There is so much to read and so little time to do it! With all the daily commitments of work, school, children, many find it difficult to find time to read and the constant amount of information that today's world pours on us can make reading a book really daunting. However, a few tricks are enough to read more: find a quiet and isolated place, set a "time for reading", turn off your cell phone and concentrate.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Finding the Motivation
Step 1. Find something to read that you are passionate about
The best way to read more is to find something that appeals to you, and to do that, you need to be fascinated by ideas.
- Explore. Turn any book you come across and read the back cover. Open it, scroll through the first few lines and if something piques your interest, learn more.
- If the topic is intriguing (and you can't get away from it) you probably can't help but keep turning page after page. Reading is an uplifting habit, but also fun and downright fascinating.
Step 2. Decide what kind of information you want to absorb
If you are reading this, it is because you want to fill your mind with ideas and information; So ask yourself what you'd like to focus your thoughts on.
- Consider historical, political, science, or business books. It's a great way to get a deeper understanding of the system and the patterns woven into the world around us. You can read extensively and varying the topics or choose to deepen just one.
- Reading the classics could be a good choice: any author from Shakespeare to Hemingway to Kerouac. Books labeled "classics" beautifully describe the human condition. Laws of triumphs and tragedies, joys and sorrows, splendid details and harsh truths; you could find yourself and your situation.
- Read current news: subscribe to the local newspaper or read it on the internet. There are short, quick-to-read current affairs articles and in-depth articles that can provide you with great conversation topics. Keep up to date with the latest happenings and stay connected to the world.
- You can read "genre" novels: fantasy, science fiction, romance, vampire sagas. Even lower-tier books can be a great way to unleash the imagination with intriguing mysteries or simply escape everyday reality.
- Poetry, philosophy, weeklies, fanfiction, wikiHow articles - read whatever fires your imagination and arouses in you the desire to learn more.
Step 3. Ask family and friends for suggestions
Find out which books they found particularly witty or well-written.
- You will find that some books or articles pop up frequently in conversations. Don't be afraid to ask questions because if a book is quoted, chances are you will find it interesting.
- Easily borrow books. Your circle of acquaintances is the largest and most relevant library from which to borrow books. If you see a book on a friend's shelf, talk about it, express your interest and borrow it if you think you like it.
- Choose a book from an online list, such as "The 100 Books of the Century" or "The 100 Classics to Read". These are obviously subjective lists, but they usually suggest well-written and captivating books. You will surely find something interesting for you too.
Step 4. Have a look in a bookstore or library
Pop into the bookstore next time you have an hour: stroll through the shelves, browse through the texts that catch your eye, and commit to taking home one that you will then read.
- Don't be afraid of getting lost, and if you find a book that interests you particularly, take it off the shelf and leaf through it. Bookstores and libraries have special spaces where you can safely explore and expand the tastes of your reading.
- The library card, which is usually free, will not be needed to browse the shelves, but you will need it if you want to borrow a book. Then look for the librarian and ask for the card to be issued to you. You will find it at the loan desk, which is usually located in a central area of the library.
Step 5. You can join a reading club
While participation is voluntary, it can provide you with the structure you need to develop your reading habit.
- Have an active social life - it's a great way to read more; Also, being able to discuss a book with a group of friends allows you to be more involved in it.
- Consider joining an online reading club. It's a free, low-obligation way to share your thoughts on what you've read. You can do as few or as many reads as you like, but you will find that you will need to read at least a certain number of books to keep up with the group.
- If you can't find a reading club, open one yourself. Talk to friends and family who read a lot. If you are interested in the same topics, such as science fiction or philosophy, make a point of reading the same books and discussing them together.
- Keep in mind that even if a reading club provides a social structure to your reading, you may end up having to pick up a book that doesn't appeal to you at all, in case the group decides for that. On the other hand, engaging with a book you wouldn't otherwise read may offer you a new way of looking at things.
Step 6. Make a list
Make a list with the titles of five or ten books that you really want to read, hang it on the wall, and cross off the titles as you read them.
