The Reading Habit: 12 Ways to Read More Books This Year

You want to read more—everyone does. But wanting is not enough. These 12 practical strategies will help you build a sustainable reading habit and actually finish the books you start.

Introduction: The Book You Never Finished

How many unfinished books do you have right now?

On your nightstand. On your shelf. In your Kindle. Started with enthusiasm, abandoned somewhere around chapter three. You meant to finish them. You still mean to finish them. But somehow, you never do.

You are not alone.

Every year, people make the same resolution: read more books. And every year, most fail. Not because they do not want to read—they do. Not because they do not have access to books—they do. They fail because wanting to read and actually reading are two different things.

Reading has become hard in a way it never was before. We are competing against infinite entertainment options, each engineered to capture and hold attention. Scrolling social media requires no effort; reading a book requires sustained focus. Watching a video gives instant gratification; a book asks you to invest hours before it pays off.

The deck is stacked against reading.

But here is what the statistics obscure: reading is still possible. People still do it—even busy people, even in the age of smartphones. The difference is not willpower or discipline. It is strategy. People who read consistently have figured out how to make reading happen despite the obstacles.

This article shares those strategies.

You will learn twelve practical ways to read more books this year—not through heroic discipline, but through smart systems. Some strategies address time; some address environment; some address the books themselves. Together, they create conditions where reading actually happens.

You can read more.

Let us figure out how.

Why Reading Matters (Beyond What You Already Know)

Before the strategies, let us reinforce why reading deserves your effort.

Cognitive Benefits

Reading strengthens neural pathways involved in language, comprehension, and critical thinking
Reading improves focus by training sustained attention in an age of fragmentation
Reading expands vocabulary and communication skills
Reading may reduce cognitive decline and protect against dementia

Psychological Benefits

Reading reduces stress by up to 68% (more than music, walking, or tea)
Reading increases empathy by exposing you to diverse perspectives and inner lives
Reading improves sleep when done before bed (physical books, not screens)
Reading provides healthy escape from daily pressures

Practical Benefits

Reading transfers knowledge that took authors years to acquire
Reading improves writing through exposure to good prose
Reading provides conversation material and social connection
Reading compounds over a lifetime into significant wisdom

The Compound Effect

Reading 20 minutes per day = approximately 30 books per year Reading 30 books per year for 10 years = 300 books 300 books = more knowledge than most people acquire in a lifetime

Small daily reading compounds into massive long-term advantage.

The 12 Strategies

Strategy 1: Set a Specific, Achievable Goal

What It Is: Defining exactly how much you will read—not vaguely “more,” but a specific, measurable target.

Why It Works: Vague goals produce vague results. “Read more” is unmeasurable and unaccountable. A specific goal creates clarity and allows you to track progress.

How to Practice:

Choose Your Metric:

Books per year (20? 30? 52?)
Pages per day (20? 30? 50?)
Minutes per day (15? 30? 60?)
Books per month (2? 3? 4?)

Set Realistic Targets:

If you read 5 books last year, aim for 12—not 50
If you currently read 0 minutes daily, aim for 15—not 60
Achievable goals build momentum; impossible goals create discouragement

Track Progress:

Use Goodreads, a spreadsheet, or a physical list
Celebrate milestones
Adjust if the goal proves too easy or too hard

The Transformation: Reading becomes concrete. You know exactly what success looks like and can measure whether you are achieving it.

Strategy 2: Read What You Actually Want to Read

What It Is: Giving yourself full permission to read books you genuinely enjoy rather than books you think you “should” read.

Why It Works: Reading feels like a chore when you are forcing yourself through books you do not enjoy. Reading feels like pleasure when you are engaged and curious. Pleasure sustains habits; drudgery kills them.

How to Practice:

Drop the “Should” Books:

You do not have to read classics
You do not have to finish books you started but hate
You do not have to read what is popular or prestigious
You get to read what interests you

Give Yourself Permission:

Fiction is valuable
Genre fiction (mystery, romance, sci-fi) counts
Rereading favorites counts
Audiobooks count
Short books count

Find Your Zone:

What topics genuinely interest you?
What genres have you enjoyed in the past?
What are you curious about right now?
Read that.

