Reclaim Your Love for Reading: 22 Simple Tips to Revive Your Lost Reading Habit

Image by Tim West and DeepMind

Since I learned to read, books have become an important part of my personal and professional life, but a few years ago, I pushed myself too hard.

I read mostly nonfiction and mostly for work.

Every moment was an opportunity to learn more.

What is the best way to unwind after an intense day at work?

Reading about evolutionary psychology, principles of neurocognition, complexity management or social dynamics.

Falling asleep instantly, losing focus on every page, and of course, guilt-tripping myself for not reading enough, I lost all the joy of reading, and started to hate it.

It became torture.

I stopped reading altogether.

Fortunately, after a lot of trial and error, these 22 simple things have helped me rebuild my reading habit, and fall in love with reading again.

I hope they help you too.

What to read and when?

1. Separate reading for work from reading for pleasure.
2. Read for work in the morning and for fun in the evening.
3. Read one fiction and one non-fiction book at once, but never in the same session.
4. Read nonfiction in the morning and fiction in the evening.
5. Use your short breaks or waiting time to read 3–5 pages.
6. Adjust reading material to your energy level.

How to read?

1. Read in 20–30 minute sessions.
2. Pair reading with other things you enjoy, such as listening to music, drinking tea, coffee or eating.
3. Share reading time with your loved ones.
4. Read out of home, when you commute, travel, or relax in the park or on the beach.
5. Read aloud to someone to improve your pronunciation and vocabulary, and stand up while you’re doing it as it helps with air management and improves public speaking skills.

How to improve your reading habit?

1. E-readers like Kindle are great, but using your phone or tablet for reading is not recommended.
2. Start using page markers and highlighters, and take notes or photos of the best fragments.
3. Create a reading list of the next three books and have your next book on standby.
4. Abandon the book if, after 50 pages, you are not getting the value or fun you expected.

What else can you do to read more?

1. Surround yourself with books you’d like to read, as interacting with them increases your chances of picking one and actually reading it.
2. Carry a book you’d like to read with you.
3. If you can, buy more books than you can read immediately.
4. When you need a present for someone, give them books.

Things to remember

1. Start by reading to relax. You can choose something easy like graphic novels or something you’ve always liked but recently haven’t had time for (for me it was fantasy).
2. Audiobooks are great but they require a different kind of focus so start with fiction first.
3. One good book read intentionally and thoroughly can impact your personal or professional life work more than ten skimmed books.

“Read what you love until you love to read again”

- Naval Ravikant.

As most successful leaders in every field exchange their expertise in writing, reading remains the most efficient way to learn and grow.

Building a reading habit is necessary for ambitious professionals and successful entrepreneurs, as it can lead to better ideas, faster growth, and enhanced decision-making.

Consistent reading fosters your creativity, boosts critical thinking, can improve your communication skills, and contributes to personal and professional growth.

When today’s knowledge-driven world advances at a breakneck speed, reading habit is your invaluable asset

Don’t wait.

Pick a book today.

Read this one next to improve your chances even further. 👇

9 dead-simple steps to build a habit (that you can actually stick to).