If you want to know how to build a reading habit, the honest answer is that it has far more to do with lowering friction than with finding willpower or extra hours. The people who read regularly are rarely the ones with the most free time; they are the ones who have made picking up a book the path of least resistance. Below are six practical, realistic ways to read more, whether you are returning after years away or simply want a few more good books in your year.
How we chose these
We ignored the intimidating advice, the fifty-books-a-year challenges and the strict reading schedules, because those tend to produce guilt rather than pages. Instead we looked for small, repeatable changes rooted in how habits actually form: start tiny, attach the new habit to an old one, and remove the little obstacles that stop you before you begin. Reading charities in the UK make the same point, that regular reading grows from access and enjoyment, not pressure. If you are stuck for what to read next, our productivity books worth reading and books to read for your career are easy places to start.
1. Start with a tiny daily minimum
Set a goal so small it feels almost embarrassing: two pages a day, not two chapters. The point of a tiny minimum is that you never have a good excuse to skip it, and once the book is open you will usually read on well past your target. It made the six because it removes the all-or-nothing thinking that kills most reading resolutions. The Sixated take: on a bad day, two pages still counts as a win and keeps the streak alive, which is the whole game.
2. Attach reading to an existing habit
New habits stick best when they lean on settled ones. Decide to read straight after something you already do without fail, your morning coffee, your evening cup of tea, the moment you get into bed, so you never have to decide when to start. This is one of the most dependable habit-building tricks going, and it works because the existing routine acts as the reminder. It made the list for turning reading from a vague intention into an automatic next step. The Sixated take: pick a cue that happens every single day, and let it do the remembering for you.
3. Keep a book within arm’s reach
Habits are largely decided by friction. If your book is shelved in another room, you will scroll instead; if it is on the arm of the sofa, by the bed and tucked in your bag, you will read. Keeping a book visible and to hand is a small logistical change with an outsized effect. It earns its place because it does the hard work for you, quietly, all day. The Sixated take: a book you can see is a book you will read; treat visibility as a strategy, not an accident.
4. Give yourself permission to quit books
Nothing ends a reading habit faster than forcing yourself through a book you are not enjoying. The dread of picking it up spreads until you stop reading altogether. Give yourself full permission to abandon anything that is not working for you, guilt-free, and move on to something that pulls you back. It made the six because protecting your enjoyment is protecting the habit. The Sixated take: you are reading for pleasure, not sitting an exam; a book you love is the best motivation there is.
5. Swap some screen time for pages
Most people do not need more time to read; they need a small, deliberate swap. Trade the first scroll of the morning or the last scroll before sleep for a few pages instead. Keeping the phone out of reach and a book in its place makes the exchange easy. It made the list because it is realistic: you are not carving out an extra hour, just redirecting minutes you already have. The Sixated take: the bedtime swap is the easiest to keep, and it tends to help you wind down too.
6. Track it lightly and read with others
A gentle bit of accountability helps a habit take root. Mark a simple streak on a calendar, or read alongside other people through a book club or an online reading community, so there is a small, friendly pull to keep going. It made the six because a visible run of days and a shared deadline both nudge you back to the page. Keep the tracking light, though; the aim is encouragement, not another chore. The Sixated take: pair a streak with a book club and you get both the private satisfaction and the sociable one.
Keeping it going
Building a reading habit is really about stacking small advantages: a tiny goal, a reliable cue, a book within reach, freedom to quit, an easy swap and a little accountability. Adopt one or two to begin with, and add the rest as they become second nature. Do not measure yourself against anyone else’s total, either; the aim is a habit that fits your life, not a leaderboard. If a stretch of busy weeks knocks you off course, simply reopen your book and read two pages, because getting back on the horse quickly matters far more than never falling off. A calmer morning routine and better sleep habits both create natural pockets of quiet for reading. For more slow, considered ideas, browse our lifestyle section or head back to Sixated.