How to Read More Books This Year

Many people say they wish they read more.

They buy books with the best intentions, save recommendations from friends, and imagine themselves spending quiet evenings getting lost in a great story. Then life gets busy. Work, family responsibilities, endless notifications, and streaming services compete for attention, and the books slowly begin collecting dust on the shelf.

The problem usually isn’t a lack of interest in reading. It’s that reading often becomes something we hope to fit into whatever time is left at the end of the day. Unfortunately, there usually isn’t much time left.

Reading more doesn’t require extraordinary discipline or hours of free time. More often, it requires building small habits that make books a natural part of your everyday routine.

Stop setting unrealistic reading goals

At the beginning of the year, it’s easy to become ambitious.

You might promise yourself you’ll read 50 books, tackle every classic you’ve been postponing, or spend an hour reading every evening. While those goals can feel motivating at first, they can also become discouraging when life inevitably gets busy.

Instead of focusing on an impressive number, think about creating a reading habit you can maintain.

Reading ten or fifteen pages a day may not sound remarkable, but over the course of a year it adds up to several books without ever feeling overwhelming.

The goal isn’t to read as much as possible.

It’s to become someone who reads consistently.

Make books easier to reach than distractions

Our environment has a powerful influence on our habits.

If your phone is always within arm’s reach but your book is tucked away on a shelf in another room, it’s hardly surprising which one you’ll pick up first.

Try making books more visible.

Leave one on your bedside table, keep another in your bag, or place one on your coffee table instead of leaving the television remote as the most obvious choice.

Many people are surprised by how much reading they can fit into small moments throughout the day. A few pages while waiting for an appointment, during a train journey, or before going to sleep quickly add up over time.

The easier you make reading, the more likely you are to do it.

Choose books you genuinely want to read

One reason people stop reading is because they feel obligated to finish books they’re not enjoying.

Just because a novel is considered a classic or a bestseller doesn’t mean it’s the right book for you.

Reading should be engaging, not another task on your to-do list.

If a book isn’t holding your attention after giving it a fair chance, it’s perfectly reasonable to put it aside and choose something else.

Some years you may be drawn to fiction. Other times you may prefer biographies, history, personal development, science, or travel writing.

Your reading habits should reflect your curiosity, not someone else’s expectations.

The more interested you are in the subject, the more naturally you’ll keep turning the pages.

Replace a little screen time with reading

Many people believe they don’t have time to read.

Yet it’s worth asking where that time is currently going.

Scrolling through social media, watching short videos, or browsing the internet for half an hour often happens without much thought.

Replacing even part of that time with reading can have a surprisingly big impact.

You don’t have to eliminate screens completely.

Simply choosing to read for twenty minutes before opening social media or replacing one evening of television each week with a book can help create a sustainable reading habit.

Over time, reading often becomes just as enjoyable as the activities it replaces.

Carry a book wherever you go

One of the easiest ways to read more is to stop waiting for the perfect moment.

Life is full of small pockets of time that often go unused.

Whether you’re waiting at the doctor’s office, sitting in an airport, commuting on public transport, or arriving early for a meeting, those few minutes can become opportunities to read instead of automatically reaching for your phone.

Keeping a physical book, an e-reader, or an audiobook on your phone means you’ll always have something to read whenever unexpected free time appears.

Those short sessions may seem insignificant, but together they can amount to hours of reading over the course of a month.

Don’t measure success by the number of books

Reading isn’t a competition.

Some books deserve to be read slowly, giving you time to think about the ideas or enjoy the writing. Others are easier to move through quickly.

The value of reading isn’t measured by how many books you finish each year.

It’s measured by what you learn, how you think differently, the stories that stay with you, and the enjoyment you get from the experience.

Whether you read five books or fifty, what matters most is that reading becomes a meaningful part of your life rather than another goal you’re trying to achieve.