How to rebuild your reading habits
Have you ever wanted to read more? Reading for pleasure has declined 10% since 2003, according to a 2025 U.S. Time Use Survey. There are all sorts of potential explanations for this, from the rise of social media to the increased availability of other types of entertainment, but the trend is clear.
At the same time, reading has all kinds of benefits. It’s a very rewarding type of hobby, and studies show it keeps your brain in shape, even potentially delaying cognitive decline in older adults. For these reasons and many others, many of us to want to learn more, but we have difficulty getting into the habit. The good news: there is research on this subject, and more broadly on the subject of construction habits. Here are some tips for developing a reading habit.
Link reading to an existing routine
You’ve probably heard that creating a new habit takes about 21 days — it’s a pop psychology trope at this point. This doesn’t hold up to research either. A meta-analysis published in the journal Health carewritten by researchers at the Nutrition and Physical Activity Research Alliance in Australia, found that habit formation typically takes between two and five months, depending on personal factors.
The meta-analysis goes on to highlight a few strategies that research shows are effective for creating and maintaining habits. Among them is linking desired habits to existing routines. It’s easy to imagine how to use this to develop a reading habit.
So if you tend to make a cup of coffee in the morning before breakfast, consider reading while you do it instead of picking up your phone. If you take the train to work every day, bring a book to read. Alternatively, if you’re driving to work, consider listening to an audiobook. You could read after brushing your teeth every night. Attaching reading to a routine you already have makes it much easier to remember the new habit, which in turn makes it more likely that you’ll stick with it.
Find something that interests you
Nothing will deter you from reading more than the books you dread reading. This is why you should develop your reading habits by focusing on the things that already interest you. A report released by The Reading Agency, a UK-based organization that encourages reading, reveals that films, TV shows and podcasts serve as an entry point to reading. “2 in 5 (41%) inactive readers said movies and TV shows inspired them to read books and 28% said the same about podcasts or audiobooks,” the report said, adding that even non-readers find this an interesting entry point.
How is this useful? Well, if you are a fan of a TV show or movie based on a book, consider starting your reading habit by focusing on these original books. Or, if you listen to podcasts, consider paying attention when a guest or host you admire recommends a book. Tie your interest in reading to something you already enjoy: you’re more likely to stay motivated that way.
It works the other way around. If you read a book but don’t enjoy it, stop reading and find something you enjoy. Building a habit is more important than finishing a book you don’t enjoy, and reading something you enjoy will increase the likelihood that you’ll form the habit.
Start small
The first steps in building a new habit are crucial, and overly ambitious goals can lead to setbacks. According to an article on how reading can transform your life, published in the International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) by researchers at the Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship in Bangalore, India, starting with achievable goals can increase the chances that you’ll stick with a reading habit. “Start with small, achievable goals, such as reading 15 minutes a day, and gradually increase the amount of time you read,” the journal recommends.
Nothing is more motivating than social pressure, which is why book clubs exist. I don’t need to explain this concept to you: a group of friends decide to read the same book to talk about it. Joining or starting a book club gives you a reason to commit to reading a book while also providing some social pressure to follow through. Don’t overlook how powerful this can be.
And there are other benefits, like cheese. Or wine. Or whatever you like to consume while chatting with friends. Just kidding, but rituals and rewards can go a long way in cementing a habit, so consider starting or joining a book club if you’re serious about getting back into reading.
Reread something you love
Did you like reading The Hobbit as a child? Or were you more like hunger games child? Maybe you’ve devoured John Green’s books.
If you want to get back into reading, revisiting books you loved earlier in your life is a great way to start. One of the great pleasures of growing older is revisiting the stories and works of art you loved earlier in life and noticing how you see them differently now. I promise you: you will see the characters differently now than before, and you will also notice details that you didn’t notice before. But rereading books you love is also just comforting, which is what you want when you’re trying to rebuild a habit.
Consider audiobooks
Some people will tell you that listening to audiobooks doesn’t count as reading. Ignore these people. A 2016 study published in SAGE Open by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania shows that “there is no significant difference in comprehension for adults who read a book or listen to an audiobook,” meaning you’re likely to retain information just as well as when reading with your eyes.
This is good because audiobooks are also a very convenient way to read. You can listen while you do household chores, drive, or during a workout. This is handy if you want to read, but can’t find the time.
Get an e-reader
I love paper books and think it’s worth buying physical copies of the books you love. But I also love my e-reader. For one thing, it’s portable: I can take dozens of books on a trip without having to carry so many. But you can also get free ebooks from the library, and a dedicated e-reader is the best way to read these books.
I’ve talked about this before, but e-readers like the Kindle and Kobo aren’t like your phone or tablet. That’s because the screen is e-ink, which essentially looks like paper. E-ink has all kinds of benefits: it’s easier to read in daylight, it reduces eye strain, it has much better battery life, and it doesn’t disrupt your sleep cycles like your phone screen does.
But the e-reader is better than the phone for another reason: it doesn’t have social media notifications or other distractions. This is crucial if you want to develop a reading habit. Nothing will derail you faster than the ability to quickly switch from reading to scrolling. An e-reader gives you the benefits of e-reading without the annoying hassles of your phone.
Put your phone somewhere else
You might be tempted, while reading in your most comfortable chair, to also have your phone within reach. But, as we just said, having your phone nearby will most likely derail reading. A 2017 study published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research shows that just having your phone in the same room as you is distracting. This is true even if you don’t interact with the phone or hear any notifications: presence makes it harder to concentrate.
So give yourself a fighting chance. Put your phone in another room. And if you read in bed, charge your phone outside your bedroom (have an alarm clock to wake you up in the morning).
You can do this
Reading has all kinds of benefits, from keeping your mind sharp to reducing your risk of dementia. It also helps you imagine worlds beyond your own, increasing your ability to empathize with people different from you. It’s basically a super power.
So I understand why you want to know more. And I want you to know that you can do it. Start small, focus on books you love, and consider other ways to read. And leave your phone in another room.
The best new PopSci 2025 releases
