Admittedly, reading for pleasure is something I haven't done properly in a very long time- I'd pick up the odd book here and there, read a few pages and simply never finish it as I 'didn't have the time' (more on that one later). Since the end of exams, however, I've really been aiming to get back into reading and have found a few tips that have helped me out- so thought I'd share them with you today! If you have any which I've left out, do let me know in the comments below- as well as your favourite book(s)!
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1. M A K E I T A P A R T O F Y O U R R O U T I N E
When it came to reading, I always liked to make a point of how I simply "didn't have the time to breathe, let alone read" (a bit melodramatic, I have to say); looking back, however, that really wasn't the case- anything is possible with good time management skills! Now of course, if you don't feel like reading that day, you shouldn't force yourself to- but I've found that since scheduling an hour's worth of reading in at the same time every day, I've read a lot more than I usually would as it's become a part of my routine. It doesn't even have to be for an hour, you can well and truly customise this to work for you- for example, reading on the bus ride to and from school/work.
2. S E T T A R G E T S
Just as you would for work, or for academia, try setting yourself reading targets! Personally, I find targets work best for me on a page/chapter basis- but I know that others set themselves a list of books they want to get through in a specific time period, and that works equally well for them. Although the aim here is to read for pleasure, I find that when you have something to work towards, you'll be far more motivated and will want to read more to reach that target.
3. R I D O F D I S T R A C T I O N S
As I'm writing this, the UK's heatwave seems to have- quite literally- flown out of the window, but when it does heat up again (or should I say, if it heats up again)... I cannot recommend heading outdoors, tech-free, to read enough! Given that I'm not checking Instagram every other minute, I find I'm able to read a lot more and engage better with the text- that, and I suppose a bit of fresh air every now and then doesn't hurt!
4. S M A L L C H A N G E S Q U I C K L Y A D D U P
One of the biggest ways in which I've managed to read more this summer is by making small replacements- for example, by choosing to read during car journeys instead of listening to music. Putting your phone aside an hour (or even half an hour) before bed and reading for that time instead can be another great alternative- especially with the whole blue light fiasco. Little by little, small changes like these really will add up and you can allow yourself to get in some more reading without necessarily even changing your routine!
5. T H E P O W E R O F A U D I O B O O K S
In the past few weeks, I've been listening to audiobooks whilst following the text and it has well and truly transformed my reading- they do say save the best until last, don't they? Perhaps it's because I'm an auditory/kinaesthetic learner, but I find that my focus is a lot better when somebody reads the text to me- and for some funny reason, a lot more interested in the plot too! This isn't an Audible #ad, don't worry- there are plenty of audiobooks you can simply find for free on YouTube, in fact... I'm current reading (or should I say I'm currently listening to) to Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, which you can find here if you're interested!