Over the course of 2024 I have read around 31 books, so on average three books a month. For some people that is a lot. And it is. In Australia (where I live), 42% of people are “Occasional readers”, only reading one book every fifteen weeks at most. And even then only 37% aim to finish one book every fortnight. Given that this is about where I’m at, I may be able to provide some insight into how I can read so much.
Before I begin I should clarify that I am writing under the assumption that you either have time to read and that you want to but feel like you can’t. Everyone has different circumstances applied to them and thus my advice may not apply to them. But I hope that someone is able to take on my advice and learn from it.
The first thing I recommend when you want to read more is this: get a library card and read from there. Out of the 31 books I read this year at least 11 were from the library. You won’t own the books, obviously, but that’s not the point. The reason you should get a library card is to borrow the books. This puts you in a sort of forced time frame to finish the books. You may be able to renew your books as well so if you don’t finish in time it’s no big deal. I’ve done it myself for a few things. But having to finish them in time before you give them back is essential. Once you have done this a few times you can even apply this to books you buy from the store. And the best part is if you don’t like the book, you can just give it back!
The second thing I do to read a lot is just that – I read a lot. Before bed, waiting for the train, during lunch, before a class or work, when I’m bored. Any time is a good time to read. If you have an audio book, you can even listen to it while you are on the move. While I will generally recommend a physical book any day of the week, you may not have the option for that, so don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed to do this.
Just to quickly add onto this, I am by no means good at reading whenever I’m bored. I do often just watch YouTube or browse social media whenever I feel like it. I’m not immune to that pull. But it’s the habit of this thing that’s important. If you’re out for lunch and just eating, pull out a book instead.
A final starting recommendation is to have multiple books you’re currently reading. For starters I would recommend two books – one to read at home, and one to read when away. These can be about anything you wish, but the idea of this is to have no excuse to not have time to read something. If you leave a book in your bag you have something to distract yourself while you wait for an event. If you have a book by your bed now you can read before you sleep. The latter is how I used to read all the time.
Now comes the important question – what do you read? This will be up to you. But if you are just getting back into reading I suggest reading some easy books first. The Little Prince is a great one to start with. It’s short enough that you can easily get it done in a few days, but still easy enough to get from anywhere. Then maybe move onto some Young Adult books. Always about things that interest you, but easy enough to read quickly. The main idea behind this is to get the feeling of completing a book. I don’t know about you, but the feeling of closing a cover in triumph is one that brings me great pleasure. So finishing easy books in quick succession is important.
Once you have read a few easy books, now you can move onto some harder ones. I always suggest the classics as that’s what started me getting into reading. But also try reading some non-fiction. And contemporary. Whatever fascinates you the most, you should be reading that. Because there will be something there.
One reason you may find it hard to read is because of how you grew up. Reading books was something you did for school and not for enjoyment. You had to read a book for English class, usually something a bit interesting but not for you. You have to get out of that mindset if you want to read. It will hold you back. It will prevent you from experiencing some truly great stories. Ones you’ll be glad you read.
Thumbnail Credit: Suzy Hazelwood, Pexels
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