Over lockdown, many of my friends started reading a lot more, and as it's become a more frequent topic of conversation, I've increasingly been getting asked how I manage to read consistently throughout the year (as opposed to just during holidays or lockdowns), so I thought I'd discuss some things I do to make reading consistently easier.
The biggest thing that helps me read throughout the year is that I have a GoodReads Reading Challenge each year. This is a goal that I set for the number of books that I'd like to read in that year. I'm a very goal-orientated person and love a challenge, so for me this is very effective. Throughout the year, GoodReads tells you if you're on track to reach your goal, and throughout my first and second year of university I remember being behind on my goals and using the tracker to try and pick up the pace.
One thing that I've noticed, which I've heard various 'BookTubers' discuss, is that this reading challenge can take the fun out of reading for some people. For me, I set a number low enough that I can read longer books without 'falling behind', and spend my free time in other ways without feeling the need to constantly be reading. For example, in the last three years, my reading challenge goals have been 20, 26, and 40. I end up significantly surpassing my goal each year, but the whole point of the challenge is to be fun.
It's definitely possible to read way more than 80 books; there are people who aim for 200+, and there are a myriad of ways to achieve that: you can only read very short books or poems, you can listen to audiobooks during exercise and whilst driving, you can spend every second of your free time reading, but for me that would take all the fun out of reading. I want to actually enjoy the books I read, and not feel that I'm rushing them just to hit a target.
I use to mainly read physiological thrillers, but after reading a few they become very repetitive, so since starting university I have tried to expand my horizons: as you can see from my GoodReads, I read everything from self-help books, to classics, autobiographies, and I love reading a wide variety of genres as I feel that each genre satisfies a different purpose. I also enjoy reading other people's favourite (or highly-rated) books as I think that this can tell you a lot about a person.
I really enjoy reading, but it is by no means the only way I like to spend my free time; I love travelling, going on road-trips, and spending time with friends and family, and I always try to prioritise people as I value strong relationships extremely highly. But there are other ways to make time for reading that don't mean giving up your social life. For example, when I was studying at Imperial (click here to read more about my Master's), I had a daily commute of 1 hour each way. Most of this commute was spent walking but I always made sure to carry a book with me to read on my 20-minute train journey. Even now, anytime I have a long journey or know that I will be waiting around, I always bring a book with me. It's important to make time for the things you want to do, and I know that in the evenings I prefer to be with friends than reading alone, so I read in the mornings when everyone's asleep; I only run 3-4 times a week, so on the days that I don't go on a run, I try to wake up at the same time and read instead, which gives me at least a couple of hours a week of solid reading.
I think that a lot of people stop reading because they are forced to read books they don't enjoy, or to read when they don't feel like it. But reading is supposed to be fun, and there are millions of books out there - it's very unlikely that there's not a single one you won't like. I make sure to only buy books that genuinely excite me, and I use GoodReads (and occasionally 'BookTube') to find new recommendations. There's also a book community on Instagram, which is probably a great source for book recommendations as well. I actually avoid reading reviews of books as I feel like they always over-hype or put me off books, but I do look at the book's overall rating and description to decide if it it appeals to me. I also always have a stack of books at home that I'm excited to read, which in turn makes me finish the book I'm currently reading quicker, in anticipation of reading the others. A word of warning though: don't buy too many books in advance, as I used to buy about 10 at a time, but by the time I'd get to the tenth book, I wasn't really in the mood for it, or there were other books I wanted to read more; it took me a couple of years to read 'The Shining' because it simply didn't appeal to me for ages. Now I buy about 5 books at a time, which keeps momentum up without being overwhelming. Additionally, I constantly have an exciting 'To-Read' list on GoodReads so as soon as I finish a batch, I have another 'go-to' order.
I aim to read about one book a week on average, but on weeks where I have more time, for example on holiday or during lockdowns, I aim to read much more (whether that be longer books, or simply more books). I definitely go through phases though: in 2018, one of my aims was to watch all of IMDb's 250 'Top Rated Movies', so I prioritised films over books (which is also a much more sociable activity), whereas this year I aimed to read over 52 books, so I prioritised reading. It's about finding what works for you. A friend of mine loves listening to audiobooks whilst exercising, whereas I know that I prefer to listen to podcasts. Another friend of mine likes to read one chapter at a time and 'count down' until the end of each chapter. It's about finding what works for you and sticking with it.
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