How I Read One Book a Week (Even with a Busy Schedule)

Ever feel too busy to read, or find yourself dozing off after a few pages? I used to struggle with this too. As an agency owner and developer, I always felt I should read more business and self-improvement books, but tight schedules and tired eyes held me back. Over time, I’ve developed a simple method that now lets me comfortably finish one book every week – without stress and without boredom. In this article, I’ll share my casual, step-by-step approach to powering through books and retaining what I learn, all in a relaxed, conversational way.

The Problem: No Time and Low Focus for Reading

Many busy professionals avoid reading regularly because it can feel like a chore. You might think, “Where do I find the time?” or “I can’t focus without falling asleep.” I get it. After a long day of work, cracking open a book can knock me out in minutes. And with a packe`d schedule, it’s tempting to put off reading entirely.

The common obstacles:

“I’m too busy.” Meetings, projects, family – life is full. Reading often falls to the bottom of the priority list.
“I can’t stay awake or focused.” Reading purely text, especially dense non-fiction, can make your eyes glaze over. It’s easy to lose concentration or dose off, especially if you’re already tired.
“I read too slowly.” Some of us just aren’t naturally fast readers, so finishing a book can take weeks or months, which is discouraging.

I faced all these issues. I’d start books and never finish them, or reread the same paragraph repeatedly because my mind wandered. I knew reading was important for my personal and professional growth, but I needed a better strategy to overcome these hurdles.

My 4-Step “Read and Listen” Method

To solve my reading problem, I experimented and found a read-and-listen method that works brilliantly. Here’s the process I follow for each book:

1. Buy Both the Physical Book and the Audiobook

It might sound a bit extra to purchase two formats, but trust me, this is the foundation of the approach. I get a physical copy of the book (because I still love the feel of a real book and it’s easier to take notes in) and the audiobook or eBook version (for the audio narration). Many times I’ll grab the Kindle eBook along with the Audible audiobook, since they sync together, but any combo of text + audio works. Having both formats lets me engage with the book in multiple ways simultaneously.

2. Read and Listen At the Same Time

Here’s the game-changer: I read the physical book while listening to the audiobook. I play the narration at an accelerated speed – usually 1.5x to 2.5x normal speed, depending on the book’s complexity. This might sound crazy if you’ve never tried it, but it’s incredibly effective. The audio acts like a guide, pulling me through the text at a brisk pace, and the visual reading keeps me grounded so I don’t miss anything. It’s a bit like having a personal narrator in your head while you read.

Why speed up? Most audiobooks are recorded slowly. By cranking up the speed (start at 1.5x and work your way up as comfortable), I can consume the book much faster than reading silently — often in half the time or less. For example, if a book’s audio is 10 hours at normal speed, at 2x I can finish in about 5 hours of total reading time.
Staying focused: Reading along with the voice keeps me fully engaged. It’s hard for my mind to wander or get drowsy when a narrator is energetically reading to me and my eyes are following along. The dual input (sound + sight) means if my attention slips for a second, either my eyes or ears pull me back on track. Honestly, since using this method, I almost never catch myself rereading the same paragraph over and over — a habit that used to slow me down a lot.
Adjust to each book: I tailor the speed to the content. If I’m tackling a dense, technical topic, I might stick to 1.5x or 1.8x speed to ensure I absorb it. For lighter reads or narratives, 2x or even 2.5x can feel just right. The key is finding that “Goldilocks” speed where it’s not too slow to be boring, but not so fast that comprehension drops. With practice, you’ll find you can comfortably handle faster audio while still understanding everything, especially since you’re reading along.

3. Highlight and Sticky-Note Key Points

While I’m zooming through the book with this read-listen combo, I keep a text highlighter in hand and a pack of sticky note tabs by my side. Whenever I come across a sentence or idea that strikes me as important, I mark it. This could be a great quote, a statistic, a concept I want to remember, or an actionable tip. Sometimes I’ll highlight directly on the page; other times I’ll jot a quick note on a sticky flag and slap it on the margin to mark the spot.

This step is crucial for a few reasons:

It forces me to read actively. I’m not just passively hearing the words; I’m interacting with the content, which keeps my brain engaged. I’m constantly asking myself, “Is this part useful? Do I want to remember this?” as I listen and read.
It creates a handy roadmap of the book’s big takeaways. By the end of the book, I might have ten or twenty highlighted sections or tabs. These become signposts that will guide my review later.
Surprisingly, highlighting doesn’t slow me down much. Because I’m listening to the audiobook, I actually stay on pace — I’ll quickly pause the audio for a second to mark a line, then continue. The narrator sets a rhythm that I stick to, so I avoid falling into the trap of over-analyzing every paragraph in the moment. I just mark it and move on, keeping the flow.

