Many people wish they read more, but between work, family and endless screens, books often slip down the list. Yet reading offers huge benefits: knowledge, empathy, stress relief, better focus and new ideas. The good news is that you don't need hours of free time. With a few simple habits, you can read more books this year than ever before. Here are 15 tips that work even for busy people.

Benefits of Reading

  • Learning – books offer deep knowledge and expert insight.
  • Stress relief – getting lost in a story can help you relax.
  • Better focus – reading trains sustained attention.
  • Empathy – fiction helps you understand different perspectives.
  • Vocabulary and communication – reading improves writing and speaking.
  • Better sleep – swapping screens for a book before bed can help you wind down.

15 Tips to Read More Books

1. Set a Realistic Goal

Choose a goal that motivates you without feeling overwhelming, such as one book a month or 20 pages a day. Small daily goals add up: 20 pages a day is roughly two dozen average-length books a year.

2. Always Carry a Book

Keep a book, e-reader or reading app with you. You'll be surprised how many short moments you can use: queues, commutes, waiting rooms and lunch breaks.

3. Schedule Reading Time

Attach reading to a daily routine, such as with morning coffee, on your commute or before bed. Our guide to building a morning routine shows how to fit it in.

4. Replace Some Screen Time

Swap 20 minutes of scrolling for 20 minutes of reading. Our tips to reduce screen time can help.

5. Read Before Bed

Reading a physical book before sleep is a relaxing alternative to screens and can become a pleasant ritual.

6. Try Audiobooks

Audiobooks count. Listen while driving, exercising, cooking or doing chores. Many libraries offer free audiobooks through apps.

7. Use E-Readers

E-readers are light, hold thousands of books and are easy on the eyes. Many let you borrow library e-books for free.

8. Read What You Enjoy

Don't force yourself through books you think you should read. Read what genuinely interests you, whether that's thrillers, romance, biographies, fantasy or business books.

9. Give Yourself Permission to Quit

If a book isn't working after 50 pages, stop and pick another. Life's too short for books you don't enjoy.

10. Read Multiple Books at Once

Have a fiction book for evenings, a non-fiction book for mornings and an audiobook for commutes. Variety keeps reading fresh.

11. Join a Book Club

Book clubs add accountability, social connection and deeper discussion. There are online clubs for every genre.

12. Use Your Library

Libraries offer free books, e-books and audiobooks, saving money and encouraging you to try new authors.

13. Track Your Reading

Apps like Goodreads or StoryGraph, or a simple notebook, let you track books read and set yearly challenges. Seeing progress is motivating.

14. Create a Reading Nook

A comfortable chair, good lighting and a blanket make reading more inviting. See our small space decorating ideas for fitting a nook into any home.

15. Remove Friction

Keep books visible: on your bedside table, coffee table and in your bag. Put your phone in another room when reading.

How to Choose Books You'll Finish

  • Ask friends for recommendations.
  • Browse bestseller lists and award shortlists.
  • Read reviews and samples before buying.
  • Follow reading communities online.
  • Revisit favourite authors and genres.

Should You Speed Read?

Speed-reading techniques promise to multiply your reading speed, but research suggests there's usually a trade-off with comprehension. Rather than chasing speed, focus on reading more consistently. Regular reading naturally improves your speed over time.

How to Remember What You Read

  • Highlight or note key ideas.
  • Write a short summary after each chapter or book.
  • Discuss books with friends.
  • Apply one idea from each non-fiction book in your life.

Reading With Children

Reading together builds children's language, imagination and love of books. Let them see you read too; children copy the habits of adults around them.

Reading Challenges to Try

  • Genre challenge: read one book from a genre you've never tried each month.
  • Around the world: read books by authors from different countries.
  • Classics catch-up: tackle one classic every season.
  • Non-fiction for goals: read one book on money, health or career each quarter.

Challenges add variety and make reading feel like a fun game.

A Simple Reading Plan

  • Morning: 10 pages of non-fiction with coffee.
  • Commute: audiobook or e-book.
  • Lunch: a chapter of a novel.
  • Evening: 15 minutes of fiction before bed.

Even half of this plan adds up to dozens of books a year.

Book Ideas to Get Started

If you're not sure where to begin, try a mix:

  • a short, gripping novel in a genre you already enjoy,
  • a memoir or biography of someone you admire,
  • a practical non-fiction book related to a goal, such as money, health or career,
  • a classic you've always meant to read, perhaps as an audiobook.

Shorter books are great for rebuilding the habit because finishing them quickly feels rewarding.

Final Thoughts

To read more books, make reading easy and enjoyable: carry a book everywhere, attach reading to daily routines, use audiobooks and e-readers, choose books you love and don't be afraid to quit ones you don't. Small, consistent reading sessions quickly become a rewarding habit. Discover more self-improvement ideas in our personal development section.