It’s no secret that I love reading. For me, there has never been anything better than finding a great book and spending the whole day reading it cover to cover. Within a typical month, I am able to get through three to four books. That being said, a question that I am constantly asked is how I am able to read so much. It’s a well-known fact that it can be easy to lose motivation when you’re reading and trust me I have definitely been there and can still find myself there quite often.

Luckily, within recent years, I’ve found a couple of ways to really enjoy whatever it is that I’m reading. It all has to do with routine. That’s right guys, adding some quality reading time to your daily list of tasks can easily make you a more avid reader.

This will always be my first tip; add reading to your schedule. The best way to accomplish this is by fitting time into the part of the day that works best for you. Trying to jam reading time into a busy schedule can often make reading feel like a chore, and that’s the exact opposite of what you want your reading experience to be.

My second tip is to leave your phone in another room. This is probably the most effective advice I can offer. When we have our phones sitting right next to us while we are trying to get into a story it can be really difficult to focus. If my phone is in the room while I’m trying to read, there’s a very big possibility that I am going to be distracted by every notification I receive. Just leave your phone in a different room, I promise it’ll be there when you get back.

This next piece of advice is all about comfort. The environment you read in has a very big impact on what you get out of your novel, so make it yours! If reading in bed is the height of luxury for you, then awesome! If you can’t read in bed because you’ll fall asleep too fast, then don’t. Read on the couch or go outside and sit in the sun. It all depends on your personal preference. I always choose the couch next to the window early in the morning, it’s a really dreamy escape. Sigh.

Last but certainly not least: read something you’re interested in. This always seems like a given, but you’d be surprised at how many people read books they don’t enjoy. Everyone wants to read a New York Times bestseller, but this might be the exact opposite of where your personal tastes lie.

If you don’t like a book, you don’t have to finish it… but if you really don’t like leaving books unfinished (because same girl, same) then try putting it down and reading something in between. This has helped me so many times when I’ve been stuck on a book I wasn’t enjoying. Reading should always be a fun experience, not a laborious one.

Good luck with all of your novel endeavors (see what I did there?) and let me know in the comments if you have any tips that boost your reading metabolism (boom there’s another one). Happy reading!