The Transformation: Reading becomes something you look forward to rather than something you avoid.

Strategy 3: Always Have a Book With You

What It Is: Ensuring you have something to read at all times—in your bag, on your phone, in your car.

Why It Works: Reading happens in margins—waiting rooms, commutes, lunch breaks, unexpected free moments. But only if you have a book available. No book = no reading, even when time exists.

How to Practice:

Physical Options:

Keep a book in your bag at all times
Keep a book in your car
Keep a book by the door to grab when leaving

Digital Options:

Kindle or e-reader app on your phone
Audiobook app ready with current listen
Multiple formats of the same book (switch between physical/digital/audio)

The “Always On” Approach:

Currently reading one physical book at home
Currently reading one e-book on phone
Currently listening to one audiobook for commutes/chores

The Transformation: Every moment of waiting becomes a moment of reading. You capture time that otherwise disappears.

Strategy 4: Create a Reading Environment

What It Is: Designing a physical space that invites and supports reading.

Why It Works: Environment shapes behavior. If your couch faces a TV and your phone is within reach, you will default to those. If you have a comfortable reading spot with a book waiting, you will default to reading.

How to Practice:

Create a Reading Spot:

A comfortable chair with good lighting
A book already there, waiting
Minimal distractions—no TV in direct line of sight
Cozy elements: blanket, good lamp, accessible drink

Remove Friction:

Books visible and accessible
No need to search for what to read
Comfortable seating ready
Good lighting already in place

Add Friction to Competitors:

Phone charges in another room
TV remote not within arm’s reach
Remove easy access to distractions

The Transformation: When you sit in your reading spot, reading is the default action. The environment does the work.

Strategy 5: Attach Reading to Existing Habits

What It Is: Linking reading to activities you already do daily—using habit stacking to make reading automatic.

Why It Works: New habits are hard to remember; existing habits are automatic. By attaching reading to something you already do, you borrow the automaticity of the existing habit.

How to Practice:

The Habit Stack Formula: “After I [existing habit], I will [read for X minutes].”

Examples:

After I pour my morning coffee, I will read for 15 minutes
After I eat lunch, I will read for 10 minutes
After I get into bed, I will read for 20 minutes
After I sit down on my commute, I will read until my stop
After I finish dinner, I will read for 15 minutes before TV

Choose Your Anchor:

What do you do every day without fail?
Attach reading to that

The Transformation: Reading happens automatically because it is linked to something that already happens automatically.

Strategy 6: Replace Scrolling With Reading

What It Is: Deliberately substituting reading for the unconscious scrolling that consumes so much time.

Why It Works: Most people say they do not have time to read, yet spend 2+ hours daily on social media. The time exists—it is just going elsewhere. Redirecting even some of this time transforms reading volume.

How to Practice:

The Swap:

When you reach for your phone to scroll, reach for a book instead
When you are in a waiting room, read instead of scroll
When you are in bed but not sleeping, read instead of scroll
When you are bored, read instead of scroll

Reduce Phone Access:

Delete social media apps (access via browser only)
Move phone to another room during reading time
Use app timers to limit social media
Put e-reader app on home screen, social media buried in folders

Track the Trade:

Check your screen time report
Notice how many hours go to scrolling
Imagine if even half went to reading

The Transformation: Time you did not know you had appears. Hours previously lost to scrolling become hours of reading.

Strategy 7: Use Audiobooks Strategically

What It Is: Adding audiobooks to capture time when reading is not possible—commutes, chores, exercise, errands.

Why It Works: Audiobooks transform otherwise dead time into reading time. Hours spent driving, cleaning, or exercising become hours of books consumed. This can double or triple your reading volume.

