It’s getting to the end of the year, and you are no doubt starting to think about your New Year’s resolutions for 2021. A common goal for many people is to read more books. It’s a highly worthwhile resolution, as reading makes you more knowledgeable, curious, and intelligent. It gives you more to talk about in conversations and can improve your career prospects. Sitting with a book and a cup of hot tea is one of the most relaxing pastimes there is, and the mental health benefits are monumental.
But actually finding the time and the motivation to sit and read a book can be difficult. In this digital age, it is often much easier to pick up your phone and scroll through Instagram than it is to open a book and concentrate on the words. But no matter how busy your schedule is, there is always time to read if you really want to. After all, even Bill Gates, one of the most successful and hard-working billionaires on the planet, reads 50 books in a year.
Reading more is all about organizing your schedule and prioritizing books over less meaningful activities. To get you started on your literary journey, here are four tips to help you read more in 2021.
Set a firm goal
Simply resolving to read more is a difficult goal to track, and one that provides little motivation. Setting yourself a measurable target to aim for will make you much more likely to succeed with your resolution. Your goal could be to read 30 books in 2021 or to read 20 pages a day. You could even compile a stack of books on your bedside table and slowly work your way through them until you're done.
Have multiple books on the go
You might think you need to pick one book at a time and persevere with it until the end before you can start a new one. But this restrictive attitude to reading will make you less likely to commit to your goals. If you aren’t captivated by the book you choose, you’ll be less motivated to read often. Instead, you should opt for two or three books at a time, of wildly different styles and genres. As well as that weighty work of classic literature, lighten your load with a humorous novel or an uplifting self-help book at the same time.
Read multiple genres
As well as giving you more options, reading multiple different genres will expand your knowledge and make reading more interesting. And the subjects you choose are up to you. Whether it’s a romance novel, a biography of Winston Churchill, or a guide to CFD Trading, you should try to broaden your horizons.
Create a reading nook
If you have a cozy, relaxing spot in which to read, you will be more inclined to nestle down with a book at the end of the day. Get a comfy chair with plenty of cushions and blankets, and pick a quiet spot in your home to set up your reading nook. As soon as you settle in, you’ll never want to stop reading.
