Whether it is a fiction or non-fiction book that entices you to stay up at night, considering the fast and busy life it is hard to keep up with your love for reading. Where you used to finish one book per day, it is now impossible to finish a single month in a month.
If this sounds like you, you are not alone.
We are never born with special skills, to read 100 books in a year there are certain techniques and rules that you have to follow to not only take time to read but also do it in a way that you are not compromising with the “me time” every day as well.
Don’t know how that works?
The secret here lies in not reading anything you pick up without digesting any information but be so efficient that you learn to effortlessly read 100 books in a year.
8 Ways to Read 100 Books in a Year
Here are eight useful ways to help you read 100 books in a year.
1. Plan your reading
Do the math yourself. One year has 52 weeks, this means you need to read 2 books per week to reach your 100 books per week goal. If we go further, aim to read one book every 3.5 days on average. Breaking down your goal into small, more actionable tasks is important to help achieve your goals. This will motivate you to continue reading every time you achieve you accomplish your daily milestones.
Feeling overwhelmed is a common feeling that you might experience during this time. You can eliminate it by switching to your all-time favourite book that can make your reading slightly lighter.
2. Allocate time for reading
If you think that you don’t have time for reading, think again.
Try examining everything you do throughout the day that makes up a big portion of your daily life but is not productive. Do you binge-watch Lupin all night? Are your small, insignificant tasks taking longer than usual? For Netflix, sure, you don’t have to be too hard on yourself, in fact, the more you chase away from something, the closer it gets. However, delete a specific time for your series. Try not to finish one season per day, instead go for 2 to 3 episodes.
As for managing time, try to set out timers and timebox most of your smaller tasks to ensure you don’t waste much time. By making this effort, you are actively trying to make plenty of time for reading each day.
3. Learn to read faster
The faster you read and more you are likely to reach your goals. Just like most of the skills, you aren’t born with them. When reading a lot of books and eventually speeding up your reading time, practicing a few techniques can instantly give you a boost of motivation and increase your speed to help you read 2 books per week.
Also read: 10 Tips to Effectively Read Books Faster
4. Listen to audiobooks
Thanks to the advancements in technology, you can now listen to your books while you are on the go. Ditch listening to songs during workout or travel and replace them with audiobooks that have the same effect as reading a book. I wouldn’t recommend you to fully depend on audiobooks to reach your goal of reading 100 books in a year as it will drive away from the main idea of reading books in the first place.
It is also a cost-efficient choice as audiobook subscriptions are cheaper than buying paper books.
Also read: 11 Audiobooks To Listen To At The Gym
5. Get your priorities right
Although this point is related to the 2nd one, it needed more emphasis. My whole life I’ve been putting off some highly productive tasks only because “I didn’t have time”. However, now that I’m more productive I get to realize that you always have time for the things you prioritize the most.
Keep a schedule for each day and go for reading either right before you sleep or after you wake up. I personally have a hard time reading before sleeping, as the extra strain in your eyes can make you sleep before you finish a single chapter.
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6. Use your phone the right way
Smartphones have the reputation of killing your productivity with the distracting social media and endless tasks that come to your mind every time you pick your phone. However, this is only true if you are unwilling to put the effort to stay disciplined and commit to reaching your 100 books per year goal.
You can use your phone productively by:
- Follow influencers who you aspire to be, along with other motivational Instagram accounts.
- Disconnect with the internet while you are reading and listening to audiobooks
- Use sites like PDFDrive and Open Library to get free ebooks on your phone. Although they cover all the possible books, they can be just fine for someone who’s on a budget.
7. Have quality with quantity
Just because you have the goal to read 100 books in a year doesn’t mean you compromise with the quality of your read. You can still be efficient with your reading by truly indulging yourself in the book and dedicating specific times where you are only focused on reading rather than moving around and reading 5 pages at a time.
If you are struggling to read a book or perhaps feel the book isn’t the right one for you; unless it’s a non-fiction book you can go ahead and switch to a different way. Remember the idea behind reading is to improve your creativity and enjoy every moment of it.
Also read: How to Effectively Read During Lockdown
8. Use Your Public Library
To read 100 books in a year comes with its own set of expenses that can go too heavy on your wallet. If you ask me, it is not a cost-efficient idea either and not to forget the amount of space these books will take at your house. Therefore, use your public library that comes with thousands of books that you may need to reach your goal. The only time you are going to actually buy a book is when the library doesn’t offer the book you want to read.
Sure, the public library may come with a membership fee but will surely be less expensive than owning 100 books every year.
