How to Read More Books Without Forcing It

Plenty of people say they would like to read more books. It turns up on New Year lists every January, usually just below “drink more water” and “go to bed earlier”. And yet the year ends with the same half-finished novel on the bedside table, a bookmark stuck somewhere around page 60.

The problem is rarely a lack of time or willpower. It is that reading has been squeezed out by easier, more immediate things, mainly phones, and that we often approach it with rules that make it feel like homework. Change the setup and reading tends to come back quite naturally.

Here at FlyJanuary.org we like fresh starts that are small enough to keep. This guide covers how to find the time, how to choose books you will actually finish and how to make reading a habit you enjoy rather than a target you fail.

Start with why you want to read more

It sounds obvious, but it changes what you pick up. Some people want to relax and escape. Some want to learn. Some want to switch off their phone in the evening. Some miss the reader they used to be as a child.

If your aim is relaxation, a gripping thriller is a perfectly good choice, and there is no need to feel guilty about it. If you want to learn, a well-written popular history or science book might suit you better than a dense textbook. Matching books to your real reason makes it far more likely you will keep going.

Read for your reasons, not to impress anyone. The books you enjoy are the ones you will finish, and finishing books is what builds the habit.

Find the pockets of time you already have

Most people have more reading time than they think. It is just scattered and usually filled by a screen.

Small daily pockets

Common opportunities include:

• The commute, if you travel by train or bus.
• Lunch breaks, even ten minutes of them.
• Waiting rooms, queues and school pick-ups.
• The first or last fifteen minutes of the day.
• Time you currently spend scrolling before sleep.

A worked example

Here is a rough illustration of how small amounts add up. Reading speeds vary a lot, so treat this as a ballpark rather than a promise.

Daily reading	Words per day (at roughly 250 per minute)	Typical 80,000-word novel finished in	Books per year (approx.)
10 minutes	2,500	about 32 days	11
20 minutes	5,000	about 16 days	23
30 minutes	7,500	about 11 days	34

Even ten minutes a day could plausibly mean around a book a month. That is more than many people manage now, from a habit that takes less time than an episode of a television series.

Make it easier than reaching for your phone

The phone wins mostly because it is always within reach. You can tilt the odds the other way.

1. Keep a book everywhere. One by the bed, one in your bag, one by the sofa. Or use an e-reader or reading app so your book is always with you.
2. Charge your phone outside the bedroom. This one change can create a reading slot every night.
3. Leave the book open. A book lying open on the arm of the chair invites you back far more than one on a shelf.
4. Put your reading app where your social apps were. If you read on your phone, move the reading app to the home screen and push distracting apps further away.
5. Set a tiny minimum. Aim to read one page. Most nights you will read more, but the minimum keeps the habit alive.

If your phone is the main thing crowding out reading, our guide to a digital detox without quitting your phone has more practical ideas.

Choose books you will actually finish

Reading more is much easier when you are reading something you want to get back to.

Follow your curiosity

Think about the films you love, the podcasts you listen to or the topics you end up reading about online. Those are good clues. If you love true-crime podcasts, there is a whole shelf of narrative non-fiction waiting for you.

Use short books and fast reads to build momentum

If you have not finished a book in a while, start with something shorter or more gripping. Novellas, short story collections, essay collections and pacy thrillers can rebuild your confidence quickly.

Give yourself permission to quit

Many readers stall because they feel obliged to finish whatever they started. A common rule of thumb is to give a book around 50 pages and then decide. If it is not working, stop. There are far too many good books to spend weeks on one you dislike.

Mix formats

Print, e-books and audiobooks all have their place. Audiobooks are excellent for walks, driving and household chores, and they can add several books a year without taking time from anything else.

Use your local library

Libraries are one of the best-value resources for anyone who wants to read more. Most UK public libraries lend books free of charge, and many offer free e-book and audiobook borrowing through apps once you join. Library membership also lowers the stakes of trying something new: if you do not like it, you simply return it.

Libraries often run reading groups, author events and children’s reading challenges, too. If cost is part of what holds you back, it is worth checking what your local service offers. For more ways to enjoy things without spending much, our no-spend January challenge has plenty of free ideas.

Make reading social

Reading is solitary, but it does not have to feel that way.

• Join a book club, in person or online.
• Swap recommendations with a friend and read the same book.
• Keep a short list of what you read and a line about each.
• Visit an independent bookshop and ask the staff what they have enjoyed lately.

Talking about books gives you a reason to finish them and a steady supply of new ideas for what to read next.

Avoid the traps that kill the habit

A few common patterns undo good intentions:

1. Setting a huge target. Aiming for 52 books a year can turn reading into pressure. A smaller, flexible goal is easier to love.
2. Only reading “worthy” books. If every book feels like work, you will read less. Balance challenging reads with enjoyable ones.
3. Waiting for the perfect long stretch. Long reading sessions are lovely, but the habit is built in small, regular ones.
4. Comparing yourself with others. Someone else’s reading list has nothing to do with yours.

If you are building a reading habit as part of a wider set of resolutions, our guide to new year habits that last explains how to make small routines stick.

A simple plan to start this week

1. Choose one book you are genuinely excited to read.
2. Pick one daily slot, such as the first fifteen minutes in bed.
3. Charge your phone outside the bedroom tonight.
4. Read at least one page every day for two weeks.
5. Join your local library or download its lending app.

After a fortnight, review how it went. If you have read more than before, you are already winning. You can find more ideas for curious minds in our general interest section.

Frequently asked questions

How many pages a day should I read to read more books?

There is no right number, but a small daily habit adds up. Around 20 minutes a day is enough for many people to finish a typical novel every few weeks, depending on reading speed and the book. Consistency matters far more than any target.

Do audiobooks count as reading?

For the purpose of enjoying more books, yes. Audiobooks let you take in stories and ideas while walking, commuting or doing chores. Some people prefer print for dense non-fiction, so mixing formats is a sensible approach.

Is it okay to stop reading a book I am not enjoying?

Yes. Struggling through a book you dislike is one of the most common reasons people stop reading altogether. Give it a fair chance, perhaps 50 pages or so, and if it still is not working, put it down and pick up something else.

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