Have you ever met someone and they have asked you whether you read the latest best-seller, or even whether you read books in general, and you have lamely replied that you don’t have time? Have you bought a gazillion books and kept them neatly beside your bed stand and allowed them to gather dust? Have you wondered how to read more books, and get back your childhood habit of devouring the pages of a story and being filled with that sense of wonder again?
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If you have, then you have come to the right place, for today we are going to be telling you how to read more books, without spending too much time on them. If you have come here, then it is because you long to read books but you simply can’t get yourself to. You want to lose yourself in the pages of a mystery novel, or the thrill of a romance novel, but you just can’t get yourself to read!
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You might be surprised to know that everyone, no matter how slow or fast they read, have the ability to read 1 book per week. You can actually read over 50 books in a year, if you know how to do your reading, because just like writing is an art, reading is also an art.
The good news is, there are innumerable books out there for you to read and love, so it’s not like you are ever going to run out of choices. However, if you don’t know where to start, and don’t want to abandon a book, and read a book with as much dedication as you show when you are binge watching Game of Thrones, then this is the guide that should help you do just that.
1. Carry your books everywhere
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The first step to automatically making yourself want to read, is by surrounding yourself with books. Sure your house is filled with books that you haven’t gotten around to reading. However, you have a ton of other things to do at home, which is why you don’t have the time to actually sit down with a book.
One way to get yourself to read more books is by carrying your books everywhere with you. When you are travelling, or waiting for your turn at the doctor’s or somewhere else, or commuting short distances, having a book can be a great way to kill time. Sure you have your headphones and your super fast internet, but when you have a book, then you actually have an excuse to read, instead of passing the time with your headphones plugged in.
2. Dedicate a specific time of the day to reading
The most common excuse for not reading books is the lack of time to read. If you frequently find yourself complaining about not having enough time to read, then I have a super simple advice for you- make time. As adults, it is understandable that we are busy, and making time for something new in your life like reading can be difficult, unless it is actually a part of your schedule.
Your brain has wired itself to relate pleasure with other things, which is why you don’t tend to reach out for book when you are “free.” Dedicate as little as half an hour every day to reading. Make sure you are free during that time, and you don’t do anything else apart from reading during that half an hour window. Soon, it will become a habit, rather a compulsion.
3. Do not set unreal reading goals
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When you decide to start reading again, you are filled with enthusiasm and a lot of confidence. However, this can also compel you to take hasty decisions. For example, you might set an unrealistic goal for yourself, like reading 10 books a month, which is just not possible if you are out of your reading habit.
Setting realistic reading goals is very important. It helps you stay grounded, and removes the possibility of not meeting your goals. If you go overboard with your ambition, and aren’t able to real as many books as you had planned by the end of the month or end of the year, then the disappointment may dissociate you from reading again.
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4. Do not force yourself to read a book
Just because you want to start reading again doesn’t mean that you have to read every single book that you lay your hands on. There are bad books and there are good books. Again, there are books that you may like, and books that you might not like, and that is perfectly okay. If you start reading a book, and you don’t like the book and you have a bad feeling about it, don’t feel guilty about abandoning it. However, the trick is to abandon it early, instead of pushing yourself to read as much as possible before you can’t take it anymore.
This way, you don’t waste time, you don’t get upset, and you can move on to something better. The trick is to quit before you are already discouraged to read another book.
5. Become friendly with reading gadgets
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I know some of us are traditionalists, and we like to stick our noses in old and new books in order to inhale the best smell in the world. However, times are a changin’ and we have to adapt, especially if you are trying to start reading more books this year. E-books might seem like a strange idea at first if you haven’t tried them before, but they are a great way to increase your reading speed, your reading rate and everything else.
You can carry a gazillion books at the same time in one slim, handy gadget, and they are created to simulate the experience of reading a real book, so it really isn’t as bad as you think. You can even carry books in your phone, because you are always using your phone, and when you have books in your phone, you might be encouraged to read.
6. Find a reading partner
Reading transports you to a whole other world, and you emerge with some form of knowledge or insight or the other. It’s just like watching a movie, but a lot more intense, because you also have to exercise your imagination, and you invest a lot more time in it.
Find someone you can share this experience with, when you are reading a book. It might be difficult to find someone to read the same book with you at the same time so that you can talk about it, however, what you can do is find someone you can tell the story to, or discuss your ideas with, and have a stimulating, invigorating conversation with about the book you just read. This will encourage you to read more, and talk about it with someone.
7. Keep your books in unexpected places
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Sure you have a book shelf in your house, and sure you have a pile of books waiting to be read on your bedside table. However, you tend to get used to this ever-growing pile, and train yourself to ignore your books and overlook them completely. One of the best ways to get yourself to read more, is by surprising yourself with books.
Keep your books in places where you least expect to find them, like in the kitchen, or in the bathroom. That way, the book will catch your eye, and you will be reminded and even motivated to read them. If you want to make the experience even more fruitful, then you can keep these books open at the page where you had left off so that you can start reading immediately. This is one of the most effective ways to get yourself to read more.
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8. Blog about your books
Like I said before, you want to do things if you have someone to share that experience with. It is understandable if you don’t find someone who wants to hear you ramble about your books and your experience after reading it. However, you have been blessed with a technology called the internet, where millions of strangers are willing to read what you have written, and even if they don’t want to read it, you can pretend they do.
After you finish reading, a catharsis makes you feel even greater about your reading experience, so can write down your thoughts, and maybe write a review of the books and pen down everything you felt about it, and post it online. If people read it, then it is great. However, if they don’t, it can feel like shouting out your feelings into the void, which is also a way of letting out your emotions.
These were some effective tips on how to read more books in 2018. If you are feeling de-motivated and don’t feel like trying all the points at once, take it one step at a time, and you should be in a great place by the end of the year, and if you are dedicated to your cause, then even as early as the end of the month.
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