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Did you know that 6 minutes of silent reading can lower your stress levels by 68%?

Animated dog sitting on an armchair reading a book

In fact, reading lowers stress levels faster and better than activities like listening to music, going for a walk, or having a cup of tea.

Make a plan to read more books!

It's a great way to improve your mental health and pick up a new hobby — or revisit an old hobby if you're not reading as much as you used to.

Set A Reading Goal

Ask yourself WHY you want to read more. Having a goal to work towards will make it easier to stick with the habit of reading over the long run.

Animated girl with blue hair and green dress jumping up and down with hands in the air

There are so many reasons to build a reading habit!

  • To learn new things and expand your knowledge

  • For creative inspiration

  • To connect with other people through book clubs and literary events

  • To de-stress, relax, and help you fall asleep

  • To reduce time endlessly scrolling on social media

the words doom scrolling with an animation of person holding a phone and circle surrounding their head

Make It A Habit

Make reading an important part of your daily life.

  • Create a "gateway habit" . Couple reading with another activity like drinking tea, walking on the treadmill, riding the bus, etc.

  • Set a small goal to read for about 15 minutes a day or a few pages per day.

  • Track your progress on an app like Bookly, ToDoIstor on paper in a reading journal.

Animated boy looking at a stack of books. The words I want to read all the books above.Most of all, read for enjoyment!

It's okay to put down a book that doesn't grab your attention.

Create A Reading Environment

Create an environment that encourages you to build a reading habit.

This will look and feel different for every person.

  • Turn off the TV while reading, and put your phone on silent or airplane mode.

  • Create a reading nook with good lighting and a comfy chair.

  • Decide if you'll read from a device or from a paper copy.

  • Listen to audiobooks while multi-tasking.

Animated girl reading a book while sitting upside down on a grey couch

Quiz

Juan set a goal to read 10 books this month. He usually reads in a busy cafe near his house. He doesn't like what he's reading now but doesn't want to be a "quitter". At the end of month, Juan read only one book. What could he do next month?

Did you know?

Yes, listening to audiobooks is a type of reading! You can still "read" while cooking, cleaning, and doing the dishes.

Build Your Community

You may find it enjoyable and motivating to join a community of readers.

  • Take part in reading challenges on GoodReads or Bookish with friends!

  • Write and respond to others' book reviews on GoodReads.

  • Engage in the discussion boards on GoodReads.

  • Join a local book club — check out Meetup, My Book Club, or your local library.

5 animated people reading books with the word Squad Goals above

Build Your Collection

You can develop the habit of reading with just a few books on hand. Soon enough you'll want more books!

Unsure of what to read next?

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  • Browse your local library's book lists.

  • Search for "curated booklists" on Google.

  • Check out the New York Times bestsellers list.

Want to build up your collection?

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  • Take out some new books from the library.

  • Swap books with friends, family, and coworkers.

  • Check out used book sales.

  • Sign up for free giveaways on GoodReads and Swapbooks.

  • Sign up for a book subscription box.

Take Action

A Disney princess in a library happily showcasing all her books

Get started on your plan to read more!

License:

This Byte has been authored by

AG

Amrita Gill

Curriculum Group Lead/Instructor/Author

English

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