Five Ways to Read More Books this Year.

I started actively using Goodreads back in 2016 as a way to track my reading habits and the books I’ve read. My goal is to read a book a week, or around 52 books a year.

Here are my results:

1. 2016: 78 books
2. 2017: 104 books
3. 2018: 97 books
4. 2019: 33 books and counting

Yes, I work outside of my home. I still find time to binge-watch my favorite shows on Netflix. I listen to podcasts. I’m a big fan of YouTube. While I have cut back on the time I spend perusing social media, this is a relatively new change in behavior, within the last couple of months or so.

So, how do I find time to enjoy so many books? How can you read more books in a year?

1. Consistency. I read almost every day. I am NOT a fast reader. When my Kindle gives me its guesstimated reading time, I ALWAYS go over the average time. However, I love books with a passion. Even books I’ve hated often give me something to think about. Every book has its teaching moments.

There’s a formula out there they may not be completely accurate, but it’s probably pretty close:

Each minute per day spent reading=ONE book read per year.

Think about it. If you read around one page per day in a novel that’s around three hundred and something pages long, at the end of a year you’ll have read one book.

2. Audiobooks. It’s not “cheating” to listen to the audio version of a book. I listen to audiobooks on my commute to and from work. Some people enjoy audiobooks while working out at the gym or while cleaning their home. Most libraries offer several types of audiobook services for FREE in addition to dead tree books.

3. Digital Books. I am NOT the most tech-savvy person, but I like the portability of digital books. You can download a book to your phone and read during your break at work rather than scanning social media posts. Most libraries have digital copies of books to borrow. Again, it’s all about consistency. Even if you only read for a few minutes, it takes you mentally out of your work environment and adds up to more books enjoyed per year.

4. Promiscuity. It’s okay to “date” multiple books. It’s okay to listen to one book on your commute in your car and read a different book on your phone on your lunch break. I am a “promiscuous” reader. If the book I’m reading isn’t holding my attention, I’ll move on to something else. Maybe I’ll try reading it later. Or not! You don’t have to “commit” to a story that isn’t holding your attention.

5. Diversity. Read widely. Read books from authors who live in other countries than your own. Read about subjects you know NOTHING about. I try to read from many genres both in fiction and nonfiction. There are books I thought I would hate, that turned out to be some of my favorites. Diversity sparks curiosity…which tends to lead to more reading. You don’t know what you’ll like until you give it a try.

How do you find time to read?

Leave your advice in the comments below!

xo Juli