How to Read More Books (Even If You're Busy): 6 Simple Ways
2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 1 October 2026
Want to read more but always busy? Six simple ways to read more books: start with ten pages a day, always carry a book, link reading to a habit, read what you enjoy, quit boring books, and try audiobooks.
You want to read more, but you're busy, tired, and somehow the phone always wins. The good news: you don't need hours. Here are six simple ways to read more books, even with a full life.
First, why read at all? Reading can help you learn, relax and focus, and it's a good break from screens. Even a few pages a day add up to many books a year.
Step by step
Start with ten pages
Set a tiny goal: ten pages a day. That's about fifteen minutes. Ten pages a day is around three thousand six hundred pages a year, that's more than a dozen books.
Always have a book with you
Keep a book in your bag, or an e-reader or reading app on your phone. Read in waiting rooms, on the bus, or in a queue, instead of scrolling.
Link reading to a habit
Attach it to something you already do. Read with your morning coffee, on your commute, or for ten minutes before sleep. The old habit becomes the reminder.
Read what you enjoy
You don't have to read what you think you should. If you love crime novels, read crime novels. Enjoyment keeps you going.
It's okay to quit a book
If a book bores you after fifty pages, put it down and pick another one. Life is too short for books you don't enjoy.
Try audiobooks
Audiobooks count too. Listen while you walk, cook or drive. Many libraries let you borrow e-books and audiobooks for free with your library card.
Good to know
And make it easier: put your phone in another room in the evening, and leave a book on your pillow or your sofa.
Track your progress with a simple list of books you've finished. Seeing it grow feels great.
In short: Start with ten pages, carry a book, link it to a habit, read what you enjoy, quit boring books, and try audiobooks.