11 Reading Habits that Help Me Read 75+ Books a Year

Do you want to read more books this year? I read around 75 books per year, and these are my top tips for how to build good reading habits and read more.

This year, I’m on track to read 75 books, which is around 1.5 books a week.

To some, that will seem like a lot, so I thought I’d share some insight into how I read this many books a year alongside a demanding full-time job as a lawyer and other commitments, like this blog!

Spare time is not something I have an abundance of.

So how then do I manage to find so much time to read?

I know people will be thinking that I must simply be a speed reader, but that’s not really the case.

I’m probably a slightly quicker reader than average, but I’m also highly distractible, so often I find myself re-reading pages and passages that I haven’t quite absorbed.

I hate the idea of speeding through a book without actually taking it in, just so you can tick off another book on your reading list.

I’m also not the sort of person who reads one book in an entire day. It’s quite rare that I have a big block of time on my hands to do several hours of reading, so it’s definitely a case of little and often for me.

(Though I must say that in current times, it is definitely easier to find a chunk of time at the weekends!)

If you’re looking for tips on how to read more and good reading habits to help you get there, I hope that these will come in handy.

They may not all be for you, but with some trial and error, you can find a good set of reading habits for yourself.

For the impatient people, you can scroll to the end for my bullet-point summary of good reading habits. For everyone else, these are my reading habits and reading tips:

I carry at least one book everywhere

For as long as I can remember, I’ve carried a book with me everywhere I go. Whether I’m off to see friends, on my way to work or going to the supermarket, I’ve always got a book in my bag.

Why?

You never know when you’ll have a spare ten minutes, and you almost always do. People are late, appointments are delayed, and tubes are cancelled.

There are many reasons why you might suddenly find yourself with ten minutes or more to spare.

During these times, I’ll always whip out a book and get a few pages in this way. Maybe I actually have my perennially late friends to thank for my yearly book total?

Not only do I always have at least one physical book with me at all times, but I also “carry” a whole library of ebooks and audiobooks around with me on my phone.

A mix of the Kindle app, Everand app and Audible app means I am never without reading material.

READ MORE: 7 Reasons to Always Carry a Book With You

I read every day on my commute

I live quite far away from my office, which means I spend around 2 hours a day on public transport. I try my best to use this time for reading, whether via audiobooks, ebooks or physical books.

I listen to audiobooks on my walk to the station, and I’ve perfected the art of balancing on a packed tube with a paperback under my nose. It ain’t pretty, but it works.

If I’m reading a really large book or a hardback, I’ll usually opt for an ebook on my commute instead, as it’s much easier to hold a phone in one hand and turn pages with the same hand.

If the idea of practising the above balancing act does not appeal to you (and fair enough), then I’d highly recommend keeping some ebooks downloaded on your phone.

You may be thinking that my commute is a lot longer than yours, and therefore this won’t be possible for you. But the key takeaway here is that you need to have dedicated reading time at the same time each day.

For most people, the easiest times are going to be: first thing in the morning, on your commute or before bed.

If your work will allow it, you could perhaps opt for a reading lunch break a few days a week or a 30-minute break on some afternoons.

Obviously, at the moment, I am not commuting to work. I have therefore tried to replace this with some reading time when I wake up instead.

Picking the same time each day helps to form a lasting habit as it becomes second nature to you, rather than another thing on your to-do list.

I listen to audiobooks

Some people will say this is cheating, and audiobooks “don’t count”. I wholeheartedly disagree. They absolutely do count, and I think it’s quite snobby to say otherwise.

I mentioned above that I listened to audiobooks as I walk to the station. But I also listen to audiobooks when I’m cleaning my room, editing photos, going for a run, walking to the local shops and even in the shower! Yes, really.

I have a waterproof speaker in the shower, and whilst lots of people would use this to listen to some music, I listen to audiobooks and podcasts.

This definitely isn’t something I do on a daily basis, as my showers are usually too short for this to be worth it. But, occasionally, I’ll connect an audiobook to the shower speaker.

RELATED: Everand (Scribd) vs Audible: Which is for You?

My point here is that audiobooks are amazing for people who love to multitask. Now you’ll notice that none of the things I’ve listed above require much concentration.

They’re all tasks that people tend to do on autopilot without much going on in the mind, which makes them perfect for pairing with audiobooks.

I definitely would not recommend listening to an audiobook whilst trying to write a blog post, do your work, or study, as I imagine nothing will go in and you won’t be giving your full attention to either task.

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I read multiple books at the same time

Not always, but I’ll often have multiple books on the go at the same time. These are always in different genres and in different mediums, therefore, I don’t forget the stories or confuse them.

