How to Read More Books

I think hit bookworm status when I was about 7 years old and my sister and I created our own library at home.

Fast forward 25 years and bookworm status is still going strong. 

People often ask me how I read so much. I credit my mom with fostering our love of reading growing up. I truly enjoy it so it never feels like a chore or something I have to do. For people who don’t have an innate love of reading, an actionable answer is that I make time, keep costs low, and look for reading inspiration often. 

Don’t have enough time?

When you go to reach for your phone for a reason other than communication, pick up a book instead. There are so many smalL chunks of time every day that you can fill with reading instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media: work commute, lunch break, waiting for appointments, waiting for a Bumble date to show up. 

Own those minutes. Carry a book or e-reader with you whenever you go and it’ll start becoming second nature. I can fit in about 45 minutes of reading on my work days between my bus ride and lunch break alone!

Don’t want to spend money on a book you’ll probably read once?

Good, don’t! Public libraries. Are. The. Bomb. It’s easy to sign up for a card - most libraries just require an ID and proof of address such as a lease or mail (and there are ways to get around the permanent resident thing for all of us mobile professionals). Most libraries now have ebook collections as well via the Libby or Overdrive apps. Sign up for your card, download the app, and thousands of ebooks are at your fingertips. 

Don’t know what to read?

Don’t force yourself into reading something just because it’s a classic or a literary prize winner or a bestseller. Read something that excites you. Something that makes you want to read past your bedtime. Start with a topic, genre, or author you know you like. Take a stroll in a bookstore to get some ideas (and then borrow it from the library).