How to build a daily reading habit when you're busy

Updated 4 November 2026 · 5 minute read

Start with ten pages or ten minutes

Ten pages a day adds up to a book every month or two, depending on length. You can start with five.

Seven tips

1. Pick an anchor. After coffee or before bed.
2. Keep the book where you sit. On the pillow or the desk, not on a shelf.
3. Move the phone. Charge it away from the bed if you read at night.
4. Choose books you want to read. You can quit boring ones.
5. Carry a book or an e-reader. Use waiting time.
6. Log the habit. A tick for "read 10 pages".
7. Review monthly. Note what you finished.

When you have no time

Use a minimum of one page. A two minute habit still counts. See habit stacking for ways to attach it to your day.