by Rachael O’Byrne
“Adults who read for just 30 minutes a week are 20% more likely to report greater life satisfaction.”
Reading between the Lines: the Benefits of Reading for Pleasure, (Billington, J, 2015)
The above is a great statistic, but if only it were that easy to put reading your book at the top of the never-ending to-do list. Picking up a book, especially if it’s been a while, can seem a chore, but often once we find a good story, it’s hard to put your book down, and suddenly you find yourself thinking, “Oh, I remember how good this feels to get lost in a book, I should do this more often!”
Well, this is exactly how I feel; I run two Book Clubs for adults and sometimes struggle to find the motivation to stop scrolling on TikTok (I’ve just deleted the app for the twelfth time) and pick up my book.
So, for World Book Day, I’ve pulled together some tips from our Book Club members on how you can improve your life satisfaction by 20% through the power of books!
Join a Library
As the ancient proverb says, ‘Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card!’ Once you’ve registered with your local library, you have a great supply of new and classic books for free, and because there’s a time limit on how long you can keep them, it can really keep you motivated to finish the book! If you live in Liverpool, you can sign-up online.
The first 100 pages
Breaking into a book can be daunting as the story slowly starts to unfold and you begin to create a bond with the characters. Persevere through the first 100 pages, and it becomes much easier to finish. If I’m struggling, I listen to it on audiobook, which helps me understand the story; this can help when there are many storylines and characters, and I find it hard to keep track.
Set small realistic reading goals
While breaking into the first 100 pages makes it easier to finish a book, reading a little every day instead of absent-mindedly scrolling helps you form a new reading habit. Aim to read a few pages a day whether you’re on the bus, in the bath or waiting for your dinner to cook; try picking up your book instead of your phone.
But… you can’t put your phone down
Ok, it can be hard not to look at your phone, and it’s not always practical to have your book with you at all times. Try downloading an e-book app to read a few pages when you have a spare moment instead of doom-scrolling Twitter! Libby is a great free app; you can borrow free ebooks, digital audiobooks, and magazines from your library. All you need is your library card number to register!
Story Time isn’t just for the kids.
I recently shared with Book Club how, once a year, my partner and I choose a book to read together, with him reading out loud and doing all the different voices. After the giggles subsided, another member told us she had done this too and how it was ‘very romantic’ to be read to on holiday sitting outside a cafe, drinking coffee. I’m not sure when we collectively agreed that you must grow out of being read to, but we need to dispel this idea because it’s an absolute delight and a great shared experience.
Switch on the Audio
I’ve always enjoyed listening to speech radio, especially on Sundays when I do all my household chores. I’ve recently discovered the joy of listening to a book or short story on audible; it helps me get through the Sunday re-set much faster and makes it much more enjoyable.
Read Along
A member of our Book Club recently shared the idea of Relaxed Reading as a way to help you keep your focus; this is particularly good for people who read at night after a long day or during late-night baby feeds, switch on the audiobook (you may want to speed it up) and read along with the narrator.
Keep the focus
If my mind wanders while trying to finish a chapter, I’ll often switch on a Study Playlist on Spotify or YouTube. The calm and relaxing background piano music helps focus my mind so I can read in peace.
Join the club
Reading can be a wonderful shared experience, especially when you can share how much you loved or loathed the book with someone. From BookTok to Book Clubs, there are lots of ways to talk about your current read, pick up recommendations and stay motivated to finish your current book.
Creative Spaces Co. runs a monthly Book Club and Reading Folk - we’d love to welcome you!
Rachael O’Byrne
is a Director of Creative Spaces Co. and is currently reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead.