How to read more books
Habit formation through intentional substitution of screen time with reading increases reading volume.
Key Points
- Read every time you’re not doing something else; replace screen time with book time.
- Remove social media and streaming apps to reduce phone dependency and build mental habit loops.
- Carry a physical or digital book with you everywhere — use an ebook reader for portability and features like highlighting and backlit reading.
- Alternate between physical and digital books; physical books offer better immersion and tactile experience.
- Read multiple books simultaneously to avoid monotony and gain diverse perspectives.
- Start with broad genre exploration: ‘read what you like until you like to read’ to discover personal preferences.
- Don’t fear quitting a book — some books require time to fully resonate; close a book if it feels unengaging or boring.
- Build a personal library with physical books, prioritizing used and locally sourced titles from book fairs or community boxes.
- Set reading goals (e.g., 10 books/month) to build habit tracking, but prioritize depth over volume.
- Write book reviews or take notes to deepen understanding and retention.
- Discover new books through Goodreads and YouTube — use community reviews and spoiler-free recommendations to guide choices.
- Avoid speed reading, summaries, and audiobooks; reading physical text builds focus and comprehension.
- Use public transport, cooking, or walking as natural reading opportunities — these are low-effort, high-impact reading moments.