Rochelle Almonte

1. Get in the mood

From my experience, one way that I use to get myself in the mood to read is to allow myself to miss reading. So, I would go on these reading breaks to focus on my other hobbies (playing instruments, playing the Sims 4, writing on the blog, watching, etc.). Then, after a while, I would just start thinking about the times when I used to read and then I start missing it.

2. Have easy access to books

I remember when I put all of my books in the basement because my bedroom was starting to be packed with things. That’s when I went on a four-year hiatus from reading. I mean, there were other factors, but it didn’t help that my books were far from where I usually spend most of the time in. Now that most of my books are in my bedroom again, it’s easy for me to just pick up one and start reading. Sometimes, just by looking at my bookshelves helps motivate me to start reading.

3. Think about the advantages of reading

Another factor that motivates me to read is by thinking about the advantages of reading. Because of books, my vocabulary improved and I gained so much knowledge whether I read fiction or non-fiction. Each genre taught me something about life, literature or it just pushed me to reflect on life.

4. Watch people read or read with friends

It’s also fun to read with friends. That’s how I first started reading a lot actually. Back in high school, I didn’t like reading at all, but my friends would always go to the library. So, one day, I picked up a book and it completely changed my life. A lot of booktubers host reading sprints and readathons, and I personally think that those help push you to read. I really like watching reading vlogs, and after watching one, I already feel like picking up a book.

5. Reward yourself after

When I say reward, I mean buying more books. I think you know, if you’re a reader, that it’s a struggle to stop yourself from buying and you just end up with piles of unread books in your home. What I try to do now is to read as many books as I can (from my bookshelves) and if I get read five books for example, I’ll allow myself to buy the same amount of books. On the contrary, if I don’t read, I can’t buy more books.