for reaching your goals.
Set A High Goal
Say to yourself that your goal for this year is to read 50 novels (or some other number like that). Next, start working to make it happen. Don’t make reading a hurried chore; instead, make sure you’re still enjoying it.
Have A Reading Hour/Day
If you turn off the TV or Internet in the evening, you may set aside an hour (perhaps soon after dinner) each night for you and possibly all of your family members to read. Or you may plan a reading day in which you (and, if possible, other family members) read for the entire day. It’s a ton of fun.
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Written by: Ileanwa Obeche, Mon, Jan 30, 2023.
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