There’s a lot of advice online on how to read more.
And a lot of it is helpful—especially if you’re a beginner looking to read more often and more widely.
But a lot of the advice also ignores busy professionals trying to balance life and work.
That’s what I’m going to cover today.
In this article, I’m going to share the seven strategies I use to read 30+ books a year—all while building a career, growing an online business, and raising a family.
1. Go from Have to, to Get to
When I was in college, I had to read. A LOT. The problem was, the majority of my recommended readings were academic, meaning, they were as dull as they were incomprehensible.
By the time I graduated, I had vowed never to read—or write, for that matter—anything longer than a text message again.
Boy, how wrong I was.
Now, I love reading. It’s one of my favorite pastimes. But it’s not because of what I read (although that does help). Instead, I love reading because I view it as a privilege.
In college, reading was a requirement. It was an activity I had to do. There were consequences to not following through. If I didn’t read, I risked falling behind in class. And that put enormous pressure on me reading.
Now, however, reading is a privilege, an activity I get to do. [1] I get to listen to an author discuss their work in a concisely-organized way. I get to learn from those who have already figured out what I’m trying to master myself.
You don’t have to read. You get to.
2. Eliminate the Non-Essential
When I became a parent for the first time, I told myself that I didn’t have time to read, that it was no longer essential given my new responsibilities as a parent.
The reality, of course, was I did have time to read, but I wasted the few daily minutes of free time I had on non-essential activities—mindless online browsing, binge-watching TV, excessive mobile screen time. [2]
To paraphrase Greg McKeown in Essentialism, I was investing in the many trivial activities that were making the lowest possible contribution to the things that mattered.
Once I realized where and how I was wasting my time, I made a few changes to reduce the friction of getting started with reading, including:
- Redesigning my environment so that reading was easier (e.g., downloading the Kindle app on my phone) and making browsing harder (e.g., installing Freedom on my Mac); [3]
- Creating a reading list (more on that below); and
- Noticing what triggered my laziness.
Read more by subtraction, not addition.
3. Keep a Reading List
In his memoir, My Unfinished Business, Dan Kenndy discusses the importance of keeping a reading list. “I’m certain few people [commit to a planned reading program],” writes Kennedy. “Most people read at random, if or when they read at all.”
Having a reading list not only inspires future reading choices but also reminds you of books that you were once excited by but forgot about.
I keep a reading list using Amazon’s Wish List feature. There, I can add books recommended by others, and leave comments to remind my future self, the source of the recommendation.
Amazon’s Wish List feature allows sorting by price from low to high—perfect for bulk buying books at bargain prices.
But I also keep a reading list in Notion to track my reading. At the beginning of each year, I add half of the thirty books I want to read to a page in my annual goals. In it, I have a Kanban view so I can monitor which books I plan to read, am reading, and have read.
You shouldn’t be rigid with reading lists, of course; your reading preferences will change and evolve over time based on your interests and what you’re going through.
That said, it is nice to have some intentionality when it comes to reading, such as reading two pages of a book a day, as suggested above.
4. Make It Tiny
Every morning, before starting my day, I open a book and read two pages. That’s it. If I feel like reading on, I can. But that’s my quota. And I haven’t missed a day in over three months, as of writing.
The reason for my streak, according to Stanford University’s BJ Fogg, is simplicity changes behavior. In other words, the easier a behavior is to do, the more likely the behavior will become a habit.
“Keeping changes small and expectations low is how you design around fair-weather friends like motivation and willpower,” writes Fogg in his New York Times bestselling book, Tiny Habits. “When something is tiny, it’s easy to do—which means you don’t need to rely on the unreliable nature of motivation.”
Fogg suggests taking a behavior you want (in our case, reading), making it tiny, finding where it fits naturally in your life (e.g., before starting your day), and nurturing its growth.
