How to Train Yourself to Be a Reader

Most people say they want to read more. But when they open a book, their mind drifts to their phone, their to-do list, or that show they haven’t finished. It’s not that they’re lazy. It’s that reading isn’t trained like a muscle-it’s treated like a chore. The truth? Being a reader isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you build, day by day, like learning to ride a bike or cook a meal. And like any skill, it starts with small, repeatable actions.

Start with five minutes a day

You don’t need to read for an hour. You don’t need to finish a book a week. You just need to sit with a book for five minutes. That’s it. Set a timer. Sit in the same spot-your favorite chair, the kitchen counter, your bed before lights out. Open the book. Read one paragraph. Then stop. No guilt. No pressure. No checklist.

Why five minutes? Because your brain resists big changes. It sees "read a book" and thinks, "That’s too much." But "read for five minutes"? That feels harmless. And once you start, you’ll often keep going. You’ll turn the page. Then another. Before you know it, you’ve read 20 minutes. That’s not luck. That’s momentum.

Try this: Pick one time of day that’s already fixed-right after brushing your teeth, during your coffee break, or while waiting for your kid’s soccer practice. Attach reading to that moment. Don’t wait for "free time." Free time doesn’t exist. You create it by stacking habits.

Choose books you actually want to read

Too many people think they should read "important" books. Classics. Philosophy. Self-help that sounds like a lecture. But if you’re forcing yourself through a book you hate, you’re not training yourself to read-you’re training yourself to avoid reading.

Start with what pulls you in. Mystery novels. Graphic novels. Memoirs of athletes. Books about space, cooking, or how your favorite band got started. If you’re curious about something, that’s your book. You don’t need permission to read what you enjoy.

Go to a library or bookstore. Don’t look at the "Bestsellers" shelf. Walk past it. Look at the shelves labeled "True Crime," "Sci-Fi," "Cookbooks," or "Poetry." Pick up a book. Read the first page. If your eyes don’t glaze over, take it home. If you don’t like it after 30 pages, put it down. No shame. That’s not failure. That’s data. You just learned what doesn’t work for you.

There’s no hierarchy in reading. A comic book about a detective can teach you more about pacing and emotion than a dense academic text you dread. Your brain doesn’t care about prestige. It cares about engagement.

Make reading visible

Out of sight, out of mind. If your books are buried in a box, on a high shelf, or tucked away in a closet, your brain won’t remember they exist. Make reading easy to see and easy to reach.

Keep one book on your nightstand. One on your coffee table. One in your bag. If you have a Kindle, set it to show your current book as the home screen. Put a bookmark in it so you don’t have to hunt for your place. When you see the book, your brain starts to associate it with relaxation, curiosity, or escape-not obligation.

People who read regularly don’t have more discipline. They just make reading the path of least resistance. You don’t need to be motivated. You just need to make it obvious.

Track your progress, not your pages

Don’t count how many pages you read. Don’t track how many books you finish. That’s how you burn out.

Instead, track consistency. Use a simple calendar. Put a big red X on each day you read-even if it was just five minutes. After a week, you’ll have seven X’s. After a month, you’ll have 30. That’s not just progress. That’s proof you’re building a habit.

Studies show that people who mark their progress on a calendar are more likely to stick with a habit for over two years. Why? Because each X is a win. It’s not about the content. It’s about showing up. Your brain starts to crave that streak. You don’t want to break it.

Read with your eyes, not your phone

The biggest enemy of reading isn’t boredom. It’s distraction. Your phone is designed to steal your attention. Every notification, every scroll, every alert rewires your brain to crave quick hits of stimulation.

When you sit down to read, put your phone in another room. Or at least turn on Do Not Disturb and flip it face down. If you’re using an e-reader, turn off Wi-Fi. If you’re reading a physical book, leave your phone charging in the kitchen.

Give yourself five minutes of uninterrupted focus. No multitasking. No checking messages. Just you and the words. That’s the training. Your brain learns that reading isn’t something you do while doing something else. It’s something you do alone-with your full attention.

Let yourself reread

There’s no rule that says you have to read a book once and move on. In fact, rereading is one of the most powerful habits a reader can develop.

Think about music. You don’t listen to your favorite song once and then never play it again. You come back to it. Books are the same. A sentence you skimmed the first time might hit you differently the second time. A character you didn’t understand might suddenly make sense. You’re not wasting time. You’re deepening your connection to the story.

Keep a small shelf of books you’ve read and loved. When you’re feeling stuck or tired, pick one up. Revisit a chapter. You’ll be surprised how much you remember-and how much more you notice.

Read out loud sometimes

Reading silently is fine. But every once in a while, read out loud. Even if you’re alone. Even if it feels silly.

When you speak the words, your brain engages differently. You hear the rhythm. You feel the pacing. You notice the author’s voice. It turns reading from a passive act into a performance. It makes the story come alive.

This is especially helpful with poetry, short stories, or books with rich dialogue. Try reading a page aloud before bed. You’ll remember it better. And you might find yourself smiling at a line you missed the first time.

Don’t wait for inspiration

You don’t need to feel like reading. You don’t need to be in the mood. That’s the myth. People who read regularly don’t wait for inspiration. They show up even when they’re tired, distracted, or busy.

Reading isn’t about feeling inspired. It’s about building a relationship with your own mind. The more you do it, the more your brain starts to crave it. You’ll find yourself looking forward to your five minutes. You’ll notice quiet moments in your day where you used to reach for your phone-and now you reach for a book.

This isn’t about becoming a scholar. It’s about becoming someone who can sit with their thoughts. Who can slow down. Who can get lost in another world without needing to check in.

What happens when you stick with it

After a few months, you’ll notice things you didn’t expect. You’ll find yourself thinking about a character’s choice while making coffee. You’ll catch yourself using a phrase from a book in conversation. You’ll feel calmer after reading, even if it was just ten minutes.

You’ll start to notice patterns. How authors build tension. How sentences flow. How silence can be more powerful than dialogue. You won’t be reading to impress anyone. You’ll be reading because it’s become part of how you think.

And that’s the real win. You’re not just reading books. You’re building a quieter, sharper, more curious version of yourself.