By this I mean I could read a young adult book, a non-fiction book and a contemporary romance all at the same time. And this would probably be made up of an audiobook, an ebook and a physical book.

They’re different enough in genre and format that I can properly separate each story and reading experience, which allows me to dive in and out of each without getting confused.

The reason I love to do this is that different book formats are appropriate for different situations so I like to have one “prepared” wherever I go. This goes back to my first point about carrying a book everywhere.

I know a lot of people like to fully immerse themselves in each book and not jump around but I’d suggest trying this method with different genres to see how you get on.

One fiction book and one non-fiction book on the go is a good place to start or one physical book and one audiobook.

I don’t force myself if I’m not in the mood

If I’m not in the mood to read at all, I don’t force myself to pick up a book. This simply builds resentment and makes it feel like a “chore”, which, long term, will result in you reading even fewer books.

If you’re not in the mood to read for whatever reason, then don’t feel guilty about not doing it. But do try the next day, as it’s important to keep the momentum going to build that habit.

If I’m not in the mood for the particular book I’m reading, I simply put it down and come back to it later. I’ll then pick up something else in the meantime.

RELATED: 8 Pros and Cons of Being a Mood Reader

If you’re in the middle of a weighty classic but you’re feeling a bit down and want to read to feel better, just pick up a more lighthearted read and come back to the classic later.

Don’t feel like you have to finish that book in order to move onto the next. This will just cause a block in your reading as it may take a while for you to feel “in the mood” again.

This ties into my point about reading multiple books at the same time. There should always be something that piques your interest so you can switch between different books, as they’ll make you feel different things.

NB. I am not someone who DNF’s books (did-not-finish). If I start something, I finish it. I hate the idea of not knowing how something ends, so even if something is awful, I try to keep going to the end.

I know lots of people will disagree with this and give up if they’re not enjoying it, but that’s just not my style. You do you.

READ MORE: How to Get Out of a Reading Slump

I set attainable reading goals

When I started trying to read more, I set myself the goal of 52 books a year, which is one book a week. Every year since then, this number has increased by a few books a year (a pleasant surprise to myself!).

Whilst I can now read about 75 books a year, I still set myself a goal of 52 books. For me, 52 seems like a reasonably attainable goal and is slightly under what I think I can actually achieve.

The reason I set my goal to be under the amount I could actually achieve is simply so I don’t stress myself out.

This might seem a little counterintuitive but I find that when I set goals that are likely unattainable, i.e. 100 books, instead of finding it motivating, I find it demoralising to see how behind I am.

Really, this tip is just a trick of the brain, but if you always feel motivated, on track, or even ahead of schedule, I feel that your general attitude towards your reading challenge is more positive.

Plus, in any event, 52 books is still an impressive number to get through.

If you currently read about 10 books a year but would like to up this to 20, aim for 15 for the time being. Doubling your current reading efforts may be too much of a time investment for you to keep it up.

The worst thing that could happen is you get tired of reading, and then you actually end up moving rapidly backwards, possibly to even fewer books than you were already reading.

Although I’ll set a goal of 52 at the beginning of the year, partway through the year I’ll usually adjust this up if I’m on track to reading a lot more than that. I tend to only do this in the second half of the year or in the lead up to the end of the year.

By that point, I’ve got a pretty good idea of how much is manageable for me at that point in my life so can afford to make adjustments.

The problem with setting super-high reading goals at the beginning of the year is that life is unpredictable.

At the moment, my work is really unpredictable, and my working hours vary hugely from week to week.

As a result, it’s quite hard for me to plan my free time, so it would seem silly to set my heart on a specific number that simply might not be feasible.

I don’t make TBR piles

Maybe this seems counterintuitive, but I find that if I let myself go with the flow, I end up reading more than if I set myself a list. This is similar to the point above.

If I set out a list of five books I want to read one month, but then I find that I’m actually not in the mood for any of those and I don’t end up finishing them, I’ll feel disappointed in myself.

Then I start to feel demotivated about my reading.

I know some people will argue that the opposite approach is more effective. To that point, I will say that I totally agree with the idea that cutting a task down into small bits is important for completing a bigger project.

And that therefore making small piles of books to read each month could be a good way of getting through more of them for some people.

However, with reading, where tastes change according to mood and season, I just don’t find that this works for me. I prefer to just go with the flow and move from book to book and genre to genre without any constraints whatsoever.

Obviously, you can make a TBR pile and then choose not to stick with it and let yourself be flexible but I just know I’d always feel bad for the books left unread!

