Books, what uniquely portable magic! Source: Clay Banks
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- Finding the right time
- Switch your books to maintain freshness
- Digital and audiobooks are a great help
- Having bookworm peers to motivate you
Do you still remember the reading goals you set last year? I remember it all too well! My goal was to read a book every month to enhance my knowledge. Yet, busy schedules and a lack of time have become my excuse to leave those books in the dust for the past several months.
Of course, I felt guilty! And looking at those books, I thought there was nothing I could do about it. After getting advice from my friends who were able to achieve their goals, I found that it should be something exciting and voluntary. In fact, these elements are essential to keep us motivated to read, thereby turning it into a lifestyle habit.
If you have read until this part, surely you’re someone who’s dying to know how to read more often or can’t wait to pick up this habit! No worries, folks. Come along as I have compiled four ways to help you build up this reading habit in you.
1/ Find the right time
Finding the right time for the right book. Source: Alena Ganzhela
I understand you may not feel like reading when you’re not in the mood. Therefore, knowing when you will have the energy and time to read is essential to picking up this habit! After various tries here and there, I found that reading non-fiction books is best done during the morning when we are most energetic.
On the other hand, fiction books which are a lighter read, are best read before bed, when I am ready to unwind my thoughts. According to Digital Influence Lab, Malaysians spend an average of eight hours browsing the internet using any form of device.
If you fall into this category, then set a time limit on your social media usage and apportion at least one hour into reading. With a change of mindset and a distraction-free environment, reading will become a natural habit of yours. (Winks)
2/ Switch among different books
Spice it up with various genres! Source: Christin Hume
For someone who might get bored easily, having different books in different locations is effective in keeping this activity exciting. As for me, I alternate between the Harry Potter series and Rich Dad Poor Dad to keep the reading experience fresh. Some may think that working on three books at once is overwhelming, and it is going to be hard to get through them.
You should feel excited when picking them out rather than feel difficult. There’s never a rule saying you should finish a book before starting a new one. As advised by Oprah Winfrey, you may stop with certain books after going through the first 50 pages. That should tell if you like them or not. So, stick to your desired amount of books and those that spark joy!
3/ Try digital and audiobooks
Technology is your new reading buddy. Source: LinkedIn Sales Solutions
I know we can’t beat the touch and smell of a physical book, but it is more convenient to have a digital book on your electronic gadgets for transport purposes. As someone who still enjoys flipping pages, keeping a physical book at my bedside and a digital book app like Blinkist and Scribd on my Ipad for the outdoors has greatly improved my reading.
But that is not all. Thanks to the advancement of technology, it is unnecessary for you to sit still and pay 100% concentration on your book. This may be your first time hearing about an audiobook. As the name implies, you can listen to books through audio on your electrical device anywhere and when performing an activity. Personally, audiobooks such as Himalaya and Audible have effectively built up my habit as I can listen to them while driving or when hitting the gym. How convenient!
4/ Join a reading community
How evergreen, to have our group of like-minded people! Source: Brooke Cagle
Isn’t it fun to share your favourite books and your afterthoughts with someone in the book club? It is indeed part of the whole process to share insights after reading. Other than integrating the knowledge you obtained or discussing the fictional characters you adore, the people there will not judge you by giving weird looks.
In fact, they would even give you recommendations on the next book to pick up. I personally believe that joining a book club will motivate you to read more as you have companions who share the same passion.
You might find yourself indulging in deep conversation and learning from multiple perspectives. As I write this article, I am bookmarking all those worthy books recommended by my fellow friends from the book club!
Why think about it when you can do it now?
After knowing all these useful tips, the only remaining tip you need is to get into action now. Everything is just in our imagination if we never start to explore the ways to read more, right? Let us know your thoughts as well as the tricks which help you the most in the comment section below.
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