10 Ways To Love Reading

Make 2026 the year you read more books!

Jan 14, 2026

Do you want to read more but don’t have the time? Or haven’t found a book that really grabs you?

40 percent of Americans didn’t read even one book in 2025. And only 27 percent read 1 to 4 books.

I was once in your shoes. I read at school because I had to but it wasn’t until I found books I actually liked that I became a reader.

Then eight years ago I made reading a daily habit. Reading everyday keeps my brain engaged, enriches my life, and grounds me. Reading is an essential part of who I am.

Last year I hit a new personal best of reading over 25 books. That’s low for some but for me reading still takes planning and work. Nothing worth doing is ever easy but at least we can make it fun!

That’s why I’m going to help you fall in love with reading.

10 Ways To Love Reading:

Read what you like. Don’t read what you think you should read or what everyone else is reading. Try a few books and stop reading if it doesn’t interest you. Keep experimenting until you find a book you can’t put down. Often I don’t know if I like a book until I read about 100 pages. Austin Kleon says, “Don’t read books you don’t like!”
Read everyday. To build a new habit or routine you need to do it every day. Set time aside to read even if it’s for 15 minutes. Use a timer. Small daily increments add up over time. But read at your own pace!
Read everywhere. Always have a book with you. Read between meetings, on the subway, and during your lunch break. Replace scrolling on your phone with reading. Replace watching TV with reading. Try audiobooks and ebooks.
Keep books around. Having lots of books around means you’ve got plenty to choose from and also serves as a not-so-subtle reminder to keep reading. I’ve got a stack of unread books on my shelf which means I’m always reading.
Keep a list. Hold yourself accountable. If you keep a list or calendar of your reading activity you’ll be less likely to skip a day. I also keep a list of the books I’ve read each year.
Take notes. This isn’t essential but I think if you really love reading you’ll get more out of it if you take notes. Taking notes helps you figure out what you like to read and want to read next. Don’t be afraid to write in your books! Underline quotes. Dog-ear important pages. Write down words to look up in the dictionary. Write a summary of what you liked and didn’t like.
Re-read books. Get more out of your favorite books by re-reading them. Re-read books you’re interested in but didn’t completely ‘get’ on the first read. You might find that the meaning or significance of a book changes with each re-read.
Invest in yourself. Ryan Holiday says that books are the best investment you can make in yourself. You can change your life for less than $20!
Apply what you’ve read. Books open our hearts and minds. They can help us understand our world, each other and ourselves. Whether you’re reading fiction or non-fiction, apply the lessons you’ve learned from reading in your own life.
Join a book club, write a newsletter, or start a podcast. Sharing books makes reading more fun! Talk about your favorite books. Gift family and friends book you like. Get excited about books!