How To Start Reading More (And Enjoy It)

How To Start Reading More And Actually Enjoy It

Published on 13 Dec, 2023 By: Meera

Reading is meant to be a relaxing experience, but it can be overwhelming or boring for many. However, there’s still a desire to be one of those people who can fully immerse themselves in a book and feel fulfilled and content afterward. (Plus, reading sure is hot.)

What if I told you that reading can be relaxing, enjoyable, and something that you look forward to?

Here are some ways to start reading more and actually enjoy it:

1. Have a Hunger For Knowledge

In order to devour the words in a book, you have to be hungry for them. If you don’t have an appetite for learning, the words you read won’t stick, and that’s part of why reading can be boring. Knowledge is power and reading is one convenient way in which we’re able to harness it.

You have to hunger for new perspectives, for more understanding, and to know more words that may help you express yourself better. It doesn’t matter what genre the material is – non-fiction, horror, romance, or even erotica (lol).

Be hungry for knowledge.

2. Read What You Like – Not what you think you’re supposed to like

People often limit themselves to certain genres of literature and music because they think that they make them seem more interesting. So, if they’re inclined to read romance, they may shy away and opt for horror or action instead. This results in a loss of interest and boredom.

If you see people raving about Sylvia Plath, Franz Kafka, and Oscar Wilde (who were brilliant authors), and attempt to read their work but find it boring, you don’t have to continue.

Find your cup of tea. If you don’t know where to start, think about some things that pique your interest. Perhaps, you’re interested in learning to how express your emotions better, or you love poems – research books in those fields.

Or, think about what you liked to read as a kid – even books with pictures and few sentences to read. There’s absolutely no shame in that.

3. Don’t rush to finish a book – reading is not a race

While it may seem exciting to add a book to your collection of finished reads, it’s hardly the point of reading. Instead, focus on savouring each page, and slowing things down. The book will finish after you would’ve enjoyed each page – however long that takes.

4. Broaden your attention span

Another factor that makes reading boring is having a short attention span. You easily lose concentration and have to re-read the same paragraph over and over again, and you just cannot comprehend the words, however simple they may be. Here’s what you can do to help that:

Turn off distractions – your phone, music, or the television – or anything that can be disruptive to your concentration.

Focus on small sections of your reading material: focus on one paragraph or a page (rather than the whole book or chapter).

Use a pen to guide each line as you read – this helps to maintain focus and prevents your mind from wandering.

Use your imagination: convert the words to images. Use them to paint the scene and play it in your head.

As you keep practicing, you’ll notice an improvement in your attention span.

5. Have a reading routine

Aim to be consistent with reading. Set small goals, like reading for at least 10 minutes every day. This may seem small, but think about it – that’s 1 hour and 10 minutes a week, which is perhaps a 90% increase in your reading.

Additionally, think about a good reading time to fit into your schedule – in the mornings at the breakfast table while you drink your coffee, in the afternoons, or when you get all snuggled up in bed before going to sleep.

6. Try audiobooks

Sometimes, listening to audiobooks is like having someone read you a bedtime story, and that’s really special!

The narrator’s voice and tone can communicate the intensity or feeling that the author wants to convey to its readers, which adds another layer of specialty.

Audiobooks can help to expand your vocabulary by introducing new words and improving your pronunciation. You can have them running in the background as you wash the dishes or do the laundry, which also helps to improve your multitasking ability.

7. Read small

It can be rewarding to finish a clunky chunky book with hundreds of pages. But, there’s more to reading than that.

Especially if you don’t have the tolerance to read a story that develops through that many pages, it’s a great idea to read short stories. You keep engaged through the rise, climax, and resolution of a story across 50-100 pages or so. And, you’re less likely to lose interest as you get faster to the good parts.

And, if you’re reading a clunky chunky book, focus on it page by page, or chapter by chapter.

As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “…You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.“

8. Engage in a reading community

A community gives us a sense of belonging, inspiration, and motivation to keep engaged. Seeing what other readers are up to on Pinterest and Instagram – their book recommendations and reviews – can keep you hooked on reading.

Other communities like GoodReads allow you to share your thoughts, and see other’s reviews about a book you’ve read.

So, let’s say you read a book that made you laugh, or there was something you thought should’ve happened instead, share it and see if others feel the same, too.

9. Keep your book in sight

You know the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind.” If you keep your water bottle away from you, you’re more likely to drink less water. So, keep your beloved book close.

After making your bed in the mornings, leave your book on the bed. In that way, you’re more likely to return to it when you settle in for the night.

Making a habit of reading is one of the things that makes it enjoyable.

10. Don’t force yourself to read

The more someone forces you into doing something, the less you want to do it. Except, this time it’s between you and your mind.

Instead, shift your mindset. Say that I’m grateful to have the time to relax with a book, or that I wonder what happens next.

Remember, reading is not supposed to be daunting. If it is, you’re very likely to be doing it wrong. Sometimes, we don’t have the mental room to accommodate reading, and that’s okay too. Approach reading in a non-forceful manner.