10 Tips On How to Develop A Reading Habit for Beginners Step By Step

 

How to develop a reading habit for beginners? A person who reads every day improves with time. Daily readers, predictably, have more satisfaction from it than those who read less frequently. It can also help with memory and critical thinking. Reading, for example, has been associated with a reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease.

"Reading is the best habit," you've probably heard before. You're also aware that the most effective leaders are book geeks! And there's a celebrity book club, with celebrities recommending their favorite novels virtually every month!

But, do any of these compel you to sit and read a whole book? To become a voracious reader, you must commit to making reading a habit. Incorporating a regular reading regimen into your life, like any other habit, requires time and work.

This is why you'll discover how to develop a reading habit in this post! Good reading habits might assist you in falling in love with literature. Simple techniques that aided my book-reading habits. You'll also discover how to break certain unhealthy reading habits.

How to develop a reading habit for beginners

Whether you read for 30 minutes or two hours each day, the important thing is to get some (book) reading in every day. The advantages are widely documented: increased cognitive and emotional IQ, reduced stress, and the ability for readers to live longer on average than non-readers.

Let's learn below 10 steps on how to develop a reading habit for beginners!

1. Decide what you want to get out of your reading.

Begin by identifying the goal of your reading habit. What motivates you to become a reader? Is it because your whole social circle is reading? Or just because you want to be entertained by a fantastic narrative. Defining your goals is the most inspiring thing you can do.

Allow me to describe how "knowing the objective" altered my reading habits.

I couldn't like reading, despite being a literary student. I'd always wanted to read, but I couldn't seem to concentrate on the words of the stories. But after I set out why I wanted to read more books, I became really inspired to do it. 

I realized that reading novels helps me better grasp the world, not only the names of locations but also the people and cultures that inhabit it. I also realized that reading may help you increase your vocabulary.

So take out a pen and jot out the top three reasons why you should start reading more books!

2. Select the appropriate book

Finding the proper book to read may appear simple at first, but I became discouraged when I was unable to enjoy the most popular novels.

For me, books of various genres appear to be overly difficult. Choosing a single genre was one of the more effective methods for me. My favorite genre has always been children's novels. I've been reading popular novels in that category for months. I'd even pick up small classics or shortened versions of classics on occasion.

So, how do you choose a genre? What piques your interest the most? Start reading travel novels like "Eat Pray Love" or "Into the Wild" if you enjoy traveling. Non-fiction and romance novels are also excellent alternatives. You are not obligated to read a bestseller simply because it is a top seller.

3. Create a reading habit that will stay

In his blockbuster book Power of Habits, award-winning journalist and author Charles Duhigg discusses the best strategies to help our brains grasp a new habit and establish a pattern.

It's a three-step process, according to him: cue – routine – reward.

Essentially, a cue is a visual indication that aids our brain in remembering that particular behavior. Your instant response, or the action you execute, is what you call routine. And, of course, the joy or positive feelings that come with completing those routines are the rewards.

So, let's assume you want to make reading a part of your everyday routine. Then you should concentrate on developing a cue.

Place a book next to your bedside table, for example. As a result, every time you prepare to go to bed, the book prompts you to begin reading a few chapters. As a result, you "read" before going to bed. This can also help to relieve tension and stress throughout the day. Your reward is essentially a nice night's sleep.

You might also try bringing a book about with you wherever you go. So, if you're waiting someplace, now is the time to start reading. Alternatively, place the book next to you on the sofa so that it serves as a reminder to begin reading.

4. Keep track of your books

To feel accomplished, keep track of your books. Make a list of the books you've read and rank them. This is one of the most effective ways to encourage me to read more books.

So, how do you keep track? You may either do it on Goodreads or do it online. Alternatively, you may keep track of all the books you've read in an excel spreadsheet. The best method, in my opinion, is to keep a "reading log." 

I enjoy the sensation of jotting down my favorite novels and assigning ratings to them. So, if you're looking for a reading log of your own, check out my Etsy shop for an excellent reading tracker.

5. Give it some time

The most essential thing is to be patient. It's impossible to create a reading habit in two days. As a result, devise a strategy that suits your needs. I recommend giving yourself a month or two to get into the habit of reading.

6. Make a reading target

Setting a reading goal motivates you to read more frequently. You could wish to make a reading plan for yourself, perhaps hourly or daily. Discover what works best for you.

