10 Tips on How to Read More in 2024

The new year is in full swing, and it is the perfect time to create a reading goal (if you haven’t made one already)! With a clean slate and a seemingly insurmountable TBR (to be read) shelf, it can seem overwhelming at times trying to figure out how to start tackling the books on your shelves. If your goal is to read more books this year, here is a non-exhaustive list of tips to help you sneak more reading into your life.

1. Less Screen Time
   Cell phones give us the world at our fingertips. They help us connect with others and keep us up to speed on current events as they happen in real time. However, they can become a barrier when it comes to reading. Setting your phone to “do not disturb” or putting your phone in a different room while reading can help lessen the distractions.
    
2. Move On if You’re Not Loving It
   If you’re 50 pages into a book and realize that it is not holding your attention, don’t be afraid to DNF (do not finish). DNF’ing books that you cannot get into allows you to focus your time and attention on books that you are actually interested in.
    
3. Join a Book Club
   Reading is typically considered a solitary activity, but it doesn’t have to be! Reading the same book as your friends and talking all about it only adds to the fun! Book Clubs also meet on a semi-regular basis, to help keep the momentum going toward your reading goal.  
    
4. Track Your Reading Progress
   There are multiple reading tracking websites and apps out there to help you track how much you read! Two of the most popular are Goodreads and The Storygraph, which allow you to tag books as “want to read”, “currently reading”, and “read”. You can update what page you are currently on so you can see how far you have come and keep your placeholder in the book.
   
   Another way you can track your progress is by keeping a reading journal. You can do this with a simple pen and paper, or through stylized reading journals with templates for you to put all of your statistics, opinions, and reviews.  
    
5. Listen to Audiobooks
   Commuting, working, and other obligations keep us from sitting down and reading. However, audiobooks can help fill the gaps in time when we are unable to sit down with a physical or eBook. Audiobooks are available for free via Hoopla and Libby with a LPCPL library card. You may also purchase audiobooks via Spotify, Amazon Audible, Scribd, Apple Books Audiobooks, Google Play Audiobooks, Kobo, Audiobooks.com, and Libro.fm. 
    
6. Make Time to Read Each Day
   Reading a bit every day – even if only for 30 minutes at a time – will help prevent book burnout. You may not feel like reading every day, but even a few minutes will help you build consistency and rhythm over time.  
    
7. Read Multiple Books at a Time
   Reading multiple books at a time allows you to explore different genres and formats if your attention span is waning with one of your current reads. Flipping between a romance eBook and a thriller audiobook (for example) might help you finish more books quicker.
    
8. Choose Books that Fit Your Interest
   Shiny new releases and eye-catching book covers may grab your attention – even if you don’t know what they are about. When looking for your next read, grab a book that piques your interest. You’ll be much more eager to pick up a book you know you’re interested in, rather than sitting down to read a popular book you don’t care for just because it’s new and all the craze.
    
9. But Don’t Be Afraid to Explore New Genres  
   This isn’t to say that you have to stick to your typical go-to books. It can be fun to expand your horizons and read a book outside of your comfort zone! Who knows – you may find a new favorite author or genre.
    
10. Bring a Book Wherever You Go
    Pack a book with you – you may never know when you’ll get a free minute of reading time!