10 Weird Hacks for Lazy People Who Want to Read More

Let’s be honest – most reading advice is written by people who already love books and have somehow convinced themselves that everyone else just needs to “find their passion for literature.” But what if you’re fundamentally lazy, easily distracted, and would rather binge Netflix than crack open a book? What if you want to read more but your brain keeps sabotaging you at every turn?

I’ve been there. This past few months, I turned into the person with good intentions and a growing pile of unread books collecting dust on my nightstand. But through trial, error, and embracing my inherently lazy nature instead of fighting it, I discovered some unconventional strategies that actually work. These aren’t your typical “set aside an hour each morning” suggestions – these are weird, practical hacks for people who want to read more without completely overhauling their lives.

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1. Cancel Your Streaming Services (Yes, Really)

This sounds extreme, but hear me out. The problem isn’t that we don’t have time to read – it’s that we have too many appealing alternatives. When you’re tired after work, reaching for the remote is infinitely easier than opening a book.

I cancelled Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max in one fell swoop. Suddenly, when peace / boredom struck, books became the most convenient entertainment option. The key is making reading the path of least resistance, not the path of most virtue. You don’t have to cancel everything forever – try it for just one month and see what happens. The money you save can fund your new reading habit anyway.

2. Get a Kindle + Kindle Unlimited

Physical books are beautiful, but they’re also heavy, require good lighting, and take up space. When laziness is your default mode, convenience is king. A Kindle weighs nothing, holds thousands of books, and has a built-in light. Kindle Unlimited gives you access to over a million titles for about $10 a month – less than two gourmet coffees.

The real magic happens when you can download a new book instantly at 2 AM because you’re bored, or when you’re stuck waiting somewhere and realize you have an entire library in your pocket. Impulse reading becomes as easy as impulse shopping, which is perfect for lazy people who live in the moment.

Originally, I got the smallest six inch Kindle for the sake of travel and not having to store books in my tiny apartment. Boxes of books dispersed amongst all my other material belongings when moving across the country were the biggest pain in the back – literally. 

3. Gather All Your Print Material

Here’s where it gets weird: collect every magazine, newspaper, pamphlet, and random printed thing you encounter and create a “reading basket” in your living room. One of my goals is to read all the books, workbooks from masterclasses, and any sort of printed material with articles I have been meaning to read. There are multiple reasons for this.

1. I was gifted a handful of books that seem like great reads.
2. I am subscribed to a political publication (The Spectator) that is filled with incredible prose and insight.

I try to finish all of these as fast as possible before having to lean on my Kindle.

When you’re too tired for a book but still want to read something, you can grab whatever’s on top. Sometimes you’ll discover fascinating articles about topics you never would have sought out. Plus, there’s something satisfying about clearing through physical items – it feels productive even when you’re being lazy.

4. Subscribe to Print Material

I have one print subscription mentioned along with why previously – The Spectator. When travelling on long or short haul journeys, flitting from article to article keeps me engaged because the writing is so good. The information on top is simply an added bonus. 

The predominant reason for The Spectator’s print version being sent to my home even though I already have the digital app is because it does not run out of battery. I do not have to worry about charging my Kindle, iPad, or iPhone when needing it for travel. It is a nuisance to have extra devices to charge especially abroad in a different voltage.

While everyone else is going digital, lean into physical subscriptions. Get magazines delivered to your door – whether it’s WIRED, National Geographic, or something completely random like Beekeeping Today. Physical magazines have a psychological weight that makes them feel more important than digital articles we scroll past.

The beauty of subscriptions is they arrive whether you asked for them or not. When new reading material just appears in your mailbox, it removes the decision-making process entirely. You don’t have to choose what to read – it chooses you. 

5. Get a Portable Reading Light

This sounds mundane, but it’s a game-changer. How many times have you wanted to read but didn’t because the lighting wasn’t quite right? A small, clip-on LED light eliminates every lighting excuse. You can read in bed without disturbing your partner, read during your lunch break in a dim office, or read outside without squinting.

Recently, I purchased one for $6 on Amazon and it has so many settings for your preferred ambiance. There is a cool tone with various dimmable degrees, a neutral tone, and warm tone light. The goal is to remove every possible barrier between you and reading. When you can read anywhere, anytime, you’ll be surprised how often you actually do it. Now you have zero excuse not to read.

6. Bonus: Carry a Pen

Always have a pen with you when reading. Not to take notes or write profound insights, but to circle interesting words, underline funny sentences, or draw little stars next to sections you favour. This transforms passive reading into an active experience without requiring any real effort or intelligence.

