Reading is a hobby many feel compelled to make more time for. It also shows up on many New Year's resolutions to read more books during the year. Whether you made a goal to enjoy more novels this year or are looking to reawaken an old hobby, here are a few tips to infuse daily reading into your life. 

Audiobooks

Listening to a book is a great way to increase pages read daily. There is no point in debating whether or not audiobooks count as reading. Studies show comprehension levels are the same, however getting into the audio format can be difficult at first. To help yourself pay attention while adapting, listen while doing mindless tasks like playing phone games, doing the dishes, or getting ready for the day. They're also a novel companion during a long drive. 

Audiobooks can get expensive, but you can check out the Libby app, a service that works in partnership with most local libraries.

Schedule It In

One of the best ways to get more reading done daily is to schedule it in. If you are mindful about adding a new task to your day, even if it's just 15 minutes, you're more likely to do it. You can slowly work up from there, and after a while, it becomes a habit. If you don't make a plan to fit in reading, you will find yourself scrolling through your phone for an hour or turning on the TV during those ideal periods of downtime. 

DNF

In the reading community, DNF stands for did not finish. If you aren't enjoying it, drop it. Much like listening to music or watching movies, you have to find your favorite tastes and genres. It sounds good to get into reading classics or nonfiction, but reading is supposed to be fun and relaxing. Maybe you prefer thrillers or sci-fi. If you're torturing yourself through a book, DNF and try something else. Some books do take a while to get into, but if you're 50% through and not having a good time, it's probably safe to call it quits. 

Drop the Goal

Have you considered not reading? You might find that you prefer turning off your brain and spending your downtime watching reality television. And there's nothing wrong with that. If you aren't in the mood to read, don't. Reading sounds like a good pastime, but there's no reason to force yourself to do it.

Looking for another hobby to try instead? Head over to the Olympus at Ross blog for more ideas.