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You make the rules

I used to feel like I had to finish every book I started. The truth is you make the rules. If a book is not working for you, you can set it aside. If a book is boring, feel free to skim passages to get to a part of more interest. Maybe the book you have chosen isn’t the right one for you or it isn’t the right time in your life to read it and that is fine. No one is giving you a grade or going to be mad if you do not finish every book you start. If you stop reading a book you don’t enjoy, it frees up your time to move on to something you do.

Set a goal

One way to motivate yourself to read more is to set goals for yourself. This could be a certain amount of books you would like to read in a year or to finish a book in two weeks. You may also challenge yourself to finish a series, read every book you own, or re-read classics you enjoyed. Sometimes a library due date is a great motivator because you want to finish the book before it needs to be returned. Be realistic and set reasonable goals for yourself so you can be successful and read more in the process.

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Read with friends

Reading with a group of friends can be a great way to increase the books you've read. Join a monthly book club or start one of your own. If a book club isn’t your thing, consider doing a buddy read with one or two friends. Set a chapter goal each day and discuss in person or over text as you go. Having a friend to read with makes it more fun. If you are struggling to find someone to talk about your books with, consider joining a group on Goodreads, Facebook, or Instagram.

What’s next

Once a book is complete, many people struggle to figure out what to read next. This can be avoided by making a list of books you would like to read so that when you finish one you can move right into the next book without having to research, shop, or decide what to read next.

Read multiple books at once

Reading several books at once may seem counterintuitive but can actually help you read more books over time. Some people may read one physical book, one audiobook, and one ebook at the same time. Others may find that they enjoy reading one fiction book and one nonfiction book. Some may be able to balance five or even ten books at a time and read them all slowly. Give it a try and see what works for you.

The easiest way to increase the amount of books you read is simply to read more. The more time you spend reading or listening to books, the more books you will read. The only problem is there are too many great books to read during a lifetime.