8 Ways To Develop Your Reading Habits

 

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As kids, our parents and teachers try and hammer in us the idea of reading books. It stands out like a daily drill, a lengthy, tiring process. We don't look at it as a pleasurable activity, instead, it becomes a task.

This is because children do not realize that reading can be as interesting as playing with cars and we, as adults, fail to show them how beautiful a reading experience can be. Some kids grow the knack of reading whereas others just despise the thought of sitting on a couch with a paperback in hand. While growing up, society also plays an unnecessary in demarcating differences between what should girls and boys read thereby, influencing their natural behaviours. However, once we grow out of these stages and realize how wonderful it would be to read books, or are just searching for a new hobby, the following 9 ways will do good to develop reading habits: 

1. Demarcating a special time for reading 

In today’s world, we all strive to manage and maintain hectic schedules. Thus, the little time of freedom or relaxation we get becomes more and more precious. If we demarcate special time on our day planner for reading books, we can easily develop a knack for reading. It may be during the lunch break or the night before dozing off, or even along with the evening tea. In this way, we can try reading books until and unless it turns into a habit we can’t leave. 

2. Reading just a specific number of pages every day

We are not running on a treadmill. Hence, it’s not that we have to read at a particular speed. Thus, if we denote a particular set of pages for ourselves to read every day until it stops seeming like a task, we can easily develop a reading habit. While exercising and sculpting our body we set the number of planks on our daily routine, similarly, we need to set the number of pages for our brain to exercise. 

3. Set a timer

When we are trying to learn something, some of us have a habit of stalling. Thus, setting a time limit of 20 or 30 minutes, in the beginning, helps us keep track of time for how long we have read. 

4. Choosing the book by its cover

A beginner generally chooses a book by its cover. We all have heard the proverb asking us not to do the same, however, for a person starting to develop a reading habit, choosing a book in this method seems the easiest. Choose a small book with medium fonts and fewer pages, or one with an intricate cover design and thick spine does not matter. The process is to read, and as the habit develops, one shall also start judging their choices and will shift from the habit of choosing a book solely by its outward appearance. 

5. Make your book selection based on your Netflix binge shows

This way of selecting books will give you a fair idea of what you may or may not like. If the recent show you are binge watching on is a scientific thriller, go on and select a science fiction from your bookshelf. Pick it up and start reading as there are maximum chances that you will like it and will slowly begin binge-reading as well.

6. Reread the book you had read at some point in time

You may have read a book just to please your friend, or your teacher and had liked it. Reread that book to go through the memories again and instill the same blissful feeling you had once felt while reading that book. This will remind you of the beauty of book reading and you will be more attracted to reading. 

7. Start from a book whose film version you had liked 

Books and their film adaptations are very different at times. Sometimes, the characters in the book are different from what the director portrayed him in the film. Hence, reading the book can help us in getting a better background knowledge of the character.If a film had pleased you, it would only be natural that you'll be curious to know more about those people. So, choosing a book whose film adaptation you liked is a good way of selecting and starting to read. 

8. Find friends who read 

Discussing the books you read will help you understand the book better and explore layers of text which you may have not been able to decipher yourself. Finding similar people will also help you motivate yourself to go ahead and read more books.

Reading books is a healthy habit, which is very easy to acquire. It takes no conscious effort once we have found your genre. Thus, the key is to keep looking until you’ve found your best fit. 

Written by - Anwesha Basu

Edited by - Vasudha Sabharwal