52 Books in 52 Weeks.
12 ways to read more books.
In 2020, I completed 54 books. Possibly more than the last decade of my life combined. I decided last year it was time to prioritize longform content over the endless stream of half baked ideas found on social media, podcasts, news articles, and…blogposts 😬.
Content consumption is not the same as learning, but if you are looking to make books a greater part of your life the following tips may help. I discovered these by reflecting on my personal experience and reading data.
12 Tips to Read More Books
1. Build habits -> Set a Goal.
Should you read 52 books next year? No. Not if the intro to this blog post is the first time you have considered it. Setting an arbitrary number of books to complete can make reading a chore, and every book comes with an opportunity cost. I like quantity goals for habit maintenance, not habit formation. I set a goal of 52 books after I built the habits necessary to get me there.
How satisfied are you with the amount you read? What else do you have going on in life? What habits/hobbies might you replace with reading?
2. Read for Free
63% of the books I completed were borrowed through my local library. There is nothing quite like free access to knowledge paired with a built in deadline. Employers are also often willing to buy relevant books for employees.
3. Create Reading Spaces
Comfort is key. A bench on the front porch, recliners in our bedroom, and a chair in the backyard were all essential to maintaining my book reading habits throughout the year.
4. Read With Others
Book clubs increase my initial focus on the text, improve the quality of my notes, and expand the arguments I consider for/against the author’s claims. Book clubs also add a deadline for both finishing the book and synthesizing my thoughts.
See if your company will sponsor a book club and pay for copies. Find others in your network or community who share similar interests. Don’t overthink it. A book club can be just one other person, and you don’t necessarily have to read the same book.
5. Create a Culture of Reading
It is easier to read when everybody else is doing it. Our three year old frequently falls asleep with books on her face. I take pride in that. We take a lot of trips to the library and love visiting nearby Little Free Libraries.
As a practical matter, an ambitious book reading goal means occasional evenings spent reading. That is much easier when your spouse or significant other wants to spend their evening doing the same.
6. Try New Book Formats.
Over half the books I completed this year were audiobooks. If you have never tried one, you should. I accessed all but one of these through my local library.
Audiobooks enable temptation bundling. They make simple tasks like exercise, doing the dishes, and folding laundry more interesting. I recommend customizing your note-taking process for audiobooks. For example, I use voice-to-text to take notes so the audio pauses while I take a note.
I laughed when my brother complemented how music sounds on my new headphones. I hadn’t tried that. 😂
7. Read a Variety of Genres
Sometimes, you won’t want to open that tenth book on education. In such cases, having a book about sleep, timing, or a galaxy far far away is helpful. According to Goodreads, I am “currently reading” 10 books. Am I really? Sort of. Sometimes I read a book cover to cover. Sometimes I set it aside for months.
I pick up a book when I want to read it. That keeps me reading and prevents my goal from becoming a chore. Here is how I categorize the books I read this year.
8. Budget for learning
I am about as cheap (thrifty 👌) as they come, but even I buy the occasional book. In addition to supporting the author, buying a book allows you to annotate pages directly, lend it to a friend, and reference it on demand.
When possible, setting aside a little money for learning ensures the cost of a book is not the barrier preventing your learning.
9. Buy an E-Reader
eBooks were my least-read format. Then I bought a Kindle. E-readers remove distractions and are less clunky than physical books. Holding an e-reader also shows my kids I am reading a book and not just browsing social media on my phone.
I have a lot of issues with these devices, but I can’t argue with my own data. I am beginning to default to eBooks.
10. Track Your Progress
As you have seen, I am a data nerd. Logging progress towards an overarching goal makes each book I complete feel like a step towards something greater. Goodreads has this feature built into their system.
I used a simple spreadsheet to generate the charts in this post. You can export most details directly from Goodreads.
11. Share What You Learn
Some of the best networking conversations I had this year were sparked by quotes I shared from books. As you read, consider how what you are learning might be useful to others. Share insights on LinkedIn, Twitter, or your team’s Slack channel. Like an asynchronous book club, you will learn so much more when from hearing others’ thoughts.
12. Become a “Book Reader”
The way we see ourselves has a profound impact on our behavior. As Nir Eyal explains:
By taking on a new identity, you empower yourself to make decisions based on who you believe you are. Consider how people who call themselves “vegetarians” don’t have to expend much willpower to avoid eating meat.
Identify as a “Book Reader”. When someone asks about your hobbies, mention reading! In doing so, I have found myself more willing to pull out a book instead of my phone and replace Netflix with novels.
Other Random Tips
- Get/Create a bunch of fun bookmarks.
- Clean up your “Currently Reading” on Goodreads.
- For audiobooks, get Bluetooth headphones with controls on the earpiece.
- Use NFC tags as bookmarks. Tap your phone to open your note-taking app.
- Build books into your commute and other routines.
- Read my future posts on pros/cons of different book formats, creating a personal note-taking system, and what to consider when selecting a book. 📚🤓
Go Read! 📖
Believe it or not, books did not completely consume my life this year. My wife and I watched our favorite shows, played a lot of Disc Golf, and I still had time to beat the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ⚔️.
Next year, there won’t be a global pandemic 🤞, I won’t have the same life circumstances (incoming newborn!), and I want to start on a significant side project. I may never read so many books in a single year again, but doing so solidified reading as a permanent part of my lifestyle.
What tips do you have for reading more? Please connect via LinkedIn or Twitter to continue the discussion!
