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Reading is an essential skill in life and reading regularly is a habit that we highly recommend. You might be thinking that you’re already reading things for school so do you need to read more? Well, reading for pleasure has a lot of additional benefits. Reading is also a hobby that many people around the world enjoy.
Before we share some tips on how to build good reading habits, let us first understand the many benefits that reading brings.
Why Is Reading Important?
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Firstly, reading helps expand your knowledge and learn new things. This can happen whether you’re reading fiction or non-fiction materials. Without needing to travel, reading can give us insights on different people, places and cultures. Therefore, your general knowledge can improve considerably if you pick up the good habit of reading.
As English is the most widely used language in the world, reading in English enables you to access reading materials written by people all around the world. You can also find reading materials in English for practically any topic that you’re interested in.
Besides that, the more you read, the better your writing skills will be. This is because reading helps expand your vocabulary and can demonstrate proper use of grammar. You’ll also find examples of how popular phrases and English slang are used in a sentence. Ultimately, reading can help you learn how to improve your English essays.
In addition, with the right amount of imagination, you can bring a story to life in your mind, especially when the story is well-written. That is why reading can also help boost your creativity. So the next time you’re writing something, you will have more ideas to refer to.
Tips To Build Good Reading Habits
Tip 1: Make reading a regular habit
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The first tip to build good reading habits is to have a regular reading routine. What this means is that you set aside some time in your day or week to read. Some people read before bedtime to unwind while others multitask and read while on the bus or eating. The key is to find a time that works for you.
Tip 2: Set reading goals
Besides scheduling time to read, you’re also encouraged to set a daily or weekly reading goal. Whether you aim to read one news article a day or two chapters from a book a week, you decide what’s suitable for you. Just remember to be realistic about your reading goal. You can always start small and slowly increase the amount you read as you build up good reading habits.
Reminder: Your reading goals should be there to guide and motivate you but it’s ok to be flexible when you need to. However, if you keep finding it hard to achieve them, you may want to consider adjusting your reading goals.
Tip 3: Mix up your reading materials
To keep your reading sessions interesting, you can also alternate between different types of reading materials such as books, articles, short stories, poems, social media posts, and the list goes on. This way, you will get to expose yourself to different styles of writing and different types of information. If you’re unsure where to find reading materials suitable for English learners, click here for some English stories that you can use to improve your English.
Tip 4: Know your interest
Are you someone who loves to learn more about the lives of others? If you are, then autobiographies and blog posts would be right up your alley. Do you like keeping up with current affairs or politics? Start your day by reading full-length news and opinion articles. Choosing to read topics that you’re interested in will help you maintain your good reading habits.
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When looking for books to read, choose the ones that fall under your favourite genres. If you don’t know what genre of books you might enjoy, you can ask yourself what type of films you like best. For example, if you like watching horror movies, try finding books in the same genre. If your favourite film or tv series is adapted from books, go check the books out! Learning more about your favourite characters could be the extra encouragement you need for you to build up good reading habits.
Tip 5: Find a good spot
If you always find yourself distracted when you’re reading, maybe you need an environment that will allow you to immerse yourself in your reading. Find a comfortable and relatively quiet spot before you start reading.
You can also play some music while you read. There are many playlists on Spotify that are specifically curated to be listened to while reading. It’s no coincidence that many bookshops tend to have instrumental or acoustic music playing in the background. Books and music go well together and are great companions to help you relax after a hectic day or week.
Tip 6: Find a reading buddy
Reading doesn’t have to be a lonely activity. Find friends who like to read and you can encourage each other to keep up good reading habits and share reading recommendations.
You could also spend time reading together or talk about the things that you’ve read. Many people have bonded over their love for reading, so your reading buddy could be your next best friend in the making!