How to Practice:

Ideal Audiobook Times:

Commuting (driving, public transit, walking)
Exercise (gym, running, walking)
Chores (cleaning, cooking, laundry)
Errands (grocery shopping, waiting in lines)
Getting ready (showering, dressing)

Getting Started:

Library apps (Libby, OverDrive): free audiobooks with library card
Audible or other subscription services
Free audiobooks on YouTube, Spotify, or Librivox

Optimize the Experience:

Experiment with playback speed (1.25x-1.5x is common)
Use Bluetooth earbuds for freedom of movement
Choose books suited to audio (narrative works well; dense non-fiction may not)

The Transformation: Your reading volume increases dramatically without requiring additional dedicated time.

Strategy 8: Quit Books You Are Not Enjoying

What It Is: Giving yourself full permission to abandon books that are not working—without guilt, without finishing.

Why It Works: A book you are not enjoying becomes a barrier to reading. You avoid reading because you dread continuing. You feel guilty reading something else. The unfinished book becomes a psychological weight. Quitting removes the barrier.

How to Practice:

The Rule of Thumb:

Life is too short for bad books
There are more good books than you could ever read
Not finishing is not failure—it is curation

When to Quit:

If you are bored after 50-100 pages
If you dread picking it up
If you have been stuck on it for weeks
If you keep reaching for other entertainment instead

Give Yourself Permission:

The author will not know
You have not failed
This book was not for you (or not for you right now)
Move on to something you will actually enjoy

The Transformation: Reading becomes enjoyable again. You stop avoiding books because the current one is not working.

Strategy 9: Join or Create Reading Accountability

What It Is: Finding external accountability for your reading—through a book club, reading partner, or public commitment.

Why It Works: Internal motivation fluctuates; external accountability is consistent. When others are expecting you to read, you are more likely to follow through.

How to Practice:

Book Clubs:

Join an existing book club (local or online)
Start a book club with friends
Participate in online reading communities

Reading Partners:

Find a friend with similar reading goals
Check in weekly on progress
Share what you are reading

Public Commitment:

Share reading goals publicly (social media, friends)
Post about books you finish
Use Goodreads or similar platform to track publicly

Gentle Accountability:

This is not about pressure—it is about support
Choose accountability that motivates without stressing

The Transformation: Reading becomes a social activity with built-in follow-through.

Strategy 10: Build a “To-Read” List That Excites You

What It Is: Maintaining a list of books you genuinely want to read—so you always know what is next and always have something to look forward to.

Why It Works: “What should I read next?” can become a barrier if you do not have an answer. A well-curated list of exciting options means you always have something waiting, and finishing a book means starting something you are genuinely excited about.

How to Practice:

Build the List:

Note recommendations from friends
Save interesting mentions from podcasts, articles, interviews
Explore “if you liked X, try Y” recommendations
Browse bookstores and libraries

Keep It Accessible:

Use Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf
Keep a note on your phone
Maintain a physical list in your journal

Curate Actively:

Add books that genuinely excite you
Remove books that no longer interest you
Have more options than you need so there is always something appealing

The Transformation: Finishing a book becomes exciting because something you want to read is waiting.

Strategy 11: Read Multiple Books Simultaneously

What It Is: Having 2-4 books in progress at once—different types for different moods and contexts.

Why It Works: Your reading mood varies. Sometimes you want fiction; sometimes non-fiction. Sometimes light; sometimes dense. Sometimes physical; sometimes audio. Multiple books mean there is always something that fits your current state.

How to Practice:

A Sample Multi-Book System:

One fiction book (for pleasure and evening reading)
One non-fiction book (for learning and growth)
One audiobook (for commute and chores)
One physical book that stays in your bag

Match Books to Contexts:

Dense non-fiction: mornings when fresh
Light fiction: evenings when tired
Audiobooks: movement and chores
Whatever you are in the mood for: reading sessions

Avoid Overload:

2-4 concurrent books is ideal
Too many = nothing gets finished
Find your personal limit

The Transformation: You always have something you are in the mood for. “I don’t feel like reading that” stops being a barrier.

Strategy 12: Protect Daily Reading Time

What It Is: Scheduling a specific, non-negotiable time each day dedicated to reading—and protecting it fiercely.

