Make more time to read in 2015

 

Happy New Year! If you’re like most people, you’ve probably started 2015 with high hopes and long list of resolutions. Along with settings goals for your career and your health, why not make a resolution to find more time to read in the new year? It’s easier than you think. Set yourself up for success with these tips, and you’ll find more time to read in no time at all.

There’s an app for that. Thanks to the digital age, it’s easier than ever to find more time to read. With tablets, ereaders, iPads and smartphones, you never have to worry about forgetting your book again. Today’s gadgets let you take your favorite reading material on the go, so you can read wherever you are – whether it’s in line at the grocery store or at the gym, working on one of your other new year’s resolutions. If you love the feel of a book in your hand, don’t give them up completely. Read a hard copy every night at bedtime, or alternate between ebooks and paperbacks to get your fix.

Work reading into your existing life. Don’t feel like you have to carve out reading time – you’ll be surprised how much you can fit it into the gaps in your schedule. Annoyed to find your doctor, chiropractor, or manicurist running late? Pull out your Kindle and you’ll be grateful for the delay. If your kids do homework every night from 4 to 5, take advantage of the built in quiet time and read for a few minutes before you start dinner. Those extra minutes will quickly turn into pages, then chapters, then books.

Read what you love. Stop trying to force yourself to read every Russian classic ever written and allow yourself to indulge in those novels you really love – whether it’s the new Lou Mason thriller or the latest New York Times bestselling mystery. If you look forward to reading, you’ll be much more likely to find more time to read.

Set a reminder. Your best intentions are one thing, but it’s easy to lose track of your goals when you get caught up with life. By setting a reminder, you’ll not only find more time to read, but you’ll actually read during that time. If you mindlessly tune into game shows before your favorite prime time comedy starts, schedule an alert on your phone that says “shut off the TV and read!” Alternately, try propping your favorite book up in front of the tv or next to the dishwasher to remind you to grab a few chapters after dinner – or at another time that works for you.

Make it a habit. It takes 30 days of repeating a behavior to make it a habit, so stick with it! If life gets in the way and you skip a few days of your new crime fiction novel, don’t worry – just pick it back up and dive back in. Once you’re in the routine of reading regularly, you’ll see that finding more time to read is easy as reaching for your book.

With a little diligence, you can make 2015 the year of the book! Start implementing these tricks to find more time to read today – and you’ll be well on your way. Happy New Year, and happy reading!