- Make a commitment to finish the list by a specific date, and even if you don't stick to it, it will definitely be a good place to start.
- If you make a "commitment" to yourself to finish these books by a set date, you are more likely to be able to finish it. Promise yourself a reward for every finished book: indulge in a good meal, buy yourself something you've long wanted, or just buy another book. It could be a good incentive to read, even if it's just for yourself.
- Consider using a reading application with the digital version of the text to take with you.
Part 2 of 2: Finding Time to Read
Step 1. Schedule time for reading
All you have to do is read. Come up with mechanisms that insert the habit of reading into your daily routine.
- Read on the train on your way to work; read during meals; read in the bathroom; read before bed. Read every time you have ten minutes to start creating the habit.
- Read a certain number of pages every day, let's say 10-20 pages every morning. Grab the book as soon as you wake up, or flip through it while sipping your coffee. Make reading the activity you start your day with, before life's distractions and complications start buzzing in your mind.
- Read before bed. You probably won't want to process serious or complex information before bed, but you can always relax your mind with lighter stories. It's a great way to create a habit.
- Try to read for at least half an hour each time. Get involved in the pages to the point of forgetting everything around you. If you have to go somewhere, set an alarm, but avoid checking the time on your mobile. The goal is to achieve a good level of concentration.
Step 2. Focus only on the words that fill the page, without thinking about the rest
- Sit comfortably and lose yourself in what you are reading. Block any thoughts about the past or the future and try not to think about work. There will be time for everything and you will be able to do everything you have to; but, now, you are reading.
- Set your mobile to silent mode or turn it off. If you have to go somewhere, set a timer and you won't need to check the time on your phone.
- Before you start reading, make sure you take care of anything that might be distracting: feed the animals, reply to emails, take out the rubbish, and tidy everything up. If what is around you is in order, so will your mind.
Step 3. Read in a quiet place
Avoid doing this when you are around people, in traffic, surrounded by distractions or noises and you will find that it is easier to get absorbed in the book.
- Read in the park, in the library, or in a quiet room. Read at home or in a cafe. Choose a place that allows you to forget the outside world.
- Turn off the TV and shut down the internet. Protect yourself from any extraneous information and immerse yourself in the book you are reading.
- If you can't find a quiet place, wear headphones that block out the noises around you. You can also have relaxing background music, at low volume. Consider using a website that generates white noise, such as Rainymood (https://www.rainymood.com/) or Simply Noise (https://simplynoise.com/).
Step 4. Make reading a routine action
The more you read, the easier it will be.
- Commit to reading every day for a week, even if it's just 20 minutes a day; then extend the period by one month and gradually increase the number of pages to read each time.
- Start small; do not put too much effort into it, otherwise you run the risk of stalling. Start by reading something you know you can finish and get it done. Build confidence and you will see that, slowly, you will be ready for more challenging texts.
- Create natural breakpoints as you read; for example, read a chapter at each session, or read up to a point in the text that concludes a topic. If you are reading an adventure book, pause reading when the characters go to sleep. Immerse yourself in history.
Step 5. Consider eBooks
You can read e-books on a device like the Kindle or you can download the texts directly to your smartphone or computer.
- E-books are very handy if you don't want to have some weight to carry around, and you might have an entire library in your jeans pocket. Read at any free moment and pick up exactly where you left off.
- Visit the Project Gutenberg website which offers thousands of free electronic books.
Step 6. Consider using a speed reader application
These are applications that speed up the reading process by blocking subvocalization (the act of saying what you read aloud in your head) and throwing words into your mind in quick succession.
- The human brain reads an average of 200 words per minute. Quick reading applications allow you to adjust the acquisition of words per minute on a cursor, from very slow (less than 100 words per minute) to very fast (up to 1000 words per minute).
- There are many similar applications and they are usually free to download. Try Spritz (https://www.spritzinc.com/) or Spreeder (https://www.spreeder.com/).
- Keep in mind that the faster you have to process information, the less you'll be able to memorize it. This is one of the reasons why we have our own natural reading speed. Speed reading apps are great if you need to grab a lot of information quickly, but they may not help you understand the text.
