As a kid, reading was an easy task for me. I had time, low commitments and enjoyed picking up a good book. But that was before my life was flooded with social media. In my young adulthood, I’ve lost my spark for reading, like many others at this age. Throughout high school I probably read one book per year outside of assigned readings for class. So recently, I’ve made a commitment to change this and have actually read six books so far in 2025. Here’s what I did to make the change.Â
1. Set aside time every day: A big element of actually finishing a book is the commitment needed to make progress in a novel. We all have busy lives and our attention often needs to be focused on school, work and friends. But by taking just 10 minutes a day, you can get through several pages of a book with this small dedication. Usually, I like to read in the morning and at night, since those are times that I am not concentrated on other responsibilities in my day-to-day life.Â
2. Get comfy: You can’t focus on a good book if you don’t feel good yourself. So make sure you feel relaxed and are wearing comfortable clothes. Your environment could impact your reading just as much as any other distraction, so have a snug reading chair and a quiet environment to really tune into your story.Â
3. Think about the positives: A lot of the time I feel discouraged by reading because I forget storylines years after reading a book. But don’t let this get you down. Reading is a beneficial spur-of-the-moment activity; it grounds you and enhances cognitive activity. In a digital age, it’s easy to make excuses and go on your phone instead. But even though you might forget a story down the line, it’s better than watching videos for hours without being able to recall what any of them were about. Â
4. Bring it up to friends: This could be through a book club, library or even just having other friends that read. I’ve noticed that when I talk to my friends about what I’ve been reading, we encourage each other to keep going. We give each other book suggestions and have something to talk about. This sense of community has pushed my motivation further and can be incorporated into anyone’s life just by asking those around you if they’ve read anything good recently.Â
5. Download an app to track: I prefer Goodreads. This app lets you add a book you’ve read to add to your profile and gives you a text box to review it. By posting what you’ve read, it can further connect you to others in your life who read and it helps you keep track of what and how much you have read.
Reading is no easy hobby to get into. But after implementing these elements into your life, reading novels opens up new worlds and helps you expand your mind for months to come.