According to an American Time Use Survey, reading for pleasure is on a drastic decline. It’s easier to hop onto Netflix and finish an episode of the latest show than stick with the slow pleasure of cracking away at a book. But reading is worth it. It’s a great way to relax, learn something new, experience different cultures and heritages, gain insight, and might even be able to keep your mind sharp. In a world where we’re constantly multitasking, working, and on-the-go, picking up a book can help slow your pace and allow you to be more present.
Now, to address your first thought: being “too busy” is the oldest excuse in the book. (Pun intended.) Like any new habit, start extremely small, aim for consistency, and work your way up when it feels natural. If it’s any solace, I managed to read a book a week in 2020 while working two jobs and taking a full time course load, and I don’t consider myself any different from my peers. See which tips work for you, and adapt when necessary.
Make time for reading
Commit to a small but achievable goal for reading that you can meet every day. Consistency is key. You can always increase this goal as you see fit, but consider it a success if you meet this goal every day. A good place to start is reading 30 pages daily. Any more and you’re going above and beyond.
Incorporate this habit into your routine where it works best: as soon as you wake up, on your lunch break or walk home, before bed, or elsewhere. The easiest habits to adopt are the ones that are tied to a prompt that will help you remember your goal and make it a scheduled part of your day such as, “As soon as I sit down for breakfast, I will read 30 pages” or “After brushing my teeth before bed, I will lay down and read 30 pages.” If you don’t succeed in meeting your goal, ask yourself why. Is it because you go to bed too late and are too tired to read before you doze off? Is it because your break room has too many distractions? Adjust accordingly.
Change how and what you read
Embrace audiobooks. I’m not even kidding when I say this is a game changer and can totally transform the reading experience; giving the characters voices, accents, and mannerisms brings them to life in a way that’s different from the traditional reading experience. Where reading a book usually takes your sole concentration, audiobooks can be listened to while on the go — during your commute, while you do chores, or as you complete menial tasks. They allow you to carve out additional time to spend reading. You can also easily adjust the speed of the narrator, allowing you to match your own reading speed, or even increase to something faster like 1.5 or even 2x speed (for those living on the edge). This tip alone allowed me to finish a book in a couple days when I otherwise would have been unable to read on paper.
Stop reading books you don’t like. Books that are a slog to get through aren’t worth finishing, and they’ll discourage you from reading. Create your own set of rules for when you’ll drop a book; for me, if I’ve read 100 pages and I’m still not hooked, I decide to move onto something else. You should love or at least be interested in the books on your bedside table, not bored.
Engage with books online or join a book community. This can serve as a huge motivator for reading, or help you find new spines to add to your collection. See if your local library has a book club to join, or create your own with friends. Review and rate books online through Goodreads and let others know what you think. Check out YouTube channels that focus on books and find someone who’s taste resonates with yours, or even peruse book-related TikToks. This can help you connect with others over a hobby that’s normally a solitary activity.
Read faster
Eliminate the inner monologue when you read — meaning sounding out words in your head as your eyes move along on the page. This limits your reading speed to whatever speed you’re able to speak, when in reality you can process words faster without it. If you acknowledge when you’re doing this, you can consciously decide to silence it. Distractions can also help you cut it out, like chewing gum or listening to instrumental music while you read.
Use a marker to follow along on the page. This could be your finger, a bookmark, a pencil, or an index card (make sure to move the marker smoothly across the page — no lagging behind, jumping ahead, or moving jaggedly from word to word). This helps you concentrate and stay focused on which line you’re on to avoid skipping lines accidentally or having to re-read sections because you got lost. It creates an efficient visual sweep of the page instead. It also means that the faster you move the marker, the more you’ll be working to keep up. Just by using a marker and moving it at a comfortable speed, several sources say you can increase how quickly you read.
If speed reading is something that further interests you, there are tons of other techniques to learn. Turn to YouTube for some visual guides or scour Google for more ideas on how to read quicker.
Image: Clay Banks / Unsplash
Chandy is a biology major/chemistry minor who's been a staff writer, Arts editor, and Managing Editor at The Cascade. She began writing in elementary school when she produced Tamagotchi fanfiction to show her peers at school -- she now lives in fear that this may have been her creative peak.