A Simple System I'm Using To Read More Books

We all know how the habit of reading is so valuable and the magical benefits (not going to mention that, we are smart people) it has. However, a lot of us fail to be consistent at reading. I have been reading one book a week for the past two months now. People ask me what is the secret? In today's blog post I am going to spill the beans. This post is a compilation of short, quick, and concise points on how to read more.

All it takes is a little bit of commitment and a lot more reading each day.

Disclaimer: Not everything is going to resonate with you or make sense. Feel free to absorb and get inspired by whatever works for you :)

Ultimately the idea is not to torture or put pressure on ourselves to consume more books. It is to have fun with reading and learn.

Picture credit: Yours truly - Ambica

1. Make reading a part of your everyday ritual

This plays an essential role in staying consistent with time.

Read few pages every day at a specific time for a certain amount of time. Remember to keep it as simple as ten pages each day before bed. The key is to harmoniously turn it into a habit by tricking our brains. (More info on: How to develop lasting habits and turn them into routines) Replace your "pick phone to check messages" instinct with "pick-up a book".

2. Set a SMART and achievable reading goal

There are two types of people here:

• One who does not set any goal and keeps reading the same book for months until it reaches exhaustion.

• One who is bound to get carried away and set unrealistic expectations from themselves of reading ~50-100 books a year when they are starting out or are not an avid readers.

I want you to find a sweet spot between the two extremes mentioned above. First, try to understand yourself and see how many books you can/were able to read without pressure in one month (Add buffer as there will be months you will not feel like reading at all). After this exercise determine your frequency and come up with the number of books you want to read for this year.

The Goodreads Reading Challenge is an excellent way to track your goal, as it can tell you how you’re doing and help you stay on schedule. (I have a goal of 21 books in 2021, cliche much? :P)

3. Keep the book handy

We are wired to procrastinate and some of the reasons we give is - I do not have a book with me, it is not accessible easily, you feel too lazy to get out of the comfortable couch and get the book. I suggest keep the book handy and carry it with you (just like you carry your phone). If that is not possible carry your books on your phone. :P

4. Spice it up and try a new genre

The book hangover is real and reading the same type of books over and over can get tiresome. Nobody likes the monotony so try to spice things up. I was reading a lot of self-help books lately and then I took a break and switched to thriller. As much as I enjoy learning new productivity techniques and life lessons from books I passingly like to get lost in the fantasy world and live a different life through characters from the book. Try a funny memoir, love story or murder mystery for a change.

5. Join a Bookclub or Find yourself a reading partner

I was fortunate enough to find myself a friend who reads with me. We read the same book at times or we end up discussing books we have read. This helps in keeping the accountability when we lose track (might happen more often :P). If you are not that lucky then join a book club or start one. There are also a tonne of Instagram pages that have reading challenges for the month. Participate in one of them for fun.

6. Create a cozy space for reading

The perfect lighting and mood are the essence. We often end up picking up a book and reading when it rains outside or if the weather is nice. We do that because we have associated it with this activity. Barish (rains) = Chai and Book. This implies that we need to define a cozy nook in the corner which sparks joy and comfortably reminds us to pick up a book. A balcony or your backyard could be a beautiful place of choice. If you are like me, feel free to lie down on the bed and read :P

7. Go to good reads and find the appealing ones

We have endless numbers of books waiting to be read in this world. The idea is to find the right match for us. If the book is not appealing enough then it is very easy to feel stuck and not move forward. Take suggestions from people who read frequently but do not blindly go and purchase the book. No fun in following the crowd. Just because everyone was reading "The subtle art of not giving f*ck" does not mean you should too. Because someone said this autobiography is amazing you should read it does not mean we would enjoy it as much as that someone did. Be need to be okay with this. Take advice from everyone and do what pleases you. Take a moment to research and do your homework about it. Read the reviews and descriptions from good reads and pick what interests you.

8. Skimming through pages

There are going to be times where the book feels repetitive. There is likely to be a section that does not interest you. In this case, it is okay to skim through these pages and fast read. (This is NOT a crime)

9. Drop the uninteresting and embrace the DNF (did not finish)

I learned this term DNF from a blog. I used to have a major problem if I was unable to finish a book. It just did not feel right (OCD problems) after starting to read and reaching mid-way through the book and then quitting. In time I realized that it is okay to drop the book which does not interest you. Remember there are gazillion books waiting to be read in the world and we do not have enough time to read. So EMBRACE the DNF a book and pick another one :)

10. Hit pause when it is overwhelming

Too much of something/anything is also not good. After reading and completing a lot of books, it gets overwhelming to keep up. Take a break and enjoy other activities. I was reading way too much for the last two months and I was exhausted from reading. I chose to relax and kick back for a while. So I was reading 5-10 pages each day and taking it slow. (After writing this post I think I am ready to get back and ramp up my speed again :))

11. Go digital and turn on the DND reading mode

Lastly, If it is not easy for you to buy books then try applications on the phone or iPad. Highly recommend Kindle and AnyBooks application. One of the common issues with digital is we plan to open the book and read but get distracted by the new YouTube video recommendations or an Instagram DM. We need to turn on DND mode and keep these attention seekers away while reading. Turn off the internet and notifications.

12. Read with your ears (Title credits: random blog on the internet)

For the people who do not like to read books or find reading intimidating. A great alternative is Audio Books. I highly recommend an Audible application. If you are looking for free resources then YouTube is a place for you my friend. There are a lot of channels that will give you access to free audiobooks (Happy Listening).

I would like to close by saying,

Reading books may seem difficult and daunting but you just need to find the right one that is fascinating to you and trust me it will be one beautiful journey through the pages. - Ambica

Happy Reading!! :)

See you next Monday. Until then Mask up, Stay Safe and Stay Healthy

P.S.: I love the physical copies of book. The feeling of holding a book, sniffing when it is new and turning pages is just <3. Also, let me know if you would like me to start a Book Club :P