How I went from reading 2 books a year to 32 in 2021..
Seven easy ways to start reading more in 2022
I’ve always wished to read more but if I were to be honest, I was never a reader. The pandemic struck and I found myself confined indoors, slowly discovering the world of books, one at a time. I didn’t just magically go from reading two books annually to 32 in 2021. I made time for it. What felt like a chore back in 2019, began to feel like a reflex the moment I was bored. I am no superhuman. So if I could do it, so can you. Here’s how I did it:
(01) Be Honest
Be true to yourself about why you want to start reading in the first place. Ask yourself why you’d like to read more and remind yourself of it as often as you can. I started reading to cope with the uncertainties that came with the year 2021. Books allowed me to escape into a different world, albeit for a short while, taking me away from the consuming and growing thoughts in my head.
Your reason could be different. Question your reason, and use it as an impetus every time you reach for the television remote or OTT.
(02) Be Consistent
I am someone who found (still do) books over 350 pages colossal. They were akin to Herculean monsters that always overwhelmed me, and made me question if I’ll ever be a reader. While my classmates devoured monumental piles of Harry Potter books back in high school, I sat at the tuck shop devouring towers of junk food. What changed from then to now, is I became relatively consistent. I wake up in the morning to start my day with (at least) 15 minutes of reading and tuck into bed with another 15–30 minutes. Whenever a work meeting or a social engagement is cancelled, I use that time to get back to my reading. You don’t need to sit down for long periods if you can’t. Finding moments of time, as you wait in a doctor’s waiting room or while stuck in traffic will make you more consistent than you’ve ever been.
(03) Make It Easy
I love reading books the plain-vanilla way! A soft or a hard copy, so I can take copious notes and underline as I read along. However, would I have gone through as many books as I did in the past year if I stuck to that? Probably not. I use apps like Audible and Headway to continue reading on the go. I especially love audible as it allows you to sample a few minutes of the book before you purchase it. Last year, I read (rather listened to) 8 books on audible alone. Cleaning out your closet, household chores, clocking in your steps can all be teamed up with your reading time thanks to apps like these! There are many more options available. Some other audiobook platforms are Storytel, Blinkist, Google Audiobooks and OverDrive. Amazon Kindle is hands down the best application to access both e-books and audiobooks, which is compatible with iOS and Android devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well! Apple Books is great too, if you’re looking to store ebooks, PDFs, and audiobooks in one place to access easily across all your Apple devices.
(04) Track Your Journey
The moment I finish a book, I quickly scribble down the book name on the Notes app on my phone. To make the reading process even more gratifying, I add a check box in front of my reading list so ticking it off feels like getting another thing off my list. People who like to journal or make to-do lists know the feeling I am talking about. When you track your progress, not only do you push yourself to do more, but you also feel good about reaching closer to your goal.
(05) Set An Annual Reading Goal
It doesn’t matter whether that’s 4, 10 or 40 books. Set a damn reading goal and then get going. The thing with goal setting is — the moment you make your goals public, by updating it on Goodreads, telling your friends or even posting about it on social media, you are more likely to edge closer to it. How? “When you’re being watched, you’re less likely to cheat.” It’s our fear of shame that prompts us to only share goals that are achievable or work harder towards achieving them so we can feel good about ourselves. More insights about hidden motives in everyday life here.
(06) Buddy Reading
When children are learning to read and write, parents are encouraged to buddy read with them. Not only does it help children read more fluently, but also avoids discouragement as they grasp new words they cannot even pronounce yet. Similarly, partnering with a friend or colleague helps the two of you commit to a book and makes the process less daunting. Buddy reading also provides immediate feedback and nurtures your bond with the buddy, as you both share your learnings along the way.
(07) Join A Reading Club
In my case, I joined several. Being a part of a book club involves committing to reading a book a fortnight/month (depending on the pace of reading). In case you don’t know of one, connect with me here and I will add you to my reading group. Book clubs foster meaningful connections and help you understand the book or characters better. You may have a certain perspective, but welcoming the opinion of others makes room for newer learning and growth. It creates an intimate community that thrives on new knowledge, ideas and discussions.
To conclude —
Whenever starting a new habit, know that you will slack. Be kind to yourself. Reward yourself when you do good, and check yourself when you slack. Most of all, keep showing up every day regardless of how inconsistent you have been.
Some illustrations from Grant Snider to keep the reading spirit high:
