How to Read More (In The Age of Distraction)
So, you want to read more books…
Let me tell you a secret: Reading a lot of books is NOT hard.
You simply pick up a book, read it for 20 minutes, and do it every day for years.
We all know this.
But the question naturally arises:
Then why are we struggling to read more?
We want to read more.
We know what we should do to read more.
But we still don’t.
The solution is simpler than you might think…
But, the longer it takes you to realize it, the harder it will be to correct it.
After struggling with these problems, like:
- Not having time to read
- Having a lack of willpower
- Not being able to concentrate
- Not remembering what I read
- Not understanding what I read
I figured out a way to make reading second nature.
It became easy (like brushing my teeth) to read 1 book a week.
The most surprising part is this:
- I became an ‘avid reader’ in my friend’s eyes
- People considered me ‘well read’
After 1 year of implementing the tactics below.
After 2+ years of experimentation, and a LOT of research, I complied all the things that helped me read 60+ books this year (while being busy).
And you know what is great?
I wasn’t reading actively this year. So, if you apply the advice I will give, I am confident that you will read at least 52 books this year (with little effort).
So, if you want to know why you can’t read more, and if you want to fix it quickly, read on.
P.S. After reading, make sure to implement all the things I laid out. (if you read without a behavior change, you haven’t learned anything).
Why Read More?
Before we discuss how to read more, you should know why you want to read more.
Having a purpose (a why) behind your practice is the best to to ensure, that:
- You reach your actual reading goals
- You don’t waste valuable energy and time
To figure out your goal, just simply ask yourself: Why do I want to read more?
Why am I asking you this?
Because you might realize that your goal isn’t reading more.
You (most likely) want to read more because you want to be more knowledgeable.
If that is your goal, then it is important to realize, that your goal might not be to read more. Your goal might be to read more deeply, to engage with the text more.
Solve These Problems, and You Will Read More
The strange thing is, that we want to read more, but we don’t.
Why is that?
A common answer might be a lack of willpower or discipline. But if you are reading this, you don’t have a problem with that (if you were lazy, you would not be researching the topic).
The real reason why you can’t read (more), is that you set up your environment in a way that is preventing you from doing so.
We are constantly bombarded with information.
The new economy is based on attention.
Companies, influencers (and even me) are competing for your attention.
As a result of this attention-grabbing competition, you can’t get bored. The second you feel the discomfort of boredom, you can reach for your phone and consume endless content.
This made us impatient, always craving for the next dopamine hit.
So, no wonder why it is hard for us to stick to one source of information (books).
Especially if that source doesn’t provide instant gratification (again, books).
The best way to combat this information overload is to distance yourself from it.
Delete your social media apps, turn off your notifications, etc. (I made a whole guide on this topic).
You can use a lot of tactics.
What matters is that you detox yourself from constant information, and learn to be bored.
If you do that, you will discover that your focus will improve, and reading books will be entertaining and enjoyable.
Plus, you will have more time to read, because your screen time will be lower.
5 Unique Tips That Helped Me Read 60+ Books This Year
Now, that you have a distraction-free environment, you need actual tips for reading more.
Habit 1: Explore your curiosity
This may sound simple, but it is important to highlight.
The best way to guarantee that you read a lot is to read books that you are genuinely curious about. (that means if you started a book, and find it boring, just don’t read it, and move on)
Curiosity is the best way to trigger focus, plus, you will enjoy the reading process more.
Habit 2: Have more books than you need
Nobody tells you this online, but if you don’t do this, you are missing out on a LOT of reading.
Have more books than what you are currently reading. Always have books on your shelf, that you find interesting, and might read later.
You should do this, because a lot of times when you are finished with a book, you don’t have the next one to read. You need to go out, search for a new one and buy it.
This process takes time and energy, and you will postpone it, and don’t get reading in.
Habit 3: Variety (format and genre)
This is a big one.
Read many books at the same time, with a different genre/format (e-book, physical book, audiobook)
This way, if you don’t want to read a specific book, instead, you can choose from a couple of them.
This makes reading more fun and also helps you with consistency.
(P.S. If you are reading many books, be aware that they are not similar. The easiest way to ensure that is to read from different genres)
Habit 4: Audiobooks
Yes, audiobooks still count as reading (and who cares if it ‘counts’ the main focus is learning, it’s not a competition.)
I recommend listening to books, that you wouldn’t read otherwise (but you find interesting).
But contrary to other advice, make sure that you don’t listen to them while you are distracted (like cooking, cleaning, etc.). If you listen to them that way, you won’t get much out of them.
I use audiobooks when I don’t want to read. If I don’t want to read, it is much easier to listen to something, and usually, my motivation for reading reappears.
Bonus Habit: Read while commuting
This tip is for people who use public transportation.
If you have a long ride somewhere, this is one of the best places to read and contemplate. You can’t do anything, except reading, playing on your phone, and looking out of the window.
Ciese that opportunity, and read (I read the majority of my books while on public transport).
That’s it for this week.
I hope you found this valuable!
