One of my first articles in this blog was: 5 Ways You Can Start Reading More Books

In that article, I had discussed some easy and effective ways that I use to read more books. This is a “part 2” version of that article.

I read books every day. Most days, I read multiple books. My morning begins with reading a book for at least 30-60 minutes every day. I also read ebooks or listen to audiobooks throughout the day.

Reading is my daily habit. It has transformed my life. I have learned a lot about personal development, psychology, business, health, and finance. In fact, I have learned more from reading books than from school.

Over the years, I have become a better reader. When I first started reading books 5 years ago, I used to struggle to finish a book. It would take me about a month to finish a single book. Now, I read 3-4 books every month.

What brought this change?

There are several things I did that made me a better reader over the years. As I have discussed in my previous article (linked above), I had a clear intention (desire) to read books. I considered reading as a habit, not a hobby. It means that I read every day just like I brush my teeth every day. I research books before reading them. I check reviews, ratings, summaries, etc. This allows me to prepare myself before buying the book. I read multiple books. Whenever I am bored with a single book, I stop reading it. I pick up another one and start reading that one. You don’t have to finish every book you read. Lastly, I enjoy the process of reading.

3 Tips To Help You Read More Books

I have started using more techniques to read books. These techniques have allowed me to become a better reader over the years. Reading a book is in itself a learning process. When you do something every day, you become good at it. You learn from it.

I will be discussing some more tips for reading books that will help you become a better reader. I discovered most of these tips through trial and error. Some of them are advice from other readers/writers/creators online.

Here are 3 tips to help you read more books.

1. Carry A Book With You All The Time

Whenever you are leaving the house, make sure you carry a book with you. It doesn’t matter where you are going, you should have a book with you if you want to read more.

You can read the book wherever and whenever you want. Suppose you have to wait for a friend somewhere. Instead of using your phone to scroll social media feed or text a friend, read a book. Whenever you have some free time at work, read a book. You can go to a cafe to grab a drink, eat, sit, relax, and read.

You do not have to carry a physical book with you. Everybody has a smartphone these days. Download ebooks on your phone. You can read the ebook whenever you want from your phone.

You can also download audiobooks to your phone and listen to them.

I usually carry ebooks on my phone. It is a quick and easy way to read books. I complete about 5-10 pages while waiting for a friend or waiting in a line.

2. Set Reading Goals and Track Them

Setting goals, in general, is a great exercise for personal development. You must set long-term and short-term goals.

You should also set goals for your reading habit as well. How many books per month do you want to read? The answer varies depending on your reading skill and the size of the books you are reading.

You must decide on how many books you want to read each month. My goal is to read at least 4 books a month. Since I read multiple books during the day, I can easily achieve my goal.

It is good to write down your reading goals. Research shows that you are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down. I have prepared a spreadsheet to set and track my reading goals. You can write down your reading goals on a piece of paper or use any online tool you want.

Setting reading goals will push you to read more books. You can also set goals together with a friend so that it will be a fun challenge for both of you.

3. Practice Speed Reading Techniques (Without Losing Comprehension)

I have been experimenting with speed reading techniques for a while now. They work. For me, the most effective one is using my finger to read. I run my finger through the line I am reading. Sometimes, I use a pen or highlighter to do it.

Using my finger keeps the focus on what I am reading. I have noticed that my reading speed has increased.

You can experiment with different speed reading techniques and see what works best for you. Skimming and scanning are other popular techniques.

I have also experimented with a new speed-reading technique. I pick a book and listen to its audiobook at 1.75x speed while I am reading the physical book as well. This simultaneous practice of reading and listening has helped me increase my reading speed.

But remember that you should not lose comprehension trying these speed reading techniques. If you feel like you are losing it, do not try speed reading. The goal is to understand what you read, not to finish the book fast.

Bonus Tip

A bonus tip for reading more books is consistency. Consistency is key for achieving your goals, developing new habits, and learning new skills. You cannot read more books if you are not consistent with your reading habit. Start small, read slow, but be consistent. If you are a complete beginner, start with an easy book. Develop your reading habit first. Keep reading more books.

In Conclusion

Reading is a habit you must develop. It will change your life. Ever since I have developed the habit of reading, my life has not been the same.

Reading will make you skillful. You can find a book on any topic you like. But you have to be willing to pick it up and start reading.

Reading books is about experimenting and developing your habits. The techniques that I use might not be helpful to you. You should experiment with different techniques. If you are consistent with reading, you will discover the techniques that are best for you.

But the most important thing is that you must have the desire to read. Otherwise, no technique will work for you. I have a lot of friends who ask me for reading tips. I share a few tips with them but they still struggle to finish a book. It is not because that the tip did not work, it is because they did not have the desire or the interest to read books.