Children and adults who read daily develop essential skills that help them throughout life. People who develop effective reading habits improve their concentration and memory, expand their knowledge base, and have a greater capacity for critical thinking, problem-solving and paying attention to details. A reading habit can help workers and career professionals become subject-matter experts in their respective industries. Reading at regular intervals can even positively impact mood and help a person decompress and relax. Anyone who reads can learn the thoughts of the greatest minds of history, the modern age, and people from around the world.
If building a reading routine appeals to you, the following seven tips can make a regular reading habit a reality:
Add Reading to Your Schedule
It’s important to carve out time in your daily schedule to read an article, part of a book, or other written materials so you don’t forget about maintaining a reading habit. For example, you might start small with a 10-minute blog post or news story selection two or three times a day or set aside a half hour to read part of a book. If you’re trying to learn a subject, you might schedule two 20-minute reading periods in an hour with two 10-minute breaks or set aside a two-hour block and with the same one-hour schedule followed by an hour of knowledge testing.
Look for ideal times in your schedule. For example, you might read shortly after exercise, during a meal or break, or before sleep.
Set a Goal That’s Realistic
One of the fastest ways to break a reading habit is by not setting realistic goals that you know you can achieve each day. People who set goals that they then fail to keep for various reasons can feel overwhelmed and even become demotivated to try again. You can stop this scenario by breaking up the reading targets in your schedule. For example, instead of setting a goal of reading for one straight hour, you should again try smaller, more manageable increments.
You might also want to make sure that your schedule includes swappable goals. For example, if you set one hour for reading and one hour for another hobby, you might swap time if you experience a disruption that interrupts your reading hour. What does swap time mean? You might split the second hour between reading and the hobby or use the time only for reading.
Pick a Topic You Read or Enjoy
Never force yourself to read a book recommended by a colleague or friend to stay up-to-date with the most popular or trending books that people around you like or think everyone should read. Instead, pick reading materials that interest you.
Of course, you must sometimes read things for work and other reasons that are boring or that don’t interest you at all. That said, it’s easier to develop a productive reading habit when you read things that make you feel strong positive emotions and excitement. If you have strong religious beliefs, for example, you might read a page or two from a daily devotional every morning. If you enjoy online games, you might read a blog post by Minimum Deposit Casinos during time set aside for the hobby.
Read in the Same Places
It’s not always easy to find a great place to read. Many people find it easier to maintain their reading habits, concentrate, immerse themselves in the text, and even retain what they read better when they use the same dedicated space regularly. For example, you might read while travelling by train to and from work, visiting a bookstore or café, relaxing on a window seat at home, or resting in a comfy bed.
Whatever spot you choose should have excellent lighting and feel welcoming and comfortable. Reading in the same places can prompt your brain to switch to a reading mode the moment you sit down and make it easier for you to read for a specific amount of time.
Reduce Disruptions and Distractions
A distraction-free zone is critical when attempting to read regularly. You can start a healthy reading habit by removing distractions caused by personal electronics. Switch your phone to vibration or turn it off entirely while you read. If you’re using a device to read, you might turn off sound and pop-up notifications. Additionally, inform the people you live and work with that you don’t want disruptions during your pre-scheduled reading time.
While travelling or at a public location, consider wearing earplugs that minimise your ability to hear background noise. Several products allow a person to reduce the volume of sounds around them or block sound entirely.
Use Helpful Reading Tools
Reading doesn’t just happen automatically when you place written text in front of you. You might need to utilise tools designed to make reading easier. For example, if you have vision problems, you might need to wear glasses or use a magnifier to read the text. If you have dust allergies or a sensitive nose, reading traditional paper books might be difficult as well. You might need to use an e-reader or a reading app with or without a zoom function.
Believe it or not, reading doesn’t always require the consumption of text either. You can develop a reading habit by using audiobooks while cooking or exercising at home and travelling by car or public transportation. Many reading tools also exist to improve your reading comprehension and make reading more fun. For example, an educational app might offer comprehension quizzes or progress tracking and reward you with medals or trophies.
Explore New Reading Materials
Many people who start a reading habit grow bored over time because they stick with the same types of reading materials. You can prevent boredom and keep reading fresh and fun by trying different authors, formats and genres. Readers who explore all the potential opportunities typically feel more enthusiastic about reading overall.
If you don’t have enough time to explore new reading materials, you can develop simple habits to branch out. For example, click embedded links in blogs and news articles or perform a short online search using the phrase “similar works to” or “other works” and the name of your favourite author, book or subject. If you have the time, consider joining online social groups and forums about specific authors and subjects. If your local community or library has a book club, consider joining it as well.
Cultivating a Reading Lifestyle
As you can see, you can develop a reading habit without difficulty. You merely need to use these seven expert recommendations to create a reading strategy that works best for you. You must also dedicate yourself to following your plan and patiently pursuing your goals.
Reading can enrich your life in so many ways. It can give you a new perspective when looking at your life and reviewing events happening in other countries or globally. It can help you find and acquire a dream job and increase financial and spiritual wealth. It can even improve your confidence, help you communicate better with people you know and strangers, and build stronger relationships in your social and work networks.
What are you waiting for? Today is the day to start your reading journey!
