How to build a reading habit: start with ten minutes

Pick a time and a place

Attach reading to something you already do every day: the first cup of coffee, lunch, or the half hour before bed. A fixed slot is easier to keep than “when I have time.”

If you read in bed, make the habit part of a calm evening. The National Institute on Aging suggests a regular bedtime routine and lists reading a book among ways to relax before sleep.

• A chair with good back support and a lamp that lights the page without glare.
• Your book and a bookmark left where you will see them.
• Phone on silent or in another room for the ten minutes.

Choose a book you actually want to read

Pick something because the subject, the author or the first page draws you in. Short story collections, essays and memoirs with short chapters are easy to read in ten-minute sittings.

Librarians will recommend books if you tell them what you enjoyed recently. You can also read the first few pages in the library or a free ebook sample before you commit.

Borrow for free: print, large print and audio

Your public library is the cheapest way to read widely. Most libraries lend large-print books and audiobooks as well as regular print.

Libby, the library reading app from OverDrive, is free to install and free to borrow with a valid library card. It works on phones, tablets and in a web browser, and digital loans return themselves on the due date, so there are no late fees.

If low vision or a physical disability makes print hard to use, the Library of Congress National Library Service offers a free braille and talking-book service. Books can be downloaded or mailed to your door at no cost. A doctor, nurse, therapist, librarian or social worker can certify eligibility.

Your first ten-minute session

• Sit down at your chosen time with the book already open at the first page.
• Read for ten minutes. A kitchen timer helps if you tend to lose track.
• Stop, or carry on if you want to. Both count.
• Leave the bookmark in and the book in the same spot for tomorrow.

When your attention wanders

Go back to the last paragraph you remember and pick up from there. If it keeps happening, the book may be wrong for now: switch to something shorter or lighter.

You are allowed to stop a book you are not enjoying. The habit matters more than finishing any single title.

Keep a simple reading note

Write the title, the date you started and one line you liked. Over a few months the list becomes a record of your year and a handy answer when friends ask for a recommendation.

A book you enjoyed is also an easy reason to get together. See our ideas for planning an afternoon with a friend.