How to Read More in 2013

Every Jan. 1, millions of Americans make resolutions of all kinds: lose weight, quit smoking, learn to play an instrument, go to church every Sunday, cut out processed foods, stop gossiping, carpool to work, go back to school, study more, smile more, make a new friend, have family dinners every night...etc., etc., etc.

I've always thought that the best resolutions are those that call for doing more of something positive. Spending more time with family. Saying more positive things about other people. Praying more. Exercising more. After all, when you increase the positive behaviors and thoughts in your life, the not-so-positive ones tend to decrease anyway. When you eat more fruits, vegetables, and grains, you'll inevitably eat fewer processed junk foods. And when you spend more time reading, you'll likely spend less time watching bad TV, surfing the Internet aimlessly, or continuously snacking just because you're bored. 

Of course, "reading more" is easier said than done. It's time-consuming, and resolutions that require us to change a long-standing routine are always the trickiest to keep up with. It's easy to fall into the "I just don't have time to _____ (go to the gym, go back to school, cook dinner every night, read every day)" trap. But adapting a new positive behavior isn't about finding time; it's about making time.

Think about all the things that we regularly make time for in our lives: taking a shower, brushing our teeth, eating lunch, going to work, talking to a friend or family member on the phone, watching The Bachelor or Monday Night Football, checking Facebook, grocery shopping, or sleeping. Why do we give these things pieces of our precious time? Sometimes it's because they're necessary for survival. Other times it's because they make us feel more accepted by society. Occasionally we (hopefully) make time things just because we just really enjoy them. Whatever the reason, it's clear that we are capable of making time in our lives for things that we consider to be priorities. So maybe adapting a new positive behavior, like reading every day or reading more, is simply a matter of making reading a priority. 


Here are some tips to help you and your family make reading a part of your daily routine in 2013:

• Establish a time of day when you will read regularly. For example, you might decide to read for 20 minutes before bed every night. 
• Read short stories, poetry, articles, or novellas. These shorter reading materials make it easier to read a little bit at a time, and they can be less intimidating than long novels or nonfiction books. 
• Give yourself time to get into a new book. If you only have five minutes with a new book, you probably won't have enough time to really get into it. Do yourself a favor and give yourself enough time to become engaged. 
• Read together with a family member. Having someone else to be accountable to will help you stay motivated to read. (Alternatively, you could read the same book at the same time as a friend or family member and help each other stay motivated to make regular progress.)
• Read material that really interests you. Don't feel like you "should" or "shouldn't" read certain material. Read what you like, and it will help you to stay excited about reading every day. 
• Read something suspenseful. They call them "page-turners" for a reason! 
• Find a friend with similar reading tastes who can recommend new materials. 
• Keep a book nearby you at all times. Have a book by your bedside, or keep one in your bag to read when you're waiting for an appointment. (Or if you have a smartphone or e-reader, you can always have a book only a click away!)
• Don't feel bad about giving up on a book that you don't enjoy. Reading should never feel like punishment.