We all say we want to read more. Then life happens—WhatsApp, work, kids, Netflix—and another week disappears.
James Clear’s *Atomic Habits* gives us a simple truth: **small habits, repeated, beat big heroic efforts.** Let’s use that idea to design a reading habit that fits a real adult life.
Here are seven tiny reading habits you can start this week.
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## 1. Attach reading to a habit you already do
Don’t fight your brain. Attach reading to something that already happens every day:
– Morning coffee
– Commuting
– Lunch break
– Bedtime
> “After I make coffee, I read 5 pages.”
> “After I get into bed, I read for 10 minutes.”
That “After I…” formula is classic Habit Stacking from *Atomic Habits*.
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## 2. Make the first step laughably easy
Instead of “Read for 1 hour,” try:
– “Read *one page*.”
– Or “Open the book and read for 3 minutes.”
Most days you’ll naturally read more, but the bar is so low that you can win even on tired days.
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## 3. Keep your current book visible
If your book lives in a drawer, your habit dies.
Put your book:
– On your pillow
– Next to your coffee maker
– On your work desk
Make it easier to read than to open another app.
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## 4. Use a “friction-free” format
Physical books are lovely, but you might read more if the book is always with you:
– Kindle / ebook
– Audiobook during commute or chores
– Reading apps on your phone
The best format is the one you actually use.
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## 5. Create a simple tracking system
A basic habit tracker makes progress visible. You don’t need a fancy app:
– Draw a small calendar and cross off every day you read.
– Or write: “Mon – 6 pages, Tue – 12 pages” in your notebook.
The goal is to see a chain of wins you don’t want to break.
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## 6. Choose “rewarding” books
If you’re new to reading, don’t start with something extremely dense.
Pick books that are:
– Story-driven
– Short chapters
– Immediately useful (money, mindset, career)
That’s exactly the kind of list we curate at BluePack Journal—books that pay you back quickly in ideas and action.
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## 7. Have a “busy day backup”
Life will interrupt you. Plan for it.
Example rule:
> “On crazy days, I’ll at least read **one quote** from my current book.”
That keeps the habit alive psychologically, even if the session is tiny.
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**You don’t have to become a “book person” overnight**
Start small. Stack it on an existing habit. Track your wins. Choose books that get you excited about your own life.
Over a year, those 5–10 minute sessions compound into dozens of finished books—and a different version of you.