Post-its of all sizes are your friend to mark all of your favourite spots, your current location, and new words to expand your vocabulary. I have so much more fun with a pen over lead pencil, because I write with intention and do not give myself the ability to make mistakes. It is a sign of a polished individual who cares for accuracy of detail. Pencil is great for not bleeding ink through, but it fades. Thinner nib size for ink is recommended to avoid bleed-through. 

If you prefer a highlighter or no writing instrument at all – to each their own. As long as you get what you want out of what you are reading. Plus, when you lend a book to someone, they’ll think you’re incredibly thoughtful and engaged. I always loved finding funny notes in my textbooks growing up that made me excited to turn the pages.

7. Journal About It (Barely)

Don’t write book reports or deep analyses – just keep a simple list of what you’ve read with one-sentence reactions. “The Hunger Games – better than the movies” or “That article about penguins – penguins are weird.” Take it a stretch further – “The penguins are weird because X, Y, Z.” 

This minimal journaling serves two purposes: it gives you a sense of accomplishment as your list grows, and it helps you remember what you’ve actually read. Sometimes I look back at my list and genuinely surprise myself with how much I’ve consumed. It is said that what we retain from books is less than 60%. 

I love going back and reading the same material, but also finding my own synopsis from the past shows me a different perspective over time. Usually what occurs is I realise I am not as involved in constructive thinking as I once was. It is a great mini awakening. 

8. Ask Friends for Recommendations

This is social reading without the commitment of a book club. Text your friends asking for article links, book suggestions, or interesting things they’ve read recently. People love sharing recommendations, and you’ll discover content you never would have found on your own. The book also makes you feel closer with your loved ones. Or you can lose all respect for them when you get to the last page. 

The social element adds a layer of accountability without pressure. When someone recommends something, you feel slightly obligated to read it, which can be exactly the motivation lazy people need. It also shows you the interests of those around you, eliciting memories of them when you come across the written piece. Giving it more considerable appeal in a way. 

9. Audiobooks Are Your Friend

This might be controversial, but audiobooks absolutely count as reading. Listen while doing dishes, commuting, exercising, or lying in bed with your eyes closed. You can “read” while being completely physically lazy, which is the holy grail for people like us. Or shall I only speak for myself?

Some books work better as audiobooks anyway – memoirs read by the authors, books with strong narrative voices, or anything that benefits from pacing and tone. I especially appreciate when the author reads their words directly, because then I can hear how it was supposed to be written. Not some dog-waste job an actor was hired to do and botched it. I do not think like the author or anyone I know, so I genuinely want to know their thoughts in their voice. 

Don’t let audiobook snobs make you feel guilty about this perfectly legitimate form of reading. Do what you want to get to your goal. Not everyone has the patience to read as much as they wish. Take this as your first step. Especially if you have long commutes. 

10. Read During TV and Smoke Breaks

Instead of scrolling your phone during commercial breaks or while waiting for your show to buffer, grab whatever reading material is nearby. These micro-reading sessions add up surprisingly quickly. Even five minutes here and there can help you finish articles or make progress through books.

This technique might be a touch tendentious, but when I started getting into reading again as an adult with my first apartment on my own as an 18 year old, I would read in between commercial breaks. This actually helped me blast through the entire nonfiction section of Apple Books on my iPad mini. Because I dedicated my time from endless ads to celebrity memoirs and military history, I ended up reading well into the hundreds in one year. 

As I earned more money, I started smoking cigars for about 30-45 minutes at a time depending on the make. Nicholas Foulkes calls it a power breakfast, and I would take it with sweetened coffee to not immediately eliminate the flavours of the cigar. It made reading a ritual that I cared about even more, because of everything else that went into it. 

Smoking is so Sex and the City in 1999. Do not smoke. Do as I say, not as I do. 

The key is having reading material strategically placed around your living space – or next to you – so it’s always within arm’s reach. When reading becomes as convenient as checking [insert social media platform here], you’ll find yourself doing it more often. 

The Lazy Person’s Reading Revolution

The secret to reading more isn’t developing discipline or finding your passion – it’s designing your environment and habits around your natural laziness. Instead of fighting your impulses, work with them. Make reading convenient, remove barriers, and give yourself credit for any engagement with written material, no matter how brief or shallow.

These strategies work because they acknowledge a fundamental truth: lazy people aren’t broken or wrong, they’re just optimizing for ease and convenience. When you make reading the easiest option available, you’ll be amazed how much your consumption increases.

Start with one or two of these hacks and see what happens. You might just trick yourself into becoming the well-read person you always thought you should be – without actually becoming any less lazy in the process.

What weird reading hacks have worked for you? Are there any strategies on this list you’re excited to try? Let me know if you want more unconventional advice for building better habits without the self-improvement nonsense.