I have been an avid reader since I was a young kid. My mom used to take me to the library weekly and even enrolled me in the Babysitter’s Club book program (totally aging myself here) where I would get new Babysitter’s Club books in the mail each month. Now that I’m an adult, I have found it a lot harder to fit in all of the books I want to read. I work full time and also take classes so any spare moment I have you will likely find me reading or working on my blog. I put together some tips on how to read more this year in case you are also trying to fit more reading into your busy schedule.
Set aside time to read before bed
My favorite way to wind down from a long day is to read in bed for around 15 minutes each night. Reading helps me relax and can also make me feel sleepy if I’m not quite ready to go to bed yet. I will usually make myself some sleepy tea and crack open a book while I drink it. Reading even just a few pages each night before bed allows me to get closer to my reading goal each year.
Keep a book in your purse or car at all times
If you download books to your phone, you will likely already have that with you at all times so having a book on you isn’t difficult. For those who don’t want to read on their phone, try to keep a book in your purse or car for those times when you have an unexpected wait and need something to do. Of course you can always check social media, but if you are trying to read more, this is the perfect opportunity to do so!
Download books to your phone
If I don’t have a paper copy then I will usually download books to my phone to read. I use a library app called Overdrive to check out ebooks. They download right to my phone and I can start reading them right away. This is a great option for traveling as it saves you from packing heavy books in your bags. Plus, I have found that the library usually has more licenses for ebooks than paper books, meaning your wait time for popular books will usually be a lot less.
Listen to audiobooks
Audiobooks are one of my new favorite things. I say new because I only started listening to audiobooks last year. I’m one of those people who just loves the feel of a physical book but my office job doesn’t allow me to read all day. If I download audiobooks though, I am able to listen to them while I work, which means I can usually get through an entire book every few days. The Overdrive app allows me to download audiobooks from my local library but you can also find audiobooks on various websites such as Audible.
Start or join a Book Club
If you have a hard time motivating yourself to read, start or join a book club! Having others reading the same book as you and knowing you have a set date to discuss the book can help motivate you to make the time to read. I have always wanted to join a book club because I love the idea of incorporating reading and a party! You can even set a theme for each meeting based on the book you are currently reading.
My goal this year is to get through 40 books by the end of 2018. Normally I would set my goal a little higher as I am a pretty big bookworm but with school and work I’m just not sure more than 40 is attainable!
What are you currently reading? I always love recommendations. Did you set any book goals for this year?
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