If you can read with a speed of 300 words per minute, you would need approximately 7 hours to complete Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, 6 hours for Life of Pi by Yann Martel, 3 hours for The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 12 hours for Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, 22 hours for Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Put that in perspective, to read some of the most popular books in history, you need one day of intensive reading. There are always insanely long books that are impossible to read in such a short time, like Harry Potter (approximately 61 hours) or The Song of Fire and Ice (approximately 100 hours). But for some of the medium sized, normal books, it is possible to read them in a day or two.
With that being said, do the math, and it is very possible to read one book every week. Books are excellent source for information, inspiration, learning and a lot more we have no place to stress enough about. Reading books and finishing them provides a warm feeling inside, it gives you amazing ideas and it encourages you to think more thoroughly. So, how to read one book per week?
Choose a book
First things first, you need to choose a book with reasonable size. You should have an idea how much you can read. However, the average book is 250-400 pages long. And when choosing a book, you need an interesting one. A boring book will stop you from reading it. Go for a book from an author you know, a book that has been recommended to you by someone, or read few reviews online to find a book that is suitable for your taste.
Do the math and stick to it
Once you’ve chosen the book, see how many pages the book has. Divide the number with seven (the number of days in the week), and start reading. But most importantly, try to stick to the number of pages you’ve set as standard. Even if you fall behind, you can make it up. However, try not to fall behind on the first day. Like with everything else, the beginning is extremely important. If you fall behind on the first day, it creates pressure and stress for the following days. If you read the projected amount of pages on the first day, it is easier to go from there. Feel free to read more pages per day. For example, sometimes the chapter in the book finishes after the amount you’ve set. You cannot stop at half. Read the full chapter.
Create a routine
You need a routine for reading. For example, get up, shower, get breakfast, than read a few pages, then go to work or similar. Or drink coffee in the morning and read 20-30 pages. Some say it is best to do your reading in the morning, as early as possible. However, not everyone is a morning person. The best is to read at your peak. Read when you have the most energy and focus. By now you probably know if you are a morning, afternoon or night person. Read when it is suitable for you.
Use every moment
Carry your book with you, and use spare moments and free time to read. Lunch break, riding the bus/train, walk in the park, all those are moments you can use to wrap up several pages. However, try not to sacrifice time for reading. Don’t fall into the trap of becoming isolated. Try to balance things out.
Conclusion
Reading is a rewarding feeling. Especially the moment you close the book, you take a moment to cherish the feeling and everything you’ve read.