How to read more

For this years good reads challenge, there are a hundred books that I have planned to read. Full time studies and jobs whilst trying to find the time to sleep and have a social life can be a lot. It can be even harder to find the time in the day to read. I’ve come up with a few methods I have used to try and read more to teach my good reads challenge goals.

1. Use your commute

If you have a learn commute to classes or work, that’s free time for you to finish your book. It can help make your journey shorter by reading, before you know it you’ve made it to your destination and finally made some headway into your book.

2. Reading before bed

We all know about the reports that suggest the blue light from our screens can effect us and the sleep we get at night. Taking the time to unwind and read a couple chapters before bed, could help you feel sleep better by taking a break from the blue light. It also gives you the chance to read more if you have had a busy day:

3. Bring a book with you

You never know when you might have a few brief minutes or a nice small period of time where you could take out a book and read a few chapters before returning to your day.

4. Reading lists

Whether you have a want to read or favourites shelf on your good reads or just a good idea of what you enjoy reading, you can figure out what to read next. Any sort of reading list might help you determine what to read next and not lose your reading momentum by having to browse your shelf’s or shops for ages trying to find something new to read.

5. Leave on a cliffhanger

When you get to good part of your book, put it away and come back to it later. The excitement and thrilling of having to wait to find out what happened next in your book will help you read more. You may even end up reading more if you get sucked back into the book to fully read how the page turning moment you left your book mark on, turns out.

6. 20 Page rule

It’s suggested that if you have read at least twenty pages of a book and you’re not enjoying it, you should put it down and move onto something else. A bad book or a book that’s not your style could lead you to become disheartened with reading because you don’t get the experience you get from reading a book that you actually like.

7. Don’t force yourself to like a book

Similar to the twenty pages rule, don’t go out to find a horror novel if you know it’s something you don’t enjoy. If you prefer science fiction, then go and find science fiction books to read. It’ll help you to read more if you’re reading about a topic or things you like.