6 TIPS ON HOW TO READ MORE BOOKS… DESPITE HAVING A DEMANDING SCHEDULE!
Reading has become cool again and so lately, being an avid reader means that you’re expected to read a gazillion books per month, when instead reading should be all about enjoying the books that you read at a certain time, without having to worry about how many books you’ll have finished by the end of the month.
Combined with the fact that you have to go to work, college, school, you spend hours commuting and you also have a bunch of other extracurricular activities, dedicating plenty of time every day to read can become really challenging.
Still, when you’re also an active member of the bookish community, having a BookBlog (like me), a BookTube channel or an Instagram account dedicated solely on books and bookish items, having read a fair amount of books every month helps you come up with new content to share with your friends and followers.
So, here I am, you awesome nerds, to share with you 6 tips on how to read more books, despite having a pretty hectic and demanding schedule.
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1. QUIT EARLY AND READ BOOKS THAT YOU ACTUALLY ENJOY
If you asked me a year ago whether DNFing a book is acceptable I’d say “HELL NO!”. But, after reading quite a few “meh” books last year, I came to the conclusion that it is ok to give up on a book if you don’t feel like enjoying it.
Instead, it is much better to read books that you truly feel passionate about. This way, you’ll manage to finish them much more quickly and you will have much more time to read even more books!
2. ALWAYS HAVE A BOOK ON-HAND, IN WHICHEVER FORM
Whether it is a physical copy, an e-book or an audiobook, you’ll always find some spare time to read. Especially when driving or using the bus to go somewhere in the city, e-books and audiobooks can be super handy! And physical copies of course… You’ll get to read a little bit and the time will simply fly by.
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3. PARTAKE IN READING CHALLENGES
This is an excellent way to encourage you to read more books because it’s fun and interactive. For example, Goodreads has ITS annual challenge reading that gamifies your reading goal. You can also discover new books to read by seeing what your friends have read.
Moreover, the Winter Biannual Bibliothon starts next Saturday, so you can definitely participate in that, too. I know I will and I’ll also make sure to share this whole experience with you!
4. READ MULTIPLE BOOKS AT A TIME
This tip can actually be combined with the tip #2. You can always read a physical book, an e-book and listen to an audiobook all at the same time. This is what I’ve been doing for the past few months and it has helped me big time. Unless of course I was dealing with a reading slump, in which case nothing seemed interesting enough.
Nonetheless, reading multiple books at the same time can sometimes help you surpass your reading goal for the year, without even noticing it. That’s what happened to me in 2018!
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5. COMMIT TO READING WHEN TRAVELING OR BEFORE BED AND ELIMINATE DECISION FATIGUE
Traveling is the best time to read. Think about all the free time that you have while waiting to catch your flight and while you’re in-air. You may actually be able to finish an entire book while traveling. Besides, you don’t have to worry about turning off your device or paying for Wifi.
Note: make sure to download the full book before you leave.
When you don’t travel, make it a point to read right before you go to bed. Use this choice as opposed to watching TV or browsing your social channels. Not only will you read more, you’ll also sleep better.
As for decision fatigue, it is indeed an actual thing.
Instead of aimlessly searching for thousands and thousands of new book releases, search for curated lists. Any list helps to eliminate decision fatigue and gives you more reading time.
6. BUY BOOKS THAT ARE ON SALE
If you’re on a budget, or are frugal, then check out books that are on sale.
I never used to check the prices in the past but since last January I realised that I actually managed to buy more books and actually read them when they were all in like 50% off. What’s more, I was actually buying books I truly wanted to read, so that motivated me even further, especially since I felt no shame because I hadn’t spent that much money in the end.
These are just some of the tips I follow myself now that my schedule has become even busier than it was before. But your girl wants to read as many books as possible and there are only that many centuries to do so! 
