How to Build a Daily Reading Habit That Lasts: 10 Practical Tips to Read More Books and Stay Consistent
You bought the book with the best intentions. Then work, dinner and a thousand notifications got in the way, and now it’s gathering dust on the nightstand. Sound familiar? You’re far from alone.
Why Fewer People Are Reading
If you’ve drifted away from books, millions have too. A 2025 UCL and University of Florida study found that Americans reading for pleasure on an average day fell from 28% in 2004 to 16% in 2023. The researchers pointed to digital media, economic pressure, shrinking leisure time and uneven access to books as possible factors. They couldn’t confirm a single cause.
Why does it matter? Reading for pleasure is widely seen as a support for mental health, empathy, creativity and lifelong learning. ucl
How Long Does a Habit Really Take?
Building a daily reading habit takes patience more than willpower. UCL researcher Phillippa Lally’s study found a new behaviour took 66 days on average to become automatic, with individuals ranging from 18 to 254 days. Missing a single opportunity didn’t significantly affect the process.
10 Practical Tips to Read More Books
- Start tiny. Ten pages or ten minutes is plenty. Small wins build momentum.
- Attach it to a cue. Read right after your morning tea or just before bed.
- Keep books in sight. A paperback on your pillow beats one hidden on a shelf.
- Park your phone. Leave it in another room for 20 minutes.
- Read for joy. Choose books you’re excited about, and quit the ones you’re not.
- Borrow time with audiobooks. Commutes and chores count.
- Use spare minutes. An e-reader turns queues and waiting rooms into reading time.
- Track your streak. Tick off each day on a wall calendar.
- Make it social. Co-author Daisy Fancourt suggests book clubs and accessible local libraries, so reading feels shared rather than isolated.
- Forgive slip-ups. Miss a day? Simply pick up again tomorrow.
Don’t try all ten at once. Pick two or three and add more gradually.
Beyond the Page
Co-author Jill Sonke calls reading a health behaviour linked to relaxation, well-being and mental health, and says society loses an easy health tool when people read less. Access isn’t the main barrier. E-book apps let people borrow library books on their phones, but other digital media is crowding out free moments. So skip the “50 books a year” pressure. Aim for tomorrow’s ten pages, then repeat.
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