4. Review and Summarize After Finishing

Once I reach the end of the book (which comes up faster than you’d expect thanks to the sped-up audio), I revisit all my highlights and notes. This is usually a day or two later, or even immediately after finishing if I’m still buzzing with interest. I flip back through the physical book, stopping at each colored highlight and sticky note. I’ll re-read those golden nuggets of insight to really let them sink in.

Often, I’ll take this review a step further by writing a quick summary or reflection. Sometimes it’s just jotting down bullet-point takeaways in a notebook or Notion. Other times, if the book was particularly impactful, I’ll write a full blog post about it (just like I’m doing now!). Writing about the key points in my own words helps cement the knowledge in my mind and lets me share valuable insights with others.

This final step of reviewing and summarizing closes the loop on learning. After this process, I not only finish books faster, but I also remember them better. I can discuss them, implement the ideas, and truly get value from each book – which, after all, is the whole point of reading them in the first place.

Why This Method Works So Well

You might be wondering, “Okay, cool method, but why does reading and listening at the same time make such a difference?” There are a few reasons my approach has been a game-changer for my reading life:

Multi-Sensory Engagement = No More Zoning Out: By engaging both visual and auditory senses, I’m fully immersed in the book. Research shows that we understand and remember more when multiple senses are involved – it’s sometimes called “dual coding.” In practical terms, hearing the words while seeing them strengthens the mental connections. I find that I retain content much better than when I was just reading text alone. It’s like my brain has two pathways to absorb the information instead of one. This multi-sensory input also keeps me awake and alert. It’s nearly impossible to fall asleep mid-chapter when a voice is talking in your ear and your eyes are following the text. The narration adds energy and emotion to the material, making even a dry subject more engaging.
Faster Progress without Sacrificing Comprehension: Listening at 2x speed while reading might sound like I’m skimming or getting only the gist, but in fact I’m still comprehending everything – often even more deeply. The combination of audio and text actually makes comprehension easier. If I miss something in the audio, my eyes catch it on the page; if a sentence in the text doesn’t immediately make sense, the narrator’s tone or emphasis clarifies it. It’s a synergistic effect. Plus, the quicker pace means my mind doesn’t get bored. There’s no time to daydream because we’re moving right along. This momentum helps me get into a flow state with reading. Instead of trudging through pages, I’m cruising, which is far more fun and motivating. Covering more ground in each sitting also gives a rewarding sense of progress – I can literally see the pages flying by and know I’ll finish the book in a matter of days.
Better Focus and Less Mental Fatigue: One surprising benefit I noticed is that reading this way is less mentally tiring than reading silently for the same duration. It might seem counterintuitive, but having the audio share the cognitive load means my brain isn’t working as hard to decode every word. It’s a bit like having a guide or reading buddy keeping you on track. I don’t find myself rereading lines or getting stuck; the narration keeps pulling me forward. This reduces the cognitive load (the effort needed to process the text) and frees up brainpower to actually understand and enjoy the content. In the past, if I read for an hour straight, I might feel a bit drained. Now, an hour of immersion reading (audio+text) leaves me energized and interested, not exhausted. In fact, I often read longer in one sitting because the experience is so engaging.
Instant Marking of Insights: The act of highlighting as I go keeps me actively thinking about what I’m reading. I’m essentially having a conversation with the book – “Oh, this idea is brilliant, let me mark it,” or “This part connects to something earlier.” This prevents me from mindlessly flipping pages without absorption. And knowing that I’ll review the highlights later also frees me from trying to memorize everything on the spot. I can relax and enjoy the chapter, knowing the important bits are captured for later. This approach turns reading into a more interactive and purposeful activity.
No More Falling Behind or Giving Up: Because I’m finishing books faster and remembering them better, I feel a positive momentum to keep reading week after week. There’s no longer that dread of “Ugh, I’m only on chapter 2 and it’s been a month.” Instead, I regularly experience the mini-accomplishment of finishing a book every 7 days or so. This keeps me motivated to pick up the next book and continue the cycle. Reading has become one of my easiest habits to maintain, rather than something I struggle to squeeze in.

Of course, I should mention one practical trade-off: buying both the audiobook and the physical book means spending a bit more per title. I personally consider it an investment in my learning and productivity. (If you’re on a budget, you can also check your library or subscription services for audiobooks to pair with a physical copy.) For me, the time saved and the knowledge gained are well worth the extra cost.

Real Results: Books I’ve Finished Recently

To give you an idea of how effective this method has been, here’s a quick look at some books I’ve knocked out in the past couple of months using the read-and-listen approach:

Traction – