How to read more books: a reading habit for busy people

The simplest way to read more books is to read a small, fixed amount every day, often ten pages, in a moment you already have, and to keep a book within reach wherever you tend to pick up your phone. Ten pages a day adds up to around a dozen average-length books a year. You do not need more spare time; you need a few minutes that currently go to scrolling.

Here is how to set that up so it lasts.

Start smaller than you think

Big reading goals fail for the same reason most resolutions do: they rely on finding an hour that rarely appears. A small daily target works better, because it fits into a bad day too.

These figures assume books of around 300 pages. Some days you will read far more; the target is the floor, not the ceiling.

Find your reading moments

Look for gaps you already have, and attach reading to them, the same way you would build any habit.

• With a morning drink. Ten minutes with tea before the house wakes up.
• On the commute. Trains and buses are made for reading; audiobooks work for driving and walking.
• At lunch. A few pages away from the desk.
• In bed. Swap the last ten minutes of scrolling for a paper book. It also fits well into an evening wind-down routine.
• While waiting. Appointments, queues, school pick-ups.

Make the book easier to reach than the phone

Most of us pick up a phone dozens of times a day without deciding to. The aim is to make the book the default instead.

• Put the phone on charge in another room in the evening.
• Move social apps off the home screen, and put a reading app there instead if you use an e-reader app.
• Keep a short book or collection of essays in your bag for short waits.

A digital detox weekend is a good way to discover how much reading time scrolling quietly takes.

Choose books you want to read

• Read what you enjoy. Thrillers, romance, graphic novels and cookery books all count. Enjoyment is what keeps the habit going.
• Quit freely. Give a book fifty pages. If it is not working, stop and start another. Life is too short for books you dread.
• Have the next one ready. A gap between books is where habits stall. Keep a short list or a small pile waiting.
• Mix lengths. A short book after a long one gives a sense of progress.
• Use the library. Free books lower the stakes of quitting, and many libraries lend e-books and audiobooks through an app.

Paper, e-reader or audio?

All of them count. Many busy readers use two: paper at home and audio on the move. A dedicated e-reader avoids the notifications that come with reading on a phone.

Make it social

Reading with others gives a gentle deadline and something to talk about.

• Join a book club at a library or bookshop, or start one with two friends.
• Swap recommendations with a colleague.
• Read the same book as your partner and compare notes.

There is more on why this kind of small social contact matters in our piece on staying social as an adult.

A two-week starter plan

1. Days 1–3: pick one moment and read five pages there.
2. Days 4–7: move up to ten pages. Keep a book where your phone usually sits.
3. Week 2: add a second moment, such as the commute or bedtime.
4. End of week 2: note what you finished and choose the next book before you need it.

Questions people ask

How can I focus when my mind keeps wandering?

Start with shorter sessions, five to ten minutes, in a quiet spot with the phone out of reach. Focus tends to improve with practice. A gripping novel is easier than a dense non-fiction book at first.

Do audiobooks count as reading?

For enjoyment and learning, yes. Listening and reading draw on similar comprehension skills, though it is easier to drift off while listening. Choose whichever gets you through more books you enjoy.

Should I track what I read?

A simple list in a notebook or app is satisfying and helps you remember books. Avoid targets so big that they turn reading into a chore.

Photograph: AI-generated image

Filed under reading, habits, books, screen time.