How to Read More: A Guide for Busy People

Do you often think that you should be reading more, but you never seem to find yourself picking up a book? If so, this blog post is for you! I am going to share with you the tactics that I used to help me read 16 books in 2023. Whilst this is not a colossal number, given that I’m a trainee lawyer with several side hustles, I am proud of this number!

Pick a genre you enjoy

It sounds obvious, but you need to enjoy the book that you are reading, otherwise you simply won’t want to pick it up and actually ready it! If you are a few chapters into a new book and you just aren’t feeling it, it is OKAY to abandon ship and decide to read another book instead. I have multiple unfinished books in my kindle library!

In your mind, you may have ambitions of reading history books, but if in reality you find them boring, then pick another genre! Don’t force yourself to read a genre that you aren’t enjoying, just because you like the idea if it.

I know that I want to read self development books, but I don’t run to pick them up - I am a sucker for fiction books, and so if I am a reading rut, I will read a lighthearted fiction book to get me back into the habit of reading, before delving into something a little more serious.

Read on public transport

If you regularly get public transport to university or work, this is a perfect opportunity for you to pick up a book and read! Instead of the alternative, which is probably staring at your phone, you could read several hours per week by just utilising this travelling time. When I commuted to work every day, I read so many more books than I do now.

After I started working from home in 2020, I pretty much stopped reading for fun for a couple of years, but after getting myself a Kindle in December 2022, I started reading a lot more often! If you are looking to incorporate reading into your routine in 2024, I highly recommend purchasing a Kindle! Kindle versions of the books are usually cheaper so over time the Kindle pays for itself! If you are looking to get one on Amazon, please consider using my affiliate link to purchase the Kindle by clicking here. The Kindle will be the same price to you, but I will get a few pennies for recommending the item.

Read instead of social media scrolling and watching Netflix

How many hours per week do we spend scrolling on our phones or watching TV? Even I still do. this a lot even though I try to read often, so I know I can do better and probably read 3x as many books next year.

The point is, we spend so much time idly spending time consuming media, of which a large percentage is probably not adding much to our lives. With a little bit of discipline we can just turn off the TV, put our phones to the side and start reading a good book.

If you are anything like me, as soon as I am hooked on a new book, I read it at every spare moment I can. The key is reaching the stage where we are hooked, which really only takes a few chapters - so all you have to do is use your discipline to start the book and as long as its a book you enjoy, you’ll likely finish it in no time!

If you drive regularly, listen to audiobooks

If you drive a lot, this is a perfect opportunity to listen to an audiobook. Whilst I think there is more value in reading words on a page rather than listening to an audiobook, there are certain times when reading just isn’t possible, and so the audiobook is a great alternative.

I was delighted to find out the Spotify allows you to listen to 15 hours of Audiobooks per month if you have the premium subscription. I’ve always had the premium subscription to listen to music at the gym, so this is a great bonus feature which I cannot wait to use on long drives!

Join a bookclub

Joining a bookclub is a great way of keeping yourself accountable with reading. If you know that you have to discuss the book at the monthly meeting, then you will be more likely to finish the book before the meeting, which adds ‘deadlines’ that you have to meet, thus encourages you to read more!

It is also really fun to discuss books with other people. I recently joined Lemon8’s (TikTok’s sister app) bookclub and I read the most amazing book which was recommended by the bookclub team. The book is called A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder - it is a young adult book so I am probably a little old for the genre, but it was a really interesting crime thriller which really me on the edge of my seat for most of the book. It was full of heart pounding twists and turns, and has a satisfying and unexpected ending. If you are looking for a new book, I highly recommend this one!

Final thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this blog post and that you find the tips helpful!

Let me know if you have any book recommendations as I am always on the hunt for new titles to read!

Camilla x