Reading more is a goal on many bucket lists. But with work, family life and all the other obligations you have, it can be hard to get some reading time in. Try these 15 ways to kick your reading into high gear and make all your goals this year!
1.Ask Yourself Why
Many people read for either pleasure or knowledge. Ask yourself why you’re reading a particular book to stay on track. If you can’t determine why you’re into a book, you can probably remove it from your “to read” list. If you can define why you’re reading it, use that reason to motivate yourself to finish it.
2.Read What You’re Interested In
Trying to read books you saw mentioned in a magazine or online or recommended by friends and family is a double-edged sword. While you may find a great book using one of those methods, you also might end up trying to read books that really don’t interest you.
Stick to books that spark your interest or curiosity. Reading should be something that engages you, not an obligation!
3.Let Yourself Skip
Skipping book pages is treated like a cardinal sin by some, but in reality, it’s okay to skip parts here and there, especially in drier knowledge works. Skip parts that don’t keep you focused or seem to serve the overall book. This will help you get through it faster, and you can always revisit those parts later if you change your mind.
4.Lose The “Bad” Books
A great book may be “bad” if it just doesn’t work for you personally. From different writing styles to execution, there are a lot of personal preference reasons why a well-received book may not be something that you enjoy reading. Reading is something that should give you satisfaction, so if you feel like reading a particular book is a chore, stop reading it! You’re not a quitter just because you didn’t finish a book. Letting go of the ones you’re struggling with will free up more time for books you actually will enjoy reading.
5.Decide Your Goal
Having a reading goal will help you determine about how much you should read each day. For example, if your goal is 50 books a year, you’ll want to try to read about a book a week because there are 52 weeks in a year. Set specific objectives for each book to help you stay on track to reach your goal. By pinning down the exact purpose for reading each book before you start, you’ll be able to weed out the ones you’re wasting time on and get through good ones faster.
6.Set A Deadline
As with other things, like work projects, you’ll find yourself reading a book faster if there’s a deadline involved. Set yourself a deadline for each book to keep yourself motivated. The deadline will serve as a great reminder that you need to read.
7.Add Reading To Your Routine
If you really want to read more, adding it to your daily routine will make that a reality. Assign a specific time to reading in your daily routine. By making reading a part of things you do each day, you’ll eliminate the hassle of trying to figure out where to fit it in.
8.Make A List
A reading list helps keep you on pace because you won’t have to waste time looking for a book after you finish one. Even if you’re on a roll, it’s easy to lose momentum if you’re not moving right from one work to the next.
Prepare a list of books you want to read. Use suggestions from family and friends, online resources and even bestseller lists, but make sure the books you’re listing are ones you believe you’ll be interested in. Avoid including books that don’t grab you by summary just because someone you know loved it or it topped the book sales charts.
9.Look For Opportunities
A lot of people read early in the morning or before bed, as these are typically quiet, relaxed times outside the bustle of a typical day. While that’s fine, get into the habit of having a book on you wherever you go to take advantage of unexpected free time during your day. That 10 to 15 minutes in your doctor’s waiting room or at the local DMV, for example, is a great time to read, and that’s definitely less boring than staring at your phone or outdated magazines.
10.Use A Quiet Place
Reading and quiet go hand in hand. If you’re in a quiet area, you’ll be more into the book and less distracted by what is going on around you, and you’ll also comprehend what you’re reading better. Find a quiet place for your regular reading time. Switch off your phone, the TV, and anything that will take your attention away from the book.
11.Know What You’re Getting Into
Read a summary, watch a trailer of a movie based on the book, or check out a review that doesn’t give away spoilers before you start reading a book. This will help you ensure the book speaks to your interests and allows you to connect to the author’s world faster than if you’re going in cold.
12.Gauge Meaning, Not Words
The overall meaning of the author’s writing is what is important, not just the words he or she is using. While reading word by word is a common trap to fall into, try to focus on the meaning of the sentences rather than each individual word. By scanning and getting the overall gist of the author’s words, you’ll save yourself time and arrive at the same conclusions you would have by going word by word.
13.Try Using Layers
Reading in layers is particularly useful for nonfiction books. Instead of going through the book once in detail, make multiple passes. For instance, you can browse the entire book on your first pass, and read certain sections you need more information on in detail on your second pass. Use the layer method to get the information you need out of the book without reading examples or other segments you don’t get anything new from.
14.Keep Your Mind Open
Give the author the benefit of the doubt when you’re reading a book for the first time. Don’t get caught up in tiny details that catch your eye until the book is finished, as you may end up coming around to the author’s side by the end. While major spelling and grammar errors can impact your reading experience, minor ones should not seriously detract from your experience.
15.Read Multiple Books
While starting one book and seeing only that one through is a common way to go, there’s nothing wrong with reading several books at once. If you find yourself stuck in a particular book, switching to another one for a while can help you stay on track and return to that original book with more enthusiasm.
