As a child, I didn’t like to read. To be quite honest, I hated it! It seemed everywhere I went there was someone who enjoyed reading. Even worse, teachers and schools loved putting lesson plans together that involved reading. So what gives? What changed?
I would be hard-pressed to narrow it down to a single thing. If I had to, I would say it was a combination of the habits listed below.
Now, I can’t take credit for this list. I came across the post at BookRiot by accident while looking for how habits work.
Enough of all that, let’s take a look at some of these tips so we can strengthen our reading habits.
Read things you enjoy
If I had to pick one thing, even for someone who was looking into developing a reading habit, I would start here. And that would be to just read whatever you wanted. A lot of the time, people get somewhat paralyzed trying to find the “right book.” Here’s the truth: the right one is the one that interests you. Give yourself permission to enjoy reading rather than looking at it as a chore.
Read more than one book at a time
Hold up; you thought you were gonna be tied to one book at a time? No way! Don’t tie yourself down like that. Keep your options open. For many people trying to develop a reading habit, they get bored. Quickly. So, why not keep things interesting and have more than one book within reach? I do. Most of the time, I’m reading three at a time. One that is a personal development book, a second that I’m reading with my wife (more on this in another tip), and third, a fiction book.
Try reading something you haven’t liked before
Remember when I said one of the books beside me is a fiction book? There’s a reason for that. About a year or so ago, I felt like I just needed to change things up a bit. So, my wife and I headed to the bookstore on date night. Sure, I had to ask where the fiction section was, but I was excited about the new possibilities that were ahead of me. I landed on a series that didn’t sound too far off from the Jason Bourne series; which seemed somewhat familiar to me. I’ve seen the movies and spent time in the military, so I felt like I could relate to the main character. When we got home, I dove right in and in the matter of a few days, I finished it and was ready for book two in the Gray Man series. My point is this: try reading something new.
Always carry a book with you
You never know when you’ll have time or where you’ll be when you can finger through the pages of a good book. It doesn’t matter if you make it part of your morning routine when you get to the office, sit in the car during your lunch break, or if you’re waiting for a friend to show up for a lunch date; if you have a book with you, you can read. It’s usually those little, unscheduled moments that help build a healthy reading habit. Honestly, once you get locked in, you won’t want to put it down. You’ll want to lock the front door and cozy up in your little reading haven and read.
Find someone to read with
Having a friend to join you on a journey through the pages of a good book can be so much fun. As I said earlier, my wife and I read a book together and discuss it on date night. We usually read something from the self-help or psychology sections. We do so with the effort of trying to improve ourselves and that can bring us closer together as we learn more about one another. The best part of it is that we share in each other’s joy for reading.
These are just a few tips to try if you want to strengthen your reading habit. There is a handful more so please don’t think this is the end-all-be-all. Use it as the beginning. I hope you can begin your reading journey and cultivate a healthy and joyful reading habit.