May 5th 2026 - Two Perspectives on How to Read More Books
Reading more books leads to understanding new perspectives, learning new things, and making your life more interesting in general. I've been doing my 1 per week method where I started reading 1 page of a book per day and increased the number of pages by 1 every week. I'm up to 5 pages per day now and I'm enjoying the experience. Some days I read more but I, other than a few misses, have been pretty consistent at hitting my minimum page count every day.
I also keep a reading summary repository of things I've reading or have read and you can find it here.
I found Ali Abdaal and Weezy Waiter's videos on their rules on how to read more books. As you can see some of the points overlap for both of them. Below are my notes on their points.
Ali Adbaal Rules for How to Read More Books
- The Pillow Rule: Keep a book on your bedside table and charge your phone outside the bedroom to remove digital distractions before sleep.
- Digital Environment Design: Move social media apps off your home screen and replace them with reading apps to make reading your default choice.
- The Multitasking Rule: Listen to audio books during menial or routine tasks to maximize your daily reading time.
- The Non-Monogamous Reader Rule: Read multiple books simultaneously across different formats so you can always choose content that matches your current energy level.
- Permission to Abandon: Stop reading books that do not hold your interest, as life is too short to force your way through unengaging material.
- Read What You Love: Prioritize reading what genuinely excites you over perceived "classics" to build the fundamental habit of enjoying books.
- Gamify the Process: Use tracking platforms like Goodreads to log your reading and see your progress, turning the habit into a motivating game.
- Read/Listen Faster: Increase playback speeds or train your reading pace to help you get through slower sections and consume more content.
- The Impulse Buy Rule: Treat book recommendations as instant purchases to ensure you always have interesting material ready when you are in the mood.
- Identity Shift: Stop viewing reading as a chore and start identifying as a "reader" to naturally guide your behavior during moments of downtime.
Reference
Weezy Waiter Rules for How to Read More Books
- Define your personal motivation for reading.
- Keep books easily accessible in all environments.
- Read multiple books simultaneously to match your current mood or setting.
- Always have your next book lined up before finishing the current one.
- Read in small, manageable chunks rather than requiring a grand ritual.
- Give yourself permission to quit books you aren't enjoying.
- Proactively choose a book over your phone during free time.
- Discover new books through varied sources rather than just curated 'must-read' lists.