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If you want to increase the number of books you already read or just want to find ways to fit reading into your schedule, then look no further for ways to read more books!
In today’s fast paced world, it can be hard to find time for yourself and do the things you love. I work full-time as a teacher and I am married, so my time is limited, especially certain times of year when our schedule is full with other commitments at night or on weekends.
Sometimes I am too tired in the evenings to even think of picking up a book or I just want to be a couch potato and watch TV. And that’s okay! But if reading is important to you, then you will have to start finding ways to fit it into your day even when your time is limited.
These tips will help you find some hidden reading time in your schedule and hopefully help you read more books during the month!
Always have a book with you
You should always have a book with you, even if it is an audiobook or ebook on your phone. You never know when you will have some extra time to kill, and those 5-10 minutes of reading instead of scrolling through social media can really start to add up!
Listen to an audiobook while grocery shopping. Read your ebook while you stand in line. Take a book to read in the waiting room at the doctor’s office. You could also read on your lunch break if you have one.
Listen to audiobooks
Audiobooks can be tricky at first, but they totally count as reading! Listening to audiobooks has been a game changer for my reading. I listen to an audiobook on my daily commute and while I exercise. That amounts to at least an hour of reading time each day, and I usually listen on 1.5-1.8x speed.
If you are interested in trying audiobooks, I suggest Audible. You just download the Audible app on your phone, download your audiobook, and then you are ready to listen!
If you use my link to sign up, you can get two audiobooks instead of one!
Turn off the TV
I know this seems obvious, but we have become so used to turning on the TV when we get home that we forget we can turn it off to do other things.
Limit your Netflix binge to an hour per night instead of two hours. Use that extra time to read. Or take your books to bed and read for an hour before bed instead of watching TV. You’ll probably sleep better too!
Read multiple books at once
This tip may be a little harder if you are just starting to read more, but I recommend reading more than one book at a time. I am usually reading at least two books at a time: my physical book and an audiobook for when I can’t sit down to read.
Read in the car
This is another tip that won’t work for everyone. If you don’t get car sick, then try to sneak in some pages while you are riding in the car. I always grab a book for the road when my husband is driving. We travel about 30 minutes one way when we visit friends, so I use that time to read.
If you can’t physically read in the car, you could take your earbuds and listen to an audiobook instead. I listen to audiobooks with SoundPEATS earbuds, which are my favorite earbuds that I’ve tried. SoundPEATS are super comfortable and very affordable. The earbuds last about four hours, but the case will charge the earbuds to a full charge five times!
Don’t be afraid to quit a book
This is probably the most important tip. Don’t force yourself to finish books that you aren’t enjoying. You will spend twice as long trying to finish a book you aren’t interested in, and your time is already limited!
Reading a book you aren’t enjoying can lead to a reading slump, which makes it harder to stay motivated to read! Don’t be afraid to put that book away-you can always come back to it later if you want.
Join a book club
If there’s not a book club in your community, start one! There are also plenty of online book clubs on Facebook. Find one that interests you, and join in!
Bonus: you’ll make new friends!
Participate in a reading challenge or readathon
Reading challenges are a great way to motivate yourself to read more, especially if you are competitive! Join Goodreads and set a yearly reading goal. Or join me in my monthly reading challenges.
Readathons are another fun way to read more books. There is almost always a readathon going on during the year. Readathons are usually a week of reading with a theme, such as Romanceathon, Spookathon, or Tis the Season-a-thon. Other readathons, like The Reading Rush, have a variety of prompts to encourage you to read more books than you usually would during a week.
What are some of your tips for reading more books every month? I would love to hear them!
Honestly, I wish I could follow these tips, but it feels like I don’t have time for ANYTHING, I’m so frustrated ????
I totally understand! Audiobooks have been the biggest help in reaching my reading goals. Even if I only finish one in a month, it is still one more book than I would have gotten to otherwise! Good luck!!