Reading is a good thing and I know this for a fact because I have read several books and learned a lot from them.

Well, it’s not always for learning.

Sometimes it’s just for entertainment, like the current book I’m reading (Home Going by Yaa Ghasi).

It’s an African book filled with so much humor from the get-go. So good!

Picking up the habit of reading especially if it’s not natural to you can be daunting.

I get that.

When I first started reading motivational books, it felt that way.

Previously, I was more into romance books.

It’s taken time and now motivational books are my most read books.

So then, how do you pick up the reading habit and sustain it?

I have a couple of pointers and I have listed them in a ‘proposed’ order; from beginner level to being an avid reader.

1. Pick topics that excite you

You definitely want to start with something that you love.

Oh, and there is no limit. Romance could be your thing as you start. Maybe it’s IT, home organization, or biographies.

You are spoilt for choice.

The danger of picking something you don’t like is wasting money for nothing.

As we proceed with the points, you’ll see how you can ease into something else.

It doesn’t have to be one topic if you are a person who enjoys diversity.

2. Start with a short book

Once you decide what topics interest you, go ahead and get the book, but start with a short one.

A short book will motivate you.

That feeling of reading the last page of a book is unmatched.

One of the shortest books I ever read is “Who Moved My Cheese?”

It was so easy to read and packed with so much humor. I think I’ll be rereading it soon.

I don’t know whether it’s just me but I’ve realized when I read a huge book, it gets discouraging when I reach the middle.

Looking at all the pages waiting to be read can quickly kill your mood.

You don’t want to deal with that if you are just starting.

Start small.

3. Schedule 15 minutes a day

If you don’t schedule a time to read, you might never read.

I believe 15 minutes is fair enough to get you through a chapter, subchapter, or a couple of pages.

The more you read, the more your speed increases and you begin covering larger portions.

Also, if you picked a topic that excites you, you might be spending more than 15 minutes reading. Yay for you! Go for it.

The whole point of doing that is to get you into a culture of reading.

I dare say that daily 5 minutes of reading is better than one hour that you might never read.

4. Follow recommendations from people

Recommendations always work.

Storytime:

I bought an African book that I was excited to start, and it’s been sitting on the shelf for years.

The storyline was complex, grammar was complex. Gosh! Everything was complex.

When reading, you shouldn’t be trying to figure out things. It should be easy to understand.

Every time I picked up the book I mentioned, I had to start a couple of pages back to understand the storyline.

This is why I strongly insist that you should ask for recommendations from people who are readers.

Save yourself the headache.

5. Carry the book wherever you go

This should be easy for the ladies because of our purses.

When you get used to carrying your current read, at a point in the day you will open it.

Commute time is always a good time to catch up on some reading.

Or when you arrive at a place early enough, pull out that book and cover some pages.

Another place would be as you wait for your doctor’s appointment.

Reading half a page every minute you get might mean three pages read by the end of the day.

I know introverts easily get worked up from being in a crowded place. Having a book with you should be an easy escape.

6. Have accountability (book club or someone)

Accountability goes a long way if you are starting on book reading.

Having someone ask how far you are with your reading is good.

It can happen on two fronts:

– An individual

This works for me.

Find someone who is ahead of you in terms of their reading discipline and be accountable to them.

Having a peer works too. This is someone on the same journey as you.

It can be a safe space as you warm up towards being an avid reader.

– A Book Club

Joining a book club is a good stretch especially if you already have a hang of reading.

There are so many book clubs to join and better still you can form one with your friends and set rules and regulations for it.

Being in a community of like-minded people keeps you grounded and focused on your reading goals.

7. Try different genres

As you become better with every book, you can try different genres. Even as you test them out, prioritize those recommended for you, as well as short books.

You become more confident as you read and before you know it, you become a jack of all trades, regarding books.

8. Set targets as you advance

At this stage, you know how fast you can read. Also depending on the book, the font style, and size, it’s as though your brain picks up the words at a higher speed.

That should make it easy for you to set deadlines.

You can start with a book every two months, then one book a month, then one book a week.

It’s all possible. I’ve heard of people who have read two books in a week.

As you get used to reading, push your limits and see what you can achieve.

These should set you up for success at whichever level of reading you are at.

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind too;

Buy your own original books- it’s fulfilling being able to underline and have sidenotes on your book. You also get to promote someone’s book (call it business) in the process.
Look out for easy-to-read fonts and spacing before you gain momentum
Have a bookmark to avoid dogears (folds on the edges).
Don’t read too many books at once. Two is a good number.
Write book summaries and share what you’re reading with others to make it stick, especially for motivational books.
Have action points from the book to make your reading purposeful.

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I hope this encourages you to start reading or become better at it.

See you in the next one!

Xx;)