Cultivating a Lifetime Reading Habit..:

This could change your life

Set times: You should have a few set times during every day when you’ll read for at least 5-10 minutes.

Always carry a book: Wherever you go, take a book with you.

Make a list: Keep a list of all the great books you want to read. You can keep this in your journal, in a pocket notebook, on your personal home page

Find a quiet place: Find a place in your home where you can sit in a comfortable chair (don’t lay down unless you’re going to sleep) and curl up with a good book without interruptions. There should be no television or computer near the chair to minimize distractions, and no music or noisy family members/roommates. If you don’t have a place like this, create one

Reduce television/Internet: If you really want to read more, try cutting back on TV or Internet consumption. This may be difficult for many people. Still, every minute you reduce of Internet/TV, you could use for reading

Keep a log: Similar to the reading list, this log should have not only the title and author of the books you read, but the dates you start and finish them if possible.

Go to used book shops: it is very fun to browse through the new books people have donated. Make your trip to a used book store a regular thing.

Have a library day: Even cheaper than a used book shop is a library, of course. Make it a weekly trip.

Read fun and compelling books: that really grip you and keep you going. Even if they aren’t literary masterpieces, they make you want to read — and that’s the goal here. After you have cultivated the reading habit, you can move on to more difficult stuff, but for now, go for the fun, gripping stuff.

Make it pleasurable: Make your reading time your favorite time of day. Have some good tea or coffee while you read, or another kind of treat. Get into a comfortable chair with a good blanket. Read during sunrise or sunset, or at the beach.

Blog it: One of the best ways to form a habit is to put it on your blog. If you don’t have one, create one. It’s free. Have your family go there and give you book suggestions and comment on the ones you’re reading

Set a high goal: Tell yourself that you want to read 50 books this year (or some other number like that). Then set about trying to accomplish it. Just be sure you’re still enjoying the reading though — don’t make it a rushed chore

Have a reading hour or reading day: If you turn off the TV or Internet in the evening, you could have a set hour (perhaps just after dinner) when you and maybe all the members of your family read each night. Or you could do a reading day, when you (and again, your other family members if you can get them to join you) read for practically the whole day.

Thanks to: Leo Babauta