Why It Works: What gets scheduled gets done. Without a dedicated time, reading gets crowded out by things that feel more urgent. A protected daily slot ensures reading actually happens.

How to Practice:

Choose Your Time:

Morning (before the day’s demands)
Lunch break (midday reset)
Evening (wind-down before bed)
Commute (if applicable)
Any consistent time that works for your life

Protect It:

Treat it like an important appointment
Communicate to family that this is your reading time
Turn off notifications
Let other things wait

Start Small:

15 minutes is enough to start
Consistency matters more than duration
Build from there as the habit solidifies

The Transformation: Reading becomes a non-negotiable part of your day, not something that happens if time allows.

Building Your Reading Habit

Start With Two or Three Strategies

Do not implement all twelve at once. Choose the strategies that address your biggest barriers and start there.

Common Barriers and Best Strategies

“I don’t have time”: Strategies 3, 6, 7 (finding hidden time) “I get distracted”: Strategies 4, 6 (environment and phone) “I never finish books”: Strategies 8, 2 (quitting and enjoyment) “I forget to read”: Strategies 5, 12 (habit stacking and scheduling) “I don’t know what to read”: Strategies 2, 10 (permission and lists)

Be Patient

Habits take time to form. The first few weeks may feel forced. Keep going. Eventually, reading becomes automatic—something you do without having to decide to do it.

Celebrate Progress

Every book finished is an achievement. Every page read is progress. Track your reading and celebrate what you accomplish.

20 Powerful Quotes on Reading

1. “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” — George R.R. Martin

2. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss

3. “I cannot live without books.” — Thomas Jefferson

4. “Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” — Jim Rohn

5. “A book is a dream you hold in your hands.” — Neil Gaiman

6. “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” — Margaret Fuller

7. “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” — Stephen King

8. “Reading brings us unknown friends.” — Honoré de Balzac

9. “I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” — Groucho Marx

10. “There is no friend as loyal as a book.” — Ernest Hemingway

11. “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” — Joseph Addison

12. “The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.” — René Descartes

13. “In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.” — Mortimer J. Adler

14. “A room without books is like a body without a soul.” — Cicero

15. “Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.” — Malorie Blackman

16. “Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren’t very new after all.” — Abraham Lincoln

17. “Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.” — John Locke

18. “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” — Frederick Douglass

19. “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” — Jorge Luis Borges

20. “You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” — Ray Bradbury

Picture This

Close your eyes and imagine yourself one year from now.

You have finished more books this year than in the past five years combined. Not because you became a different person, but because you changed a few things.

You always have a book with you now. Waiting rooms, coffee lines, unexpected pauses—all become reading time. The time was always there; now you capture it.

You have a reading spot at home—a chair, a lamp, a blanket. When you sit there, you read. The TV is out of sight. Your phone charges in another room. The environment supports what you want to do.

Audiobooks have unlocked hours you did not know you had. Your commute, your workouts, your chores—all have become reading time. You finished ten books just through listening.

You read what you enjoy now, without guilt. You quit books that bore you. You have a list of exciting options waiting. Reading feels like a pleasure, not an obligation.

Some evenings you choose a book over a screen. Some mornings you read before the day begins. It is not every day, not perfectly—but it is consistent enough that books accumulate.

You have read things that changed how you think. You have escaped into stories that transported you. You have learned from minds you will never meet in person. Your inner life is richer.

And here is what surprises you most: it was not that hard. You did not become a superhuman reader through willpower. You just removed a few barriers, created a few systems, and let the books accumulate.

Twenty books. Thirty books. Maybe more.

One year of reading adds up to a lot of living.

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Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational, educational, and self-improvement purposes only. It is not intended as professional advice of any kind.

Reading habits are personal. Adapt these strategies to your own life, preferences, and circumstances.

The author and publisher make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the information contained herein. By reading this article, you agree that the author and publisher shall not be held liable for any damages, claims, or losses arising from your use of or reliance on this content.

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