Whether you are a natural-born bookworm or not, chances are that you would like to read more books than you already do.
As adults, we’re busy, we have tight schedules, and we never seem to have the time to read that we did when we were younger.
It’s a relatable feeling.
But there are practical and tangible ways that we can fit more reading into our schedule. And this is a really good thing.
Reading helps us stay creative, stay focused, and stay sharp. It is a great regular practice for our mental health too, as it can help us manage stress and forces us to take time out of our busy schedules for a quiet moment to ourselves.
Not to mention all the things we can learn from the content of books. We can learn new skills, languages, perspectives, areas of knowledge and more from books that we read just in our spare time.
We can also, very simply, just enjoy ourselves very much by reading books.
As such… We should all read a little more next year. Shouldn’t we?
If this is something you want to do, here’s how.
Schedule time to read
Sometimes when we are too vague with making time for a hobby, it never happens.
When we proactively schedule time in our busy weeks to sit down and read, it is far more likely that we really do it. If you are someone who loves to write in a diary or calendar, write in an hour window every now and again during the week to read.
If you want to read lots of books in the year, schedule regular time, maybe even every day. Even half an hour every day really adds up at the end of the year.
Read things you like
When it comes to reading more, there is no pressure to read any one type of thing in particular.
You don’t have to read heavy non-fiction in order to keep your brain sharp and to think from new perspectives. If you spend half an hour every day reading “trashy” fiction, this is still really beneficial to your brain health, emotional health, and mental health.
You are much more likely to stick to a habit if it is something you enjoy, so pick books you enjoy.
Simple as that.
Consider alternative formats of reading
You don’t have to read paper novels. You can read on a Kindle, you can read through Google Books on your phone, you can listen to audiobooks, you can read graphic novels, you can read comics, you can read articles, and the list goes on, and on.
Don’t get hung up thinking there is only one valid type of reader, there are millions of people reading in different ways across the world and there are all getting different but worthwhile things out of it.
Read in a way, in a mode, and in a genre that works for you, and you will see the habit easily establish and stay put.
Whatever you read, just read it.
You will see the list of benefits at the end of 2022 and you will be forever glad you did it.