I track my reads via Goodreads

I’ll start this point by repeating a statement I made earlier. I don’t believe in reading something just to add another book to your reading challenge.

I want to read great literature for pleasure and education. I don’t read just to be able to say I read X books in a year.

But I do find it motivating to see how many I’ve read so far and how well I’m doing. I’m one of those people who loves making lists, so obviously a list of books I’ve read is a must.

It’s also a great way of keeping track of how you felt about each one. If you’re reading a lot of books a year, it’s so easy to forget why you did or didn’t love something!

The yearly Goodreads reading challenge is an easy way to track your reads as you can set a figure and adjust this as you go along.

It keeps track of how many you’ve read so far, what percentage of your goal you are and how many books “ahead” or “behind” you are on your goal.

Personally, I find this very motivating as it’s great to scroll through those you’ve already read (and hopefully loved) and also get an idea of how many you’re on track for so far.

If you want to keep up with what I’m reading and my mini-reviews, feel free to add me as a friend or follow my reviews on Goodreads here.

I turn off my phone

If you’re easily distractible (and I definitely am), then turning your phone off and putting it in a drawer can be a big help. I don’t think that putting it out of sight or to the side is enough. It’s just too easy to walk over and unlock it again.

If you actually turn it off, the next time you go to reach for it, you’ll be met with a black screen, which is just an extra reminder that you were supposed to be having some screen-free reading time.

READ MORE: 9 Easy Ways to Reduce Screen Time

We, as humans, spend far too much time on our phones each day, and it’s terrible for our eyes, our bodies and our mental health.

Having some screen-free time is a great idea for both your morning and evening, or even on your commute.

Half the time, there’s no signal on public transport anyway, so do you really need your phone to be switched on?

I used to find myself refreshing my phone desperately as I reached each tube stop, trying to connect to the free wifi so I could check Instagram for all of 3 seconds before we’re moving again and it’s a complete waste of time.

Turn it off; you’ll get so much more done without it distracting you. If you’re reading an ebook or audiobook, enter airplane mode instead.

I prioritise reading

If you’re thinking that I must be one of those people who just doesn’t watch Netflix or have other hobbies, then you’d be wrong.

I watch a lot of television (too much, really!), love going out for brunch or to a new gym class, and all other things that people my age do.

You don’t need to read constantly or all the time to be able to read this number of books a year. It doesn’t have to be the only thing you do.

But I do prioritise it. By this, I mean that given the choice between Netflix and books on the tube, I choose books. If I haven’t done any reading that day and I’m lying in bed, I’ll choose books, not Netflix.

Not always, I’m not a machine, but small actions like this every day can help form a habit that reading is something natural and not something forced.

People always say to me, “I wish I had more time to read”. Well, you do. We both have the same number of hours in the day. The difference is just that you choose to prioritise other things, and I choose to prioritise reading.

If you’re serious about increasing your reading, tell yourself “I don’t prioritise reading” instead of “I don’t have time to read”.

If this way of thinking about it starts to make you feel uncomfortable, then perhaps it’s time for a shift in your priorities to give yourself a bit more reading time.

I’m an active member of bookstagram

I love the bookstagram community. I usually share what I’m reading as I start and finish something.

When I post about me starting a book, I’ll often get people commenting telling me that they loved it or that I’ve got something to look forward to.

This makes me more excited to read it!

Sharing what you’re reading is a great way to build some hype for yourself, so you feel motivated to read it as there are lots of people to discuss it with.

READ MORE: How to Start a Book Blog

If you’re not up for sharing your own reads or posting about them on your own channels, then you can still get involved by following book influencers.

This means you’re in the know about what’s good, what’s not good and what new releases there are. If you’re regularly seeing bookish content, you may start to feel more excited about reading.

READ MORE: 20 Beautiful Bookstagram Accounts to Follow Now

I hope that’s given you a good insight into my reading habits and how I fit reading into my lifestyle!

As I said at the beginning, you may not find that all of these tips work for you, but hopefully, you’ll find some of them useful for building your own habits.

It may take you some time to get into a good reading pattern, and I’d suggest you slowly ease yourself into it.

I definitely think this is a case of slow and steady wins the race and, eventually, reading lots will become second nature to you.

Follow me on Instagram here for reading updated and literary travel!

Quick Summary: How to Read More

• Carry a book everywhere
• Read on your commute
• Listen to audiobooks
• Read more than one book at the same time
• Don’t force yourself
• Set realistic reading goals
• Don’t make TBR piles
• Track your reads
• Turn off your phone
• Prioritise reading
• Join bookstagram

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