Many people want to read more but struggle to find the time or maintain the habit. The solution is rarely about finding more hours in the day — it is about changing your approach to reading and making it a natural part of your routine rather than a special occasion.
Start With Just 15 Minutes a Day
The biggest barrier to reading more is the belief that you need large blocks of uninterrupted time. In reality, 15 minutes of daily reading adds up to approximately 15-20 books per year for an average-speed reader. Set a small, sustainable target rather than an ambitious one you will abandon after a week.
Attach Reading to an Existing Habit
Habit stacking, a concept popularised by James Clear in Atomic Habits, involves attaching a new habit to an existing one. If you already drink tea every morning, make your reading session coincide with your tea time. If you commute by metro or bus, use that transit time for reading. The existing habit acts as a trigger for the new one.
Keep a Book Accessible at All Times
Carry a book or e-reader with you wherever you go. Some of the best reading happens in unexpected pockets of time — waiting rooms, queues, and the few minutes before a meeting starts. If a book is always within reach, you will naturally fill these idle moments with reading instead of scrolling.
It Is Acceptable to Abandon Books
Not every book deserves to be finished. If a book is not engaging you after 50-100 pages, put it down and start something else. Reading should be enjoyable and enriching, not a chore. The sunk cost fallacy — the feeling that you must finish a book because you have already invested time in it — is the enemy of a healthy reading habit.
Track Your Reading
Keeping a simple record of books you have read creates a sense of progress and accomplishment. Platforms like Goodreads or a simple spreadsheet work well. Looking back at your reading list at the end of the year is surprisingly satisfying and motivates continued reading.
Mix Formats
Physical books, e-books, and audiobooks all count. Audiobooks are particularly useful during activities where reading a physical book is not possible — exercising, cooking, or driving. There is no hierarchy of formats; the best format is the one that gets you reading.
Reading is not a competition. The goal is not to finish a specific number of books but to make reading a natural, enjoyable part of your life.
