Vowing to read more books is a constantly popular New Year’s resolution along with getting organized and exercising. However, even if you consider yourself as someone who has great love for books, it can be quite hard to get through books when you are out of practice. Here are a few tricks which can help you read more and become more relaxed, concerned and mentally fit to boot.
Download Books to Your Smartphone
Having books on your mobile device and reading them is partly a practical decision. It’s easier to find time to read if you always have a book with you while waiting for a friend at a coffee shop or standing in line at a grocery store. It is also a way to avoid getting sucked into Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You will naturally reach for your phone when you have a spot of idle time, but at least this way you have a source of entertainment(book) on your smartphone.
Set a Daily Reading Goal
Setting a daily reading goal is necessary because it helps you break big books into handy pieces. However, there are other methods that can work too. You could commit yourself to reading one book a week, for instance, accounting for the fact that you are likely make more progress on the weekends than weekdays. Likewise, you can simply choose the amount of time to devote to reading each day, maybe setting aside 30 minutes of reading time during your lunch break.
Read Every Night Before Bed
Reading before bed is a great way to unwind, and with a good reason, researchers have discovered that it can help you relax your body and mind. And if you set a time daily when you read, you’re likely to make churning through books a regular routine.
Keep a Stack of Books Nearby
A colorful stack of novels, science books and biographies on your nightstand helps as a visual reminder of your goal. And with excess of books at the ready, you can remain in the flow of reading when it’s time for you to crack open a new one instead of pouring over your Amazon wish list. However, if you’re not the reading-in-bed person, keep a stack of books wherever you plan to spend the most time. When they’re readily accessible, you will be more likely to read more.
Settling down with a book involves long periods of concentration and focus, which at the start is hard to do. Being completely engaged in a book involves shutting off the outside word and immersing yourself into the book, which will eventually strengthen your attention span.
The first sentence got me! I’m a victim of such resolution but this article just rekindled the spirit of reading in me. I’ll have to download some of these books I’ve been longing to read on my smartphone. Hopefully, it’ll work fine.
I read so much more now that I downloaded my books on my phone. I love a physical book but its inconvenient at times.
You have some fantastic advice in your blogs Elsa. I just turned 50 and while I’ve read a lot, I regret not getting into reading until my 20’s. There are so many great books out there and I know I’ll never be able to read them all. Your advice with the e-books is perfect. There are many books out of print that have become available on e-readers, making it easy to discover classics. As you mention, it’s convenient to have an e-reader around during some down time. I prefer paper books to e-books, but still enjoy my Kindle. I also like reading before bed and it’s a rare night when I don’t. Does anyone read books on their cell phones? They’re too small for me.
Yeah! Setting daily reading goals has got me for a long while, and it keeps me going. Sometimes I download books, and PDFs on my tablet or I read from my library when I’m at home. However, I try to reach my set target everyday.
So true! We all do naturally reach for that cell phone! I’m always running around, but keep a book in my car while waiting for the kids after school or practice. I find the time passes by quicker when I’m reading than when I’m just playing around on Facebook!