5 Practical Tips To Build A Reading Habit That Sticks
Stop reading everything.
Reading is a significant part of my daily routine. It has changed my life significantly. Additionally, it has positively impacted my health, finance, career, work, and relationships.
Many people want to build a reading habit, but somehow, they fail. They start reading a book but cannot finish it (or, in some cases, don’t even finish the first few chapters).
How can you build a reading habit that sticks?
Here are five practical tips you can use.
1. Read at the same time every day
I have found that most readers prefer reading at a specific time of the day. For me, it’s usually in the morning (8 am to 9 am).
Sometimes, I also read at night before bed.
Pick a time that is suitable for you. Set aside at least 30–60 minutes a day for reading.
Read at the same time every day. Do not let anything distract you during your reading time. Switch off your phone to avoid phone calls and notifications during your reading time.
2. Stop reading everything
Most people make the mistake of reading everything. You don’t have to read all the things written in the book.
You can skip the topic or chapter that is irrelevant or uninteresting. It’s okay to do that.
When you try to read everything, you become unwilling to continue. As a result, it might break your reading habit.
Instead, skip certain sections of the book that are either uninteresting or contain repetitive material. Most authors repeat the same idea over and over again.
3. You don’t have to finish the book
Your goal is to learn something from the book. It is not to finish the book.
It does not matter if you read 100 books a year if you don’t learn anything from them.
If you don’t find value in a book while you are in the middle of reading it, stop reading it. Instead, read another book.
I have done this many times.
It is a waste of time trying to read something that doesn’t interest you.
4. Read multiple books simultaneously
That’s right. Don’t stick to a single book. Read multiple books simultaneously.
When you have two (or more) books to read, you can switch between them. That way, your mind is not stuck to the same book.
I usually have two books on my table. When it’s my reading time, I pick up the book that I feel like reading at that moment. Sometimes, I switch books in the middle.
5. Have the next book ready
Reading is a habit. It means that you should do it every day.
Having the next book ready keeps the reading habit intact.
Suppose you finish reading a book. What’s next? If you don’t know yet, it might take some time for you to figure it out. And, by the time you decide, you will mess up your reading habit.
So, if you want to keep the habit going, you must always have the next book ready before you complete the current one.
Finally
Reading is a great habit to have. The best advice to keep this habit intact is consistency.
Read every day. Quit giving excuses. We all have at least 15 minutes a day to read.
I hope these tips were helpful to you. Try them. See if they work.
Remember,
Reading is a habit. It’s not a hobby.
Thanks for reading.
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