How Many Books Can You Read If You Read 30 Minutes a Day?

If you read for thirty minutes every day, you’ll read about 20 to 30 pages daily. By the end of the first week, you’ll have read about 200 pages, the approximate size of one book. Depending on book-length, that’s between 40 and 52 books in a year.

Do you read in-depth and as often as you should or would like? And have you tried making a reading habit but failed miserably? 

While Dr. Maxwell Maltz suggested that you need 21 days to adopt a habit, the European Journal of Social Psychology says that one size fits all doesn’t work. The more complex a task is, the more work it requires to become a habit. 

It takes approximately 66 days on average for a practice to stick. To be specific, some people will take 18 days and others 254 to pick a habit.

Perfection is a joy killer, and progress is what counts. You don’t have to sit for long hours to read many books. The 30 mins everyday habit is surprisingly enough for those who would like to adopt the practice.

This post is for those who want to start reading regularly. It will explore how many books you can read if you read 30 minutes every day. That includes the number of words and pages a person can cover in those 30 mins.

How many books can you read if you read 30 minutes a day?

The average reader covers about 300 words per minute, which averages about a book per week. If you are consistent, that should be 52 books in a year. These figures relate to speed reading tests and James Clear’s tried and tested book reading strategy.

The average American will only read 12 books in a year, but some people do not read at all. 

Readers who have mastered the art of speed reading average 400 words or more per minute. They will most likely read about 55 books or more in a year if they read for 30 minutes every day.

You must remember that the aim is in-depth reading and not going through the pages. You retain as much content as possible to add more knowledge for self-improvement. 

If you have problems retaining content, you could start by following these easy steps

Read what interests you at the moment. If you feel the urge to gain more friends or increase your productivity, read books in that genre. Pick books that speak to your current situation, stage in life, and desires, such as learning how to cook.

Be sure to change the genres of the books you are reading. Reading too much of the same topic could quickly bore you and decrease the urge to finish a book.

Read early in the morning before distractions and a long to-do list quenches the desire to read. Perhaps that’s the only time it won’t feel like you need to rush to finish something. 

You might feel too exhausted to take in anything when you read at the end of the day. Still, studies from Yale University show that those who read 30 minutes every day will live two years longer than those who don’t. 

And reading before you sleep translates to better sleep and lowers stress levels. The benefits, however, only apply to hard copies.  The blue light emitted from machines inhibits melatonin production, which helps you sleep.

Pick great books, and drop the not-so-well-written, not profound type. Your top selection should be best-selling books or recommendations. Do your research and stick to only good reads. 

Make notes. Stopping to note down or highlight text is an excellent way to emphasize points to remember. Summarising the most significant points will help you remember what you learned from your reading. The traditional method is best, but you could still use notepad apps.

Have you tried all these tips but still struggle to retain what you read?

Find out if a memory expert could help you in this 90-minute video-based memory course.

How many pages can you read in 30 minutes?

The short answer is 20 pages with an average reading of 300 words per minute. You’ll read 125 words per minute if you are a slow reader.

How much you read in 30 minutes depends on your interest in the book topic and the writing pace. Sub-vocalization, language skills, and vocabulary level also determine your speed. The ability to avoid distractions is also part of it.

If you find the book interesting- perhaps it’s a fiction novel, and you are keen on knowing what happens next, your reading pace is fast.

Your vocabulary level will also determine your speed. Sometimes we read slowly to take in some new words and how the writer uses them in a sentence. People like Bill Gates, who read very fast, also have speed reading skills. 

Avoid speaking out words in your head as you read. The only time you should be slow reading is when you try to understand a new concept or internalize something. Otherwise, learn to skim through texts and improve your reading skills. 

Social media will be the end of us. Distractions such as YouTube, Tik Tok, movies, and Instagram reduce your reading speed. Our attention to the text is also minimal as we try to multitask. Additionally, distractions affect how much we keep.

How many words can you read in 30 minutes?

If we go by the standard publicized version, you can read 300 words per minute (wpm), 9000 words in half an hour. Yet, according to Brysbaert 2019, that’s an overestimate. 

An average adult reader reads 238 wpm non-fiction and 260 wpm when reading fiction in half an hour. That’s 7140 and 7800 words, respectively. An adult reads 183wpm (5490 words in 30 minutes) when reading aloud.

But worry not. 

It is possible to improve or maintain your comprehension and, at the same time, increase your words-per-minute rate. That makes speed reading a valuable time management tool. 

Reading more also improves your reading speed.

Is reading for 30 minutes good enough?

If you worry if 30 minutes a day is good enough, know it is. A good read doesn’t have to take up most of your day. What’s vital is consistency in reading. Even if you read only one book a week, it can significantly impact your life. 

Books, of course, are a great source of information, but they also have the power to make you crack up, cry, be afraid, feel gutsy, and so forth. They also stimulate your creative energy.

Reading makes you empathetic

As per research, reading fiction for 15 to 30 minutes improves your communication and interaction with others. You get to connect more with those around you. You can also start conversations with strangers without feeling awkward. 

It also makes you smart

You get knowledge from books. Reading trains your brain to process, store and build on the information you read. As per research, ten days or more of consistent reading improves brain connectivity.

Reading improves your outlook on life

People who read at least 30 minutes a week are happier with their lives. That’s according to Billington’s study of more than 4,000 people.

They are also 11% more creative than non-readers. Readers are 28% less likely to suffer from depression. Further, they are 18% more likely to report having healthy self-esteem (Liverpool University).

Conclusion

Reading for 30 minutes a day is a sure way to read more books. If you are consistent, you will find that you can read even more.

Imagine the benefits to you and your brain by reading 52 books in a year. You would be less stressed, sleep better, be more intelligent, and keep all that knowledge.

Are you convinced you need to read more? Then, find a suitable speed reading course from Iris Reading’s effective video-based classes.