Guys, this year I decided to read at least 24 books (one a month) but honestly I can't seem to put my phone down. Do you have any tricks for staying consistent? I'd love to know how you manage it, if you have routines that actually work.
Twenty-six books in a year is quite a lot, I don't know if one a month is really realistic for everyone - maybe start with ten or fifteen, without putting pressure on yourself. For your phone, the real trick is putting it in another room when you read, just silencing it isn't enough; I've noticed that if I always sit in the same place and at the same time (like half an hour before bed) my brain understands it's "reading time" and doesn't even miss the screen. Look for books you actually enjoy, not the ones you think you should read - if the story grabs you, everything else follows naturally.
The problem isn't the number of books but finding the right ones - maybe you're reading stuff that doesn't actually excite you, and that's why your phone always wins. What I've noticed is that reading works better if you do it in the dead time during your day, like while you're waiting for something or before bed, instead of trying to carve out a whole hour dedicated to it (which never happens anyway). Try keeping a book within reach at all times - in your bag, on your nightstand, wherever - so when you have five minutes free you don't end up scrolling instead. And pick genres you genuinely can't put down, at least at first, rather than forcing yourself through heavy classics just on principle.
The phone problem is real - people who actually read have figured out it's not about finding time, it's about creating a physical space where your phone just isn't. Not in your pocket, not on the table, somewhere else entirely. I've noticed that when I read in specific spots - like on the couch with a blanket, or in a corner of the house - my brain automatically goes into reading mode and I don't even feel like checking notifications.
As for the whole 24 books thing, it really depends on what you're reading and how much free time you have. If they're demanding or long books, one every two months is totally fine - you're not a failure. More than the number itself, what actually works is always having a book in progress - don't wait to finish one before starting the next, because two weeks might just slip by. I always keep two or three things going at once, so if I get tired of one style (like, dense narrative) I can switch to something lighter.
Another thing: read what actually interests you, not what you "should" be reading. If you hate noir don't start a thriller just because everyone recommended it, or you'll ditch it after three pages. How many hours a week can you realistically spend on it? That helps you figure out if twenty-four is the right number for you.
Log into answer.
