How to Read More Books in 2021

“I want to read more, but I just cannot find the time!”

If you find yourself saying this, chances are you enjoy reading. However, as soon as you pick up a book, you get distracted, so you put the book down again. Or you don’t pick up a book at all, because you tell yourself,

“I haven’t got time for this right now.”

Here are 6 tips to help you kickstart your reading year. Remember, these are suggestions, not formulas. Pick what works for you and leave what doesn’t.

“Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people – people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.”– E.B. White

1) Set a reading goal

This is the planning stage: How many books do you intend to read in 2021?

Planning sounds like the exact opposite of ‘fun’, but as with any project, a little planning helps take the pressure off later on so you can fully enjoy your reading journey!

The idea of “reading more books” is vague and subjective. Setting a reading goal allows you to turn it into something quantifiable, making it achievable. Because it is subjective, the number of books should be personal to you.

Every year I would set my reading goals based on the age I am turning. I plan on reading 36 books this year because guess what? I’m turning 36! That is an average of 3 books per month.

When setting your personal reading goal, the key is to have fun with it, so DON’T get too hung up over the numbers! Here are a few more things to remember:

a) Be Realistic

If you have a full-time job and are trying to juggle being a full-time parent while having three side hustles, tailor your reading goals accordingly. It’s okay to be ambitious, but it is more important to be practical and realistic so that it does not kill the fun in reading! Conversely, if you have more time on your hands, you may wish to set a higher goal to challenge yourself.

b) Be Adventurous!

We all have a favourite genre or genres, which means that we may be reluctant to venture out onto uncharted territories. Two years ago, I decided for the first time to start reading poetry books. These are much shorter in length, which means that I can finish reading a book in one or two days. Fast forward two years later, poetry books are now firm favourites on my list.

Be adventurous and add something different to your reading list! After all, how would you know if you like or dislike something before even trying it?

(p.s. Manga and comics count as books, too!)

c) Have fun!

In 2019, I set out to read 34 books and ended up reading 35. Last year, I wanted to read 35 books, but because I was juggling work and an important exam, I only read 25.

Sometimes you will read more books than you set out to, and that’s great! Sometimes life gets in the way and you read less than you’d hope to, and that’s fine, too!

Reading is one of those habits where the process is rewarding regardless of the outcome. Don’t let that inner perfectionist stop you from enjoying the journey!

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” – Stephen King

2) Carve out time to read

Picture this: you are settled into your favourite couch with a hot drink while, outside, the snow falls softly on the silent earth. You open a book that transports you to a different universe as the world around you passes you by.

Unfortunately, that’s not what reading looks like for most of us in real life. In reality, countless distractions draw us away from reading: some bright and shiny like Netflix or YouTube, some not-so-bright and shiny like chores, errands and work.

Like many habits, reading is one that we need to purposefully carve out time for. It’s about showing up consistently.

When I was trying to rebuild the habit of reading, I would wake up every morning, make myself a cup of coffee, and start to read. I would read twenty pages every day: no more, no less. Reading in the morning has now become a daily habit. I read for about half an hour before getting on with the rest of my day. Some days I read before bed, but I would always show up for my morning reads.

Choose how many pages you will read each day. If it's 20 pages a day, you will finish a 300-page book in 15 days. Alternatively, you could set a reading timer. Start with a 10-minute timer at the same time of the day and be consistent with it. In the beginning, stick to the set pages or time. This helps create anticipation for the next day.

Remember: consistency is key.

“Never put off till tomorrow the book you can read today.” – Holbrook Jackson

3) Listen to your body

So, this may seem like an odd one, but it’s something that has worked for me. When I wake up in the morning, my mind is clearer, my stress levels are lower, and my energy level is at its highest. In the afternoon, my energy level dips and I am more distracted. I tend to do more mindless tasks such as running errands or simply going out for a walk. I usually am more relaxed in the evening when my body starts to wind down from the day. Understanding my body allows me to base my reading preference around the way it works:

If I want to learn something new, I read it in the morning (Currently reading: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey). I don’t usually read in the afternoon, but when I do, I choose books that I can dip in and out of without feeling like I’m missing important details. In the evening, I read something that appeals more to my emotions than my brain, so books such as autobiographies and fictions are my popular choices (Currently reading: Untamed by Glennon Doyle)

Listen to your body: Knowing how your body acts and reacts throughout the day can help you better plan when you read and what you read.

“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

4) Read multiple books at once

Reading more than one book at a time adds variety to your reading, especially if you read books from different genres. I found that I am more likely to finish the books I read, too! If you listen to various artists‘ music together, why would it be any different with books?

I used to feel like a cheating spouse if I’d even consider reading other books before finishing the first one. (Is it me, or does any of you feel that way too?) One day, I started reading the 936-page Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. It’s a fascinating book, but it was so long I stopped and started so many times I had lost count. I stared longingly at the unread books on my shelf and suddenly realised how silly this self-declared ‘loyalty’ was. The author probably couldn’t care less, let alone the book! So why should I?

“I am reading six books at once, the only way of reading; since, as you will agree, one book is only a single unaccompanied note, and to get the full sound, one needs ten others at the same time.”– Virginia Woolf

5) If you don't enjoy it, stop reading it

In the past, I would try and finish a book I started no matter how boring I thought it was. I ended up with a shelfful of half-read books that I secretly knew I would never read again but couldn't admit to myself.

I was walking around a large bookshop one day, and it suddenly dawned on me that I would never be able to read all the books in the world. There are still so many books I’d love to read, and I was wasting my time on books I didn’t enjoy! As soon as I got home, I pulled out those half-read-never-to-be-read-again books, packed them up and gave them away. A huge weight had lifted off my shoulders.

Nowadays, I would allow myself to read fifty pages of a book before deciding if I wanted to continue with it. If not, I would put it down and reach for another without feeling bad.

Not all authors are for everyone, and that’s okay! They will find a reader in another person, and that person may not be me. It’s better to let those books go to a new home rather than sit and gather dust at mine.

“Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.”– Henry David Thoreau

6) Audiobooks

“Audiobooks are not ‘books’,” I argued with my good friend once. He still laughs at me about this, now that I am a convert.

In 2019, I went on a solo trip to Japan. Japan is a beautiful country, but the people tend to keep themselves to themselves. Eating alone during mealtimes can get quite lonely, so I decided I would try audiobooks again.

My first encounter with an audiobook was in 2017: Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed. I would listen to it during my daily commutes. It was an interesting book, but one filled with ideas and concepts that were new to me. The Underground was always packed and noisy, so I was constantly distracted. I would keep rewinding to the parts I had missed until I felt I could fully grasp the ideas and concepts. It was so tedious I eventually stopped listening to it completely. When I was in Japan, I decided to give audiobooks a second chance. I chose a lighter title (Parsnips, Buttered: How to baffle, bamboozle and boycott your way through modern life by Joe Lycett), and my breakfast times became funnier and less lonely.

Today, I listen to audiobooks regularly: on my morning runs, workout sessions, and even whilst I cook. (Currently reading: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss) I no longer listen to understand but to know. I have occasionally enjoyed an audiobook so much that I bought the physical book to keep a tab of ideas I wanted to revisit. I have listened to audiobooks that I probably would never have read, such as Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer.

If you haven’t tried an audiobook, don’t dismiss it so quickly. You may be pleasantly surprised.

“Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators.” – Stephen Fry

Sometimes we all need a little motivation, and other times we just need to know where to start. I hope these tips have given you a reason to.

If you’re up for a challenge, why not join me in doing all of them for the rest of 2021 and see how it works for you?

Good luck and have fun reading!