In between those New Year's Resolutions to eat healthier and exercise more, why not give your brain a bit of a workout too?

Regular reading leads to positive impacts on your mental and emotional well-being, including slowing down cognitive decline, bolstering empathy and curiosity, improving your vocabulary and reducing stress. Reading can also help you get better sleep.

Like any habit or skill, you'll benefit from being consistent and prioritizing reading in your life. There’s no magic solution, but there are hacks to help you up your reading time in 2025.

How to read more this year

Between trying new formats, knowing when to put down the book and the best time to pick a new one up, these seven suggestions will benefit any reader – seasoned or rookie. For tips, I asked Al Woodworth, a senior editor at Amazon Books who reads hundreds of books a year, and Ryan Carr, a book influencer who read almost 70 books in 2024, almost double his 2023 total.

1. Set goals and intentions

Take a moment to reflect on why you want to read more in 2025. Is it because you want to join in on the BookTok fun? Need to get off your phone more? Is there a subject you want to learn about?

Woodworth suggests going behind the curtain to understand your motivations. If it’s quantity you’re after, set an annual or monthly goal on a book tracking app like Goodreads or Storygraph. Try joining a themed challenge, like USA TODAY’s Winter Book Challenge bingo sweepstakes.

Once you’ve got that, use it as a beacon.

“To me, it's that intentionality,” Woodworth says. “Realizing that there are so many moments throughout the day that you could read, it's just that you haven't maybe chosen to.”

2. The first 50 pages: Get a good first impression

I’m guilty of starting a new book right before I hit the hay, but Carr’s found a more efficient way – read at least 50 pages of a new book to get a feel for the characters, style and plot.

“Not every book is going to really grab you in on the first page or even the first chapter,” Carr says. “First impressions are important, of course, and I think it’s the same thing with books.”

3. Get into a groove

Like any new habit, routine is crucial.

Woodworth likes to read in bed for the first 30 minutes after she wakes up. Her commute time – 30 minutes on the New York City subway – is where she does much of her reading.

Carr, on the other hand, only reads relaxing poetry before bed. He’d rather prioritize reading time during the day on weekends and on his lunch break on weekdays.

“Reading before bed, sometimes you just fall right asleep,” he says. “That’s so common … but if you find that happening, then don’t read at home. Go to a coffee shop, get a coffee, read somewhere outside.”

4. Never leave the house without a book

Little moments of downtime are where we most often fall into the social media doomscroll. Keep a book in your bag or on an e-reader to yield a more enriching experience.

“It’s just a little bit of a mindshift,” says Woodworth. “Just have in your mind that, ‘Wait a minute, I want to be reading more and I want to be reading more today.’”

This doesn’t mean you need to lug heavy hardcovers around – experiment with format to see if e-reading or audiobooks are right for you. Woodworth says her “dirty secret” is reading from her Kindle app on her phone. I’m a big fan of audiobooks while folding laundry or washing dishes. You can even check out e-books from the library with platforms like Libby.

5. Create an ideal reading ambiance

When you get a few hours to sit and read, Carr recommends setting yourself up for success by keeping your phone out of close reach. Apps like Bookly have reading session functions where you can set a timer and play calming music.

When I’m at home, I find it helpful to settle into a routine in my favorite armchair with a cup of tea, a cozy blanket and some instrumental music. My favorites to listen to while I read are pianist Elijah Fox, the late Ethiopian composer Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru or movie soundtracks – “Little Women” from Alexandre Desplat makes for great atmospheric tunes.

6. Don’t like it? Don’t finish it!

Don’t be afraid to DNF – book slang for “did not finish.” It’s easy to slip into the stubborn cycle of completing a book you aren’t enjoying, but both Carr and Woodworth agree there are better uses of your time.

“If you're reading a book and you're not connecting with it, if it is not joyful, it's not grasping your attention, put it down and you can come back to it later,” Woodworth says. “Try to find a book that meets you in the moment. One book might meet you today, but it might not meet you tomorrow, and that's OK.”

Carr tries to get through at least half of the book before putting it down for good but says the best way to decide is to listen to yourself talk about the book. If he finds himself ranting more negatively than positively about a book, it’s a sign to try something new.

It’s also helpful to reframe a DNF – rather than seeing it as a failure to finish, view it as an opportunity to learn a little bit more about what you like and don't like.

“I’m an advocate for it,” Carr says. “I think that there’s a real strength in honing your taste.”

7. Tap into a reading community

Reading is a solitary activity, but being a reader doesn’t have to be.

Ask family and friends for recommendations – it's a conversation starter with the people you love, plus they likely know your tastes well enough to recommend a good fit. Woodworth recommends being specific with your asks to other readers so you land on a story you’ll connect with. Tell them when you want a book that’ll make you laugh versus one that’ll keep you up at night.

You can also get on BookTok, have a conversation with a local bookseller, join a book club or browse a book's Reddit discussion thread to feel a part of something bigger.

How to start a book club: 6 tips to get your reading group off the ground

Looking for your next great read? USA TODAY has you covered.

Taste is subjective, and USA TODAY Books has plenty of genres to recommend. Check out the 15 new releases we’re most excited about in 2025. Is dystopian your thing? Check out these books that are similar to “The Hunger Games” and “1984.” Or if you want something with lower stakes and loveable characters, see if a "cozy mystery" or "cozy fantasy" book is for you. If you want the most popular titles, check out USA TODAY’s Best-selling Booklist.

Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY’s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, check out her recent articles or tell her what you’re reading at cmulroy@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to read more this year: Tips to get books into your life