Setting a goal pushes me to read more about my situation. My yearly reading goal helped me read more when I was having trouble. I was in the middle of a reading spree. Every month, I rush to the library to get my next stack of books.

If you enjoy reading, Goodreads is a great place to start. Create a folder for books you wish to read and set an annual reading goal.

However, you should never feel compelled to read in order to achieve your reading goals. Keep in mind that your main goal is to read more books that make you happy and enjoyable.

7. Purchase some reading devices

You don't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy reading. However, making some wise investments in the right items might help you become a voracious reader.

If you enjoy reading e-books, for example, you might want to consider purchasing a kindle paperwhite. Smartphones and tablets can be used for this purpose, although they are not meant for reading large chapters. 

Investing in bookworm devices such as e-readers might assist you in being more focused. They're also more portable and handy. The presence of thousands of books in one location might also encourage you to read more.

I've been listening to audiobooks for the past few years. It's a lot more fun to have someone narrate the narrative as you cook or do housework. So getting a crucial item like Bluetooth headphones that can provide me a superb narrating experience wasn't a problem for me.

8. Read a number of works by the same author

Reading the same author provides you the advantage of becoming familiar with the author's voice, tone, and word choice, as well as the particular writing style that you begin to notice as you read more novels.

Santa Montefiore, a British Romance novelist, is one of my favorite authors. I adore the fact that she is a romance novelist. Her stories are set in picturesque landscapes and frequently include wonderful historical connections. 

Her novels' artistic features were the major reason I continued to read more and more of them. I'm now reading Here and Now, the most recent novel.

So I'd strongly advise you to read additional works by the same writers until you feel confident in your ability to experiment with different genres and writing styles.

9. Visit a library or a bookstore

I made it a habit to go to the library once a week. It's an excellent method to fit extra reading into your busy schedule. This does not have to begin with the purchase of a large number of books. Libraries are a great place to start because they are significantly less expensive and allow you to spend time reading in a comfortable setting.

Despite the fact that I don't spend much time reading in the library, I enjoy going once a week to get some reading vibes. I enjoy looking through catalogs and scanning for different genres and books.

Bookstores, on the other hand, are a terrific spot to spend some time reading. To immerse oneself in books, wandering through bookshops smelling the woody and musky odors of books and marveling at the beautiful book covers, or seeking out the staff's recommendations, is a must. Both bookstores and libraries are wonderful places to visit.

10. Take use of your reading time

Reading is not a difficult activity. It should be as pleasurable as watching television or surfing Instagram. When you take the pleasure out of reading, it becomes monotonous and uninteresting.

 But, because we are human, we may not be able to concentrate on some days. So put your books down for a while. Consider listening to a book podcast or watching a reading-related YouTube video. Better yet, go for a brief walk in the woods to feel revitalized.

Take away

When you have leisure time, read. If you want to keep your reading habit, consider reading anytime you have a free moment. When I wanted to be a bookworm, I made reading a habit.

Once a week, go to the library or bookshop. Another fantastic quality of a book lover is their ability to surround themselves with books. If you're on a budget, libraries are a great place to start.

Assist others in finding an excellent book. When your friends seek your aid in discovering a good book, you know how it feels. Accept it right away and hand over all of your favorite books for them to read.

It's typical to read only one type of book. That was something I used to do for a long time. Trying a new genre, on the other hand, provides you a fresh perspective on narrative.

Take advantage of the local book sale. A bookworm's life would be incomplete without book sales. So make sure you don't miss any of them if they happen to be in your town.

Get pumped for upcoming book releases. I'm usually tempted to read them all at once. I use Goodreads to keep track of new publications and add them to my reading list.

While the behaviors stated above are ones that you should adopt. There are a few additional unhealthy behaviors that you should avoid. If you already do any of these things, attempt to reduce or eliminate them.

Podcasts are one of the things that encourages me to read more books. Listening to writers and reviewers discuss books improved my reading skills. 

Reading for an extended period of time or "too much" reading might be damaging to your health. If you read a lot, you might suffer from a variety of health problems, both mental and physical. When you read too much, you get physically and psychologically fatigued, sluggish, and exhausted.

Tags

how to encourage reading habits
how to regain reading habit
how to develop reading habit in students
how to inculcate reading habit in child
ways to encourage reading habits essay
how to develop reading habit for beginners
how to develop reading habit
daily reading habit