If you’ve ever promised yourself that this was the year you’d really start reading more, only to find yourself non-stop scrolling your phone in every free moment you have — you know, the same moments when you could actually be reading — then you’re not alone. Reading can feel like a luxury when life is moving at high speed, but it’s also one of the simplest and most restorative forms of self care. It’s just simply good for you. Books slow us down, stretch our imagination, and give our minds simultaneous rest and stimulation we don’t get from screens. So if we know how good reading is for us, why can’t more of us do it? Well, here at KIM+ONO, we believe it’s possible, for even the least likely among us, to get back into a reading habit. All you need to do is build little rituals around reading so it becomes something you look forward to every single day. You can transform it from a chore into a delight. Here are X reading tips to help you do just that.
Photo by Ashley Streff
1. Pick a Time to Read Each Day
Consistency builds habits and reading is no different. Choose a time that feels natural for your mind to pay attention — it could be just ten minutes with your coffee in the morning, or 15 minutes before bed, or even 20 minutes during your lunch break. If you can tie it to something you already do (an idea called habit stacking), you’re more likely to stick with it. Make it a special habit while you’re at it: slip into a womens black robe and light a candle before you settle in. The textural cue of soft silk or charmeuse against your skin signals to your brain that it’s time to slow down.
2. Curate Your Reading Space
A cozy corner designed with your comfort in mind can make reading irresistible. Add a favorite blanket, a lamp that casts warm light, and maybe even a little side table for tea. The goal is to make your book nook more inviting than Netflix, and just as easy to drop into. Just like you do when you style your beautiful kimono outfits, curating your environment should express your personal comfort and what feels luxurious for you. Surround yourself with textures and items that make you feel calm and relaxed while you read and it’ll be easy to start every time.
3. Allow Yourself to Quit Books
This one’s big. Too many of us slog through books we don’t like out of guilt, only to lose momentum and stop reading altogether. Instead of picking up something new, we won’t pick up anything at all. At KIM+ONO, we have a different take: give yourself permission to stop. One way to make it feel a bit better: put together a “Did Not Finish” shelf on Goodreads or in your journal. Make it intentional to stop and it may start feeling more like a choice instead of a failure.
4. Keep Track of What You’re Reading
Speaking of Goodreads, specific apps or even a simple notebook can help you track your reading journey and make it a pleasure to do. There’s something motivating about seeing progress stack up — page after page, book after book. If you love handwriting, turn it into a ritual: sit in the best robe you own, jot down reflections from your reading, underline favorite quotes in your books, and let the tactile nature of reading in your kimono robe inspire you to feel how the practice is changing you from the inside out.
Photo by Ashley Streff
5. Join a Book Club
We’re far too isolated nowadays, so reading doesn’t have to be a solitary act. A book club adds accountability and makes it social. Whether it’s through a local library, a neighborhood meet-up, or an online community, book clubs expand your reading list and keep you engaged in conversation with others. And of course, you can make it chic — show up to your book club in kimono clothes, or make it part of the club itself: Reading + Robes. It’s the coziest social event of the season.
Photo by Ashley Streff
6. Set a Yearly Reading Goal
There’s power in having a number, even if it’s small. Ten books? Twenty-five? Fifty? Goals give you direction and motivation. And once you start ticking them off, the satisfaction alone keeps you going. Add a little extra to celebrating your milestones with mini rituals. Gift yourself another book or play hooky from work to slip into your favorite womens black robe for a full day of uninterrupted reading. Rewards are a fun part of having goals!
7. Chat With Other Readers
Half the fun of reading is sharing it. Whether it’s texting a friend who loves the same author or jumping into online discussion boards, talking about books deepens the experience. If you’re shy, even posting a quote on social media can connect you with other readers. Your favorite passage might spark someone else’s interest.
8. Try Reading Outside
Fresh air has a way of resetting your brain, and taking a book to a park, porch, or café can give you a whole new relationship with your reading time. Adding a little sunlight with the slower pace of nature (away form technology) can be helpful in settling in. Plus, kimono robes can travel — pair your kimono outfits with sunglasses and a hat for an easygoing yet elegant reading experience as you read outdoors.
Photo by Nick Onken
9. Create Seasonal Reading Lists
A different part of your brain gets switched on when you think about how to pair a reading list with the season. Cozy mysteries in winter, lush novels in summer, self-growth in fall, romantic memoirs in the spring. Think about the settings and experiences in your reading lists and then schedule them to correspond with the seasons. Make a whole experience out of it by pairing each book with your wardrobe: your kimono wrap can become your winter reading uniform, while your womens black robe can usher in the fall.
Reading doesn’t have to feel like a chore or a productivity hack — it can simply be a little bit of self care. By building little rituals, adding small goals, and giving yourself permission to read however you want, you’re giving yourself a nourishing way to relax your mind. So grab a novel, slip into your best robe, and let the pages carry you away. Books, like kimono clothes, are works of art for your everyday life.
