Tips to help me read more!

[ritzbiscuits]

Really want to read more next year. I've managed only 7 this year and 19 the year before.

What tips can you all share to help me build a reading routine. I can't say I watch much TV, but likely spend too much time on the internet on the evening. I also struggle to read in bed as I just fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow!

A lady on another thread suggested reading a chapter per evening before putting the tv on. Any other good tips like that?

I think you've just got to set aside the time. Parental controls on your phone to free up time you are currently wasting on MN (I can't quite bring myself to do that although we do it to the kids!)? And set aside a set amount of time each day to read, if you want to read then prioritise it.

Otherwise, choose books with short chapters, and be prepared to give up on a book and read something else if it's not doing it for you. Do you know the kind of book that will restart your reading habit if you get stuck? Genre fiction, kids books, graphic novels, fiction or non-fiction? Have a few easy reads available to kick start your reading. Set yourself a challenge, 25 or 50 books?

Everything that CountFosco said, but other things that have helped me are to leave my phone in another room, and to carry my book/Kindle around at all times. You never know when you will have five minutes to read and it all mounts up. And join the 25 books or 50 books thread, lots of inspiration and chat in both of those .

Have you tried audible? I find it easier to listen to books as I can do it whilst I’m doing something else.

Join your local library to see what online ebooks and audiobooks they have ( most offer thousands through services such as RBDigital). If I’m reading a book I quite often switch between formats as I go, as it means you can listen to a chapter or two while you’re exercising or cooking etc. Ebooks mean they’re also on your phone so you can read in all those odd moments when you’re waiting etc.

Join a book group, most are virtual right now but you can find local ones on Meet Up and Facebook.

Join a course like How to Read a Novel on FutureLearn - will focus you on reading certain books.

I have similar issues. Sometimes I cant put books down but other times I dont pick one up in months.
Ide start making it into your routine. E.g an hour before you go to bed.
I've started reading a few pages when I get into bed the last few weeks and its nice to get back into reading.

Leave your phone upstairs in the evening
Have two books on the go, one upstairs and one downstairs so you can grab one if you have a spare moment
Always take a book with you when you’re going to the drs or somewhere where you might have to wait a while

In all honesty (because I know it’s the case with me) it’s probably spending time scrolling online that is eating into potential reading time

Look for page-turner type books where you feel you have to read on to find out what happens next.

Don't force yourself to finish a book that's boring you. Life is too short to read boring books (unless you're studying or working).

Join GoodReads and set up a Reading Challenge for 2021 (you can choose how many books) then opt into reminders/ prompts etc. It will tell you that you are "one book behind schedule" etc. Will also get you planning ahead for books you want to read & commenting on books you have read etc.

Thanks all for such great tips, I've just been jotting them down in my bullet journal.

I don't know much about Goodreads but will look into it for next year.

And yes, putting my phone well out of the way especially on a night time!

I find reading aloud to myself makes it easier to set aside, say, half an hour (set your phone timer) and really focus on the book. It works particularly well for the classics which can sometime be tough going.

Book clubs definitely make me read more. Reading in the bath is good for me. It's retraining your brain to resist the lure of phones. Put it out of sight. If your struggling try to read a chapter a day or just a page. I should have read loads this year with my youngest starting school and covid but didn't.

Years ago a friend and I decided to read the top 100 books that had recently been done by the BBC. It's ancient now but we really enjoyed it, was great to chat about what we liked and made us try some things we would never have picked up otherwise

Definitely phone in another room or it is too easy to pick it up and just check xyz. Go to bed an hour earlier so you have reading time. 10 minutes when you wake up in the morning. Also one book for upstairs and one for downstairs. I also keep a notebook with all the books I have read for years now. Look for books that are going to grip you rather than plough through something because you think you should. If I am not enjoying a book it definitely puts me off reading for days but if I love a book I devour it.
About 10 years ago I realised I had read about 5 books in a year and thought that wasn't enough so challenged myself to 50 a year. By doing the above I have stuck to it but you definitely need to put down the Web and pick up the words. Good luck and enjoy x

Go to bed an hour earlier so you have reading time. This is exactly what I do. If I go to bed later and I'm too tired to read a feel a bit cheated.

I'm trying to up my reading too- in addition to audible- and a, finding that a nice easy page turner is the way to go, aim small so a chapter a day and have your book near you (obviously not if working) so you can pick up when you want.

Download a reading app on your phone and have the icon on your home screen. Then you have access to millions of books, you always have it on you, and it's easy to click into your reading app as it is to browse MN

I stopped faffing about on my phone/the internet so much and doubled the number of books I read the following year. It's such a time sink and we often don't realise.
Challenge yourself to read a book a month. They don't have to be "worthy". Just whatever gets you reading. Sometimes it's better to get back into the habit with easy stuff and then you can start working in worthy tomes if you want!

I read in bed, every night without fail. And I'm always reluctant to put my book down to go to sleep! If you have a tendency to nod off reading in bed, why not sit upright in bed, or on a chair until you've finished reading?