9 Tips to Help You Read More Books

Why Read More Books?

World Book Day has just passed, and reading is top of mind for many. 2026 is also the National Year of Reading. The campaign ‘Go All In’ is all about getting more people reading by bringing reading to where culture is. I love the tagline: ‘If you’re into it, read into it.’ It's such a good reminder to nurture our passions and interests through reading.  

Reading entertains and informs you. It helps you build empathy and learn about people and places you otherwise wouldn’t. Reading reduces stress, expands your vocabulary and gives you more ways to express yourself. It also strengthens memory and attention, both of which have plummeted over the last couple of decades. 

In February, I finished 7 books. Some of those I began in January, but it is nonetheless a fairly large number. People often ask me how I manage to read so much, especially with four children and a business to run. Here are a few top tips to get you reading more books…

9 Tips to Help You Read More Books 

1. Read Out Loud

Most days, I read aloud to my children at the dinner table while our evening meal is in the oven. We read Stig of the Dump over January and February, and we are now reading one of the Hardy Boys books my husband grew up with. 

As well as bringing me childlike joy, this introduces my children to books they wouldn’t necessarily pick up on their own. Since we’re the ones reading, we, the grown-ups, are the ones choosing each book. This means we get to share the books we read and loved as children. Next on my list is The Wind in the Willows. Just good, old fashioned classics of literature!

2. Keep a Reading Journal

I love lists, especially ticking things off! Keeping a reading journal is a little like this for me. While I love looking back and reading over the books I got through at the end of a year, the biggest attraction is ‘ticking off’ a book and filling in a page of my reading journal. I love how colourful it gets the more books I read, and I enjoy competing against my past self. Can March-me read more than February-me? It doesn’t matter if not, but it’s fun to try.

3. Put Your Phone Down

For most of us, the biggest distraction we face is the infinite world of the internet in our pockets. To gamify staying off my phone, I use an app called Be Present that gives me points the more time I spend with apps blocked. I have set times of day where I can’t access my phone except for calls and texts. I’ve heard Brick is also excellent for reducing screentime. 

It’ll be hard to begin with – we are all so addicted to our phones – but you’ll soon get used to it. Spend the time you gain back reading instead.

4. Choose Books You Will Love

I loathe reading snobbery. Forget about what you ‘should’ be reading and stick to genres and authors you love. This is even more important if you’re trying to reduce your screentime. You need topics and stories that will get you hooked! Losing yourself in a good book will help you reprogram your brain and increase your desire to read.

5. Choose an Audiobook

Around 75% of the books I read are in audio form. I love that I can listen while painting, doing the dishes, cooking, or walking. When I look at a piece of art I’ve created, I can always remember the book I was listening to while I painted it! If you have a library card, you can support your local library and access lots of audiobooks through apps like Libby and Borrow Box, so you don't have to go through Audible, which can get expensive and is an Amazon app - something I try to avoid as much as possible.

6. Join a Book Club

Joining a book club is a great way to discover new books and prioritise reading. They exist online and in person. Try your local bookshop or create your own with some reading friends. If you’d prefer, you can also find silent book clubs where the idea is to come along at a set time and read your book. Carving out dedicated time is guaranteed to help you read more. 

7. Make it Part of Your Daily Routine 

Don’t reach for your phone when you wake up (in fact, make sure it’s charging downstairs). Instead, read 5 pages, or for 10 minutes. You can read more if you like, but this is very manageable. At the end of the day, make one last cup of tea and go to bed half an hour early. Reading is such a great way to wind down and get ready for sleep. Much better than scrolling. 

If this rhythm won’t work for you, choose another set time and stick to it. This could be with your mid-morning cuppa, during your lunchbreak, on your commute, or while running a bath.

8. Never Leave Home Without a Book

Have you seen the social media account that shares what people are reading on the tube? It’s such a fascinating experiment! I’d encourage you to keep a book in your bag (or carry your Kindle), so you always have something to read on your commute, while waiting at a bus stop, or for those 5 minutes before your friend arrives at the coffee shop.

9. Lower the Bar 

You don’t need to read for an hour. Sometimes, when we set the bar high, it feels intimidating and becomes something we avoid. If you aim for 10 minutes, you may well get drawn into the book you’re reading and not even notice the time passing. Before you know it, you’ll have read far more than you’d planned to.

Happy Reading!

My Reading Journal provides the perfect home for a written record of the books you read over the course of a year. As well as recording key details such as the title of the book, author, genre and when (and where) you read it, you can also use your journal to note down any thoughts along with your favourite quotes. >>> And Hope Designs Reading Journal

For even more bookish inspiration, take a look at these posts…

The Best Books and Podcasts for New Christians
9 Ways to Get Out of a Reading Slump 
5 Places to Read in Belfast