“Read more.”  Perhaps that is easier said than done.  However, it doesn’t have to be. Reading is a great exercise of the mind.  It can be an excellent way to learn something new or old. It can increase your vocabulary or stimulate your imagination through far-off worlds.  The benefits of reading are numerous and reading more can be done! See below for some strategies to help you on your journey to reading more:

• Create an Excel document to help keep yourself organized.  You can easily make lists of books you own, books to read or borrow, genre lists or even keep track of how many pages you’ve read.
• Do you have a library card?  If not, go get one now, they are FREE!
• Don’t like to lug around heavy books all day?  Now that you have your new library card, you can take advantage of apps like HOOPLA or OverDrive.  These apps enable you to use your library card to gain access to thousands of ebooks, audiobooks, and movies.
• Explore the world of audiobooks.  If you desire to read more books you may need to listen to more books.  Audiobooks can be great to listen to while traveling or getting things done around the house.  (Audible; Audiobooks.com; Librivox)
• Kindle books can be another great tool to utilize for your reading pleasure.  Amazon Fire tablets can be purchased for as low as $50. The Kindle app can also be downloaded to a phone or computer.
• Check out your local bookstores or peruse the local thrift store to discover literary treasures.
• Download the Goodreads App from the Google Play store. This app allows you to track the books you’ve read, discover new books through booklists and genres, and connect with your friends by sharing lists and recommendations.
• Consider joining a bookclub. Many bookstores, libraries, coffee shops and local churches offer book clubs that  meet once a month or a few times a year. Reading and talking about books with others offers great accountability, deeper thinking about what you’ve read, and a chance to make new friends!

As you can see, reading more can be even more accessible in this age of technology.  I encourage you to make a goal for yourself this year to read more. I hope you found these tips useful and will explore some of the great resources available to you.  Happy reading!

-Dr Matt