5 effective Ways to Develop a reading habit
Reading has exceptional benefits. Developing a reading habit can have an immensely positive impact on your life. The best time to develop a reading habit is from a young age, but hey better late than never. Probably you can pass this habit on to your younger generation. Enough waffling, let’s come back to the topic.
In today’s fast-paced and always busy world people struggle to find time to develop a reading habit even when they know its benefits. But, for most people, it’s very much possible to develop this habit, even if you read just for 15 min or just 20 pages a day. Starting is the most important part. The best way to start is to start with interesting fictional books.
Many people think reading should only be done for academic purposes. I was one of those people myself at one point in my life. I always thought why should I read fiction? I can learn a lot from Non-friction and academic books — what is friction going to teach me? But as I started reading more and more friction, its benefits started showing in me. Reading fiction can improve your imagination. You can see life through others’ eyes and experience the ups and downs of the characters. That inspired me to write short stories.
When I first started reading I always struggled with inconsistency, I would Finish a book in a day and then not read for the next few weeks and that’s what I wanted to change. So, I used these few tricks and they helped me become a better reader.
These are 5 effective Ways to Develop a reading habit :
- Set a goal
- Schedule specific reading time
- Remove distractions
- Read actively
- Visit reading places
Set a goal -
One of the best ways to motivate yourself to read more is to set a goal.
- For example, you could set a goal to read a certain number of books this year like — I want to read 30 books this year ( start as per your comfort level and try to improve every year try) and then a smaller daily goal like — I will read 30 to 50 pages daily. Then set about trying to accomplish this goal.
- Just be sure you’re still enjoying the reading though — don’t make it a rushed chore. Don’t get stressed even if you fail, trust the process.
Schedule specific reading time -
Setting aside some time every day for reading will ensure that you do it.
- Reading can be done in the morning, during your commute, before sleeping, or even during lunch. You can even take a 10-minute reading break between work or study. If you schedule a time and sit down to read, it becomes a habit over time and that will encourage you to read more. Try to read more on weekends. This will help you become an avid reader.
Eliminate distractions -
You will read more if you remove distractions and create a reading zone.
- Make sure there are no distractions interfering with your reading — turn off the TV and put your smartphone on silent mode. By finding a good place to read, you will read more. This should preferably be somewhere quiet, without any distractions. You could read in your bed, in a comfortable chair or sofa, on a park bench, and of course — at the library. Even while commuting read with earphones on and have noise cancellation.
- You should find a place in your home where you can curl up with a good book in a comfortable chair (don’t lie down unless you’re going to sleep). In order to minimize distractions, there should be no television or computer near the chair, as well as no music or loud family members/roommates. Create such a space if you don’t already have one.
- Try cutting back on your TV and Internet usage if you really want to read more. For many people, this may be difficult. Even so, for every minute that the Internet/TV is reduced, you can read. The result would be hours of book reading. But cutting on TV & Internet won’t just help with reading but also with developing some highly required peace of mind.
Read actively -
Passive reading is better than no reading at all, but I highly recommend that you take an active role in your reading.
- If I say “read actively,” I mean you should consider what you are reading, highlight passages that are important or interesting, and write down your comments and notes either on the page margins or in a separate notebook. Utilize the highlighting and note features of your smartphone or ebook reader if you are reading on it.
- Active reading can improve your memory and concentration. Reading actively reduces the chances of getting distracted. It also helps with your memory.
Visit reading places -
Visiting Places that are book-friendly can help you immensely. You may ask what are these places? The answer is your nearby library, a local book club, a quiet park, etc.
- Libraries are not only good sources of books and wisdom, but they provide an incomparable environment as well. A library has been a foundation for the building of knowledge in society for many generations, and these are a few reasons why you should visit one, read there, and be supportive of the institution. You will never find such peace in a non-serious setting as you will in a library. With the freedom to worship the pages of the book of your choice, it’s as quiet as a place of worship. The dignity of silence makes reading a pleasure.
- People around you think that you’re available or not engrossed in an engaging activity when reading and interrupt you with something less important than what you’re reading. Not everyone understands that reading can be ‘me-time’ or riveting and that readers don’t like distractions. You will never be interrupted in a library unless the building is on fire or is closing.
Try these tricks for a month and don’t forget to share your progress with me. You can do it by messaging me personally on my social media or just leaving a comment below the post.
Till then, adios amigos.
