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Building a reading habit as an adult

Updated: Jul 27, 2020

Reading is a habit that appears in every list of must-have habits to be successful. Most avid readers talk about a reader in their lives that they followed as a child- a parent, a relative, or a sibling. It's easier to form a habit as a child because as children all we try to do is copy the adults around us. But are you one of those people who didn't get inspired to pick up a book as a child? Would you like to develop this habit of reading as an adult?


Let me guide you through a few actionable steps that can help you build a reading habit. These steps are based on the science of habit formation from the book 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear.

Your path to forming any habit is a 4 step loop which has to be repeated many times for you to establish a habit. The 4 step loop starts with the cue or the trigger that signals the brain that action needs to be taken. Then comes the craving for the action which leads to a response which is the habit itself. If the habit is rewarding, the habit loop is closed and you are more likely to repeat this action. Now let's look at how you can use this 4 step loop to develop a reading habit.


Cue A cue can be a certain time, a location, a reminder, or even a motivational quote on your wall - it is something that tells your brain that action is due. Specific cues work better than vague resolutions that go ' I will start reading from tomorrow'. You can use google calendar to schedule fixed reading times and locations during the day. This way the google reminder can be used as the cue for your action. If you plan to read before bedtime, you can place a book on your bed and use it as a cue. Your reading habit is more likely to survive if you give it a time and space to live.

Craving For your brain to crave a certain action it should be attractive. Make a list of topics that you genuinely enjoy or would like to know more about. If you enjoy thrillers, you should start with thrillers, rather than going for classics. If you are interested in personal development, you can go for self-help books. If you are entirely new to reading in English, you must choose books that are written in simple language. If you do not like the first book that you try, make sure that you switch to a different book, and not bore yourself with a book that you do not find attractive. Do not aim at long hours of reading in the beginning. It is wiser to choose smaller reading slots (10-20 minutes) so that the action stays attractive and does not become a chore. You can also make the experience more attractive by developing a ritual around it, for example having a hot chocolate/ tea/ coffee while you read.


Response For you to pick up a book and read, you must provide yourself with a low or no-friction environment for reading. You should build an environment where reading is the easier thing to do. Ideally this should be a cozy and comfortable spot away from effortless and passive entertainment media like your TV and mobile phones. This way you can also give your undivided attention to the book you are reading.

Reward The final step that closes the loop is the reward. Reading a book can be rewarding in many ways- it can satisfy your craving for being entertained, distract you from your worries, it can also reward you with more knowledge about something. Your books should be chosen wisely so that the reward is real. Using apps like Goodreads to track the books you read can also make you you feel accomplished every time you finish a book. Such apps can also help you find your next rewarding read. Making a simple habit tracker and ticking off each day of reading is also another way of making it a rewarding experience, especially when you are a beginner.

Try these steps out for a month and you'll see that you have a new addition to your list of habits and many new words to your vocabulary. Happy Reading!

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1 Comment


Rinu Abraham M
Rinu Abraham M
Jul 26, 2020

Nice article. Very useful 😃🙌

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