How to develop Reading Habits

“Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it’s a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it’s a way of making contact with someone else’s imagination after a day that’s all too real.”

~ Nora Ephron

If I’ll start to write about why you should read and what are benefits of reading, then no one will be able to stop me. In this post I won’t be talking about how reading is good for you, but I’ll talk about how you can develop reading habits.

Some people want to read, but they don’t know how to start. Which books to read? How to continue reading without losing interest?

Many of my friends are good readers but they haven’t read much. Some of them want to start reading, but they aren’t sure which book they should start. Most of the times, I select books as per their interest and 97% of the times they enjoyed those books. But it’s a very frequent question that I have heard from many people that how to develop reading habits.

In this post I’ll discuss few things which will help you in developing reading habits.

Start with a short story or thriller.

Do not start just with any book. Start with a short story collection. They are easy to read. If you would find the stories to be interesting, then you would want to enjoy more.

One of the genres to start with is the thriller, which is my favourite genre. I am suggesting thriller books to start because it will keep you intrigued. You would want to know more and more and in this process, you would enjoy the whole reading process.

2. Read while Commuting.

If you commute to your college or office and it takes some time to reach there, then you can utilize that time. People are more likely to enjoy music or watch videos, series, movies, etc. while commuting. But I would suggest you to use that time for reading. I am sure it will develop a habit of regular reading.

3. Set a goal for the day.

We tend to do things more regularly if we set a goal for them. Set a daily goal. It could be number of pages or time limit. It can be 10 pages or 50 pages whatever you like. Or you can set that you would read for 10 minutes or 30 minutes. It will help you in reading regularly.

Recently, I have read a post on Instagram which has given a very effective tip to complete our goals. It said that always use two bookmarks for your book. Keep one at where you are currently and keep the other one at your goal for the day. I am also using this technique and it is really working.

4. Discover your genre.

It is fine to refer to recommendations for books for beginners. But we all enjoy different genre. So, it would be good if you discover your genre by yourself. Read blurb to see if you would like to read it. Try to read books from different genre and you would know which genre you enjoy more.

5. Discuss with a reader friend.

Discussing about a book is one of my favourite things to do. As an introvert, it is challenging to talk to people. But if it is about books, then I can talk for hours. So, if you are reading a book, then talk about it with your reader friend or whoever seems to be interested in knowing about that.

6. Read a book having movie adaptation.

Although we readers hate to watch movie before book, but it is a great suggestion for beginners. Pick a book which has been adapted into a movie. Either read the book first or watch movie. It will make you read the book and your reading experience will also become enjoyable.

7. Listen an Audiobook.

I have recently started listening audiobooks. Earlier, I was little doubtful about how it will feel. Will it be able to give the same experience? Honestly, it will not give you the same experience as reading a book. But if you want to start reading but you cannot continue, then its better to pick an audiobook. You would enjoy it, and it can compel you to pick the book.

8. Don’t Force Yourself.

Last but not the least. Do not force yourself. It is fine if you are not able to continue reading a book or complete your daily reading goals. Take your time. Be comfortable. Reading is not a forceful experience. It is something which will give you enjoyment and comfort. So, read whenever and whatever you like.