You might assume that reading two pages (or even two sentences, as Fogg suggests), is a waste of time, given its minimal output. But the goal isn’t to read more, at least, not in the beginning. The goal is to show up consistently. Once you’re able to do that, then you can build on it (or, as Fogg describes, nurture the habit’s growth).
When reading, avoid making big leaps. Instead, make it tiny.
5. Use Amazon Kindle
Whether you’re relaxing at home, commuting to work, or flying across the country, e-readers, like Amazon’s Kindle, have made it easier to read anytime, anywhere on your phone, tablet, or computer.
I love reading on the Kindle for a few reasons. First, as mentioned above, it’s possible to always have a book with you, even if you don’t have a Wi-Fi connection.
Second, Kindle books are more affordable than print or hardcover formats. In fact, I’m often buying Kindle books for as little as $0.99—a staggering 90 percent off the other formats.
Third, and most importantly, Kindle books make it easier to take and export notes and highlights. This is particularly important if you want to build a commonplace book and remember what you read.
To download the Kindle app for free, visit Amazon.com.
6. Listen to Audiobooks
If you’re a regular reader, you know that I’m a big fan of Amazon Audible.
While the obvious benefit is listening to audiobooks on the go, my favorite way to get more out of Audible is listening to books I’m considering reading.
For instance, I recently bought Yes! by Robert B. Cialdini after reading positive reviews on Amazon. However, there were so many takeaways that I bought that Kindle version as well and “reread” the book.
What I like most about Audible is its free trial. When you start a free 30-day trial, Amazon gives you a free “credit,” which is good for any title, regardless of price.
The best part is, if, after your free trial ends, you decide Audible isn’t for you, you get to keep the book you downloaded during your trial, no questions asked.
7. Quit More Often
Nine. That’s the number of books I’ve quit this year. And I’m glad I did—quitting bad books has given me more time to read better books.
Like art, movies, and even people, not all books are for you. Moreover, where you are in your life and what you’re experiencing greatly influences the books you read—and finish.
The problem, though, is, if we struggle to get into a certain book—especially one we feel we “have to” read—we risk doing more than giving up on the book; we risk giving up on reading entirely.
What’s better is permitting yourself to give up on the book and move onto one that will resonate with you, one that is worth your time, attention, and energy.
To quote James Clear, “Start more books. Quit most of them. Read the great ones twice.”
Conclusion
Reading doesn’t have to be a challenge. Despite what you might think, you do have time to read; you just have to prioritize it and reduce any friction that’s keeping you from getting started.
How do you read more? Leave a comment below.
Notes
[1] I want to acknowledge James Clear for introducing me to the idea of have to versus get to.
[2] I’m not against these activities; there’s nothing wrong with indulging once in a while (if there’s a purpose). What I am saying, though, is if you’re going to indulge, it’s worth having a digital philosophy. This is something Cal Newport explored in length in his fantastic book, Digital Minimalism.
[3] James Clear discusses the power of the environment in his book, Atomic Habits.
That’s a good idea to make a list of things that you actually want to read. I feel like if I am just browsing a bookstore or library, that all the options can be a bit overwhelming. I should look into some books that I want to read beforehand so I can find something that I actually will read.
Thanks, Tyler. I agree. Having a list of books you want to read is much easier than perusing bookshelves.
I add books to read on Goodreads and constantly keep updating the list. From moving good recommendations to my “To Read” and keeping my “Reading” list fresh, I use the app as frequently as I can. I have set out on a 48 book reading challenge on Goodreads and make it a point to write a review every time I finish reading a book. The instant high of finishing a book, writing a review and receiving social validation (along with the knowledge accrued of course) forms a cue-action-reward loop and provides me with the motivation I need.
Great idea, Rohit. Let me know how you get on with your reading challenge.
Great article. I have also realised that making reading easy (through Kindle or ebooks) and dedicating a tiny amount of time each day significantly improves reading habit.
The main problem with me is I start reading too many books at once and don’t complete them.
Need to work on that through a dedicated reading list.
Once again, thank you for this article 🙂
Glad you liked it. 🙂