5 Ways to Get Back into Reading
In 2020, I read 114 books. I had no plans to read that many books but I somehow managed to read that many. My Goodreads goal was to only read 50 books, and I initially thought I would not be able to achieve that with all the work I had to do. But, I made it work. Many people asked me how I was able to read so many books given everything I do. To keep it short, I worked as a Senior Manager where 9:00am to 5:00pm was not my boundary. I often started working at 7:00am and often finished working at 9:00pm. In addition to that, I decided to do my PhD. Yes. PhD. More reading. So, how did I do it? I kept it simple.
Before I list off how I started reading and maintained reading throughout the year, I want to point out that I have always been a reader. I read during my high-school and undergraduate university days. Still, I never read over a 100 books a year. The point is, I enjoyed it. As we all know, once school ends, adulthood hits us. You just feel like you’re too busy to do anything. I was constantly working and/or running around helping other people. I decided I needed time for myself. Time to get away from reality and destress. Hence, I picked up a book. The first book I picked up in 2020 was Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare from the Infernal Devices series. I had no plans to read this book. I browsed my sister-in-law’s amazing bookshelves, saw the cover, and decided to read it. I must say, I definitely enjoyed it. I read the entire trilogy in two weeks.
Let’s get back to the main question. How did I do it? I summarized it in five points.
1. Pick a time to read
The best way to start reading is to first find time in your daily routine to read. I dedicated one hour in the morning and one hour before I slept to read. I am not telling you to do the same. Perhaps find 30 minutes in your day to read. As for me, I normally wake up at 6:30am to start off my day, but decided to change my routine by waking up at 5:30am. You might think I am crazy, but I found that waking up at 5:30am and reading for an hour was very refreshing. It was an hour away from my phone, from work, and from people in general. It was an hour roaming around a different world.
Reading before you sleep is also relaxing. There are several studies that show reading before sleeping reduced stress levels and improved the quality of sleep. Like exercising early in the morning, reading before bed has proven to be a good stimulant for creativity and imagination.
2. Read everyday
This is key. Read everyday. You don’t have to read for two hours everyday. I am simply saying, just read even if it means allocating 30 minutes of your time. If you can’t find time in the morning, use your coffee break or lunch breaks. If you read everyday, you are incorporating a new habit into your daily routine. Once this happens, it will become natural for you to pick up a book sometime during the day to read. I have read everyday to the point that I now feel like something is missing if I haven’t picked up a book during the day.
3. Explore audiobooks
Audiobooks are still books! Don’t let other people make you think otherwise. Some of us just don’t like reading a physical book. Some of us prefer the story telling type. Some of us prefer to listen. If you are one of them, audiobooks are the way to go. When I go on long trips or if I am doing a menial task like chores or painting, I turn on an audiobook. Audiobooks can range from 3 hours to 40+ hours. I stick to audiobooks that are less than eight hours long because I lose interest quickly but, that’s just how I am. I have friends that only listen to audiobooks because they enjoy the narration, and some of these audiobooks are 50 hours long. There are some amazing audiobooks out there, narrated by fantastic people. I personally always end up going back to the Harry Potter audiobooks, narrated by Stephen Fry.
4. Reduce browsing and switch to e-reading
If you still think you don’t have any time to read a book, think about the number of hours you spend on your phone. How long do you spend browsing through your social media accounts and random sites, or playing games? Here is your chance to shift your focus. Download an app that lets you read books on your phone. I use Libby, which is an online library app that lets you connect to your local library and download e-books and/or audiobooks (it’s free). I use it for the days I can’t carry my physical book or for the days I am stuck in the car with my parents and don’t want to engage in dramatic conversations.
5. Find a book buddy
If none of the above works (or even if it does), find a reading buddy. Having a friend that reads with you is motivating, especially because you can keep each other in check. Buddy reads are incredibly popular in the book community. They allow you and a friend to share in the experience of reading the same book together. You can decide on which book to read and discuss how you felt about the book. It’s essentially a mini-book club, without the hassle of maintaining a book club.
As someone who wanted to destress and dive back into reading, I found these five methods to be very helpful. I am not saying you should do all five at once. What I am saying is that you need to start somewhere. On that note, start today. Don’t keep it till tomorrow or next week or next month. As you finish reading this article, decide on a time to read today. No time to read at all because of all those menial tasks? Find an audiobook.
Share your thoughts on how you started your reading journey. Happy reading!
