“I’d like to read more” is a common refrain from people thinking about their goals and attempting to reorient their life in a more productive way and getting them closer to being the kind of person they would like to be.
However, many people can’t seem to find the type to get more reading accomplished. Try as they might; they don’t get through the stack of books that are waiting for them to read. This is why it is important to have time management strategies for reading.
How can a time management reading strategy help?
Simply saying that you want to read more will not get you where you need to be. You need to have time management strategies for reading because you need to understand how much reading is likely to consume, and you need to be prepared to spend that time actively reading if you want to reach your goals.
When you use time management strategies for reading, you are saying that you are willing to develop a plan to read more instead of just wishful thinking about it.
A time management strategy can give you a set of rules to live by that will help you achieve more reading than you ever imagined was possible. We will now provide examples of time management strategies for reading.
12 time management strategies for reading
1. Plan Your Reading Time
It is great to pick up a book and start reading when you have a few spare moments, but that will only get you so far. You need to plan your reading time just as you would any other aspect of your day that you want to get done.
In other words, you cannot simply rely on yourself to pick up a book and plow through it just because you think it would be a good idea. That is not going to get you the results that you need. Instead, planning a block of time in your day to devote to reading would be best.
2. See How Many Pages You Can Get Through In A Day
Challenge yourself to read a certain amount of pages in a day and then hit or exceed that goal. You can time yourself while you do so if you want to see how many pages you can conquer in a set amount of time.
At the very least, you should have the number of pages in mind to know roughly how much of your day you must devote to reading to surpass your goals. Having that number in mind is enough for some people to strive for more and more reading.
3. Set Aside Time For Fun Reading
This type is particularly useful for students who are likely doing a lot of required reading for school. Students should ensure that they set aside time for fun reading. The reason is that you don’t want reading to become something you dread. It is a lot better to build up your reading muscles by throwing in some fun forms of reading from time to time.
When students do this, they are showing that they do want to read more, but they need to be sure that what they are reading is something that appeals to them. When students manage their time, they can do all their required reading and enjoy some fun reading.
4. Try Reading 2 Books At Once
Start on two different books at the same time. When you begin to tire of one, move over to the other. When that one starts to bore you, move back to the first one.
Bounce back and forth like this so that you are constantly reading something and not getting bored with either option.
5. Always Carry A Book With You
Some people are taught about this tip when they are in school. It is important to always carry a book with you so you have something to read if you catch a moment or two of downtime. You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to read a few extra pages while waiting for the next thing in your day to happen.
At the very least, doing things this way allows you to avoid looking at your phone so much. Many say that they appreciate being able to get away from constantly staring at their phones.
6. Consider The Pomodoro Method
You can use a Pomodoro timer to keep yourself on task and focused when you are supposed to be reading. This timer is specifically designed to work with the natural abilities of human beings to remain focused on a specific task.
This is to say that the Pomodoro timers are set for 25-minute intervals. After the 25 minutes have elapsed, you can take a 5-minute break to recharge and refocus.
That is very important because people need to have some space in their lives to allow their minds to wander before getting back on task.
7. Try An E-Reader
There are certainly some people who may benefit from the use of an e-reader when trying to cover more reading ground. This is an electronic device where they can store all of their books.
Some people prefer this to physical copies of books because it is more lightweight and provides them with the opportunity to lug thousands of books around with them wherever they go.
You never have to worry about not having a book on you when you have an e-reader in hand.
8. Convert To Audiobooks
Another way to get more out of your reading experience is to consider audiobooks as a possible way to accomplish more reading.
When you are using audiobooks to get your reading done, you can listen to the books on your own time while doing other things. Many people listen to audiobooks while working out, doing the dishes, folding laundry, or taking care of countless other types of chores they need to focus on.
It shows true emotional intelligence when someone decides that they would like to enhance their workout or chores with a little reading time as well.
9. Try To Read At The Same Time Each Day
Everyone has times of day when they are more productive and less productive. Please choose the best time of day for you and capitalize on it. It would be best if you took the time necessary to figure this out so that you can get the most reading possible done.
10. If You Miss A Day, Get Back On Track ASAP
We are all human, and you may miss a day from time to time whenever you are working on any habit. This is normal and expected.
However, it would be best if you tried to bounce back ASAP when this occurs so that the problem doesn’t start to compound itself. James Clear states that this is one of the most important things to remember when building a new habit:
“Never miss twice. If you miss one day, try to get back on track as quickly as possible.” – James Clear
He says this because he wants to ensure people understand that missing more than one day can start to build a habit in the opposite direction from what you want. Do not allow yourself to slide for too long, or you could end up on a path you did not intend.
11. Share Your Progress With Others
Real leaders lead by example, and you can do so by sharing your progress with the people in your life who truly matter. There are a variety of platforms where you can share your reading progress.
Goodreads is a great example of one that is dedicated to reading in particular. You may want to post your updates there to see how you have progressed on your reading goals over the weeks, months, and years.
12. Understand That It Is All About Taking One Step At A Time
It would be best if you remember that you are trying to improve how much reading time you put in. You don’t have to get perfect at something right off the bat. The most important thing is that you keep working at something until you get better at it. If you can do this, you will see real improvements over time.
Conclusion
Most people would love to read more daily, but few are taking the steps necessary to make that happen. If you would like to prove that you can do better than others who claim to want to better themselves, then you should do so. The trick to remember is that you have to take concrete steps towards that goal by managing your time properly. Do that, and you should be in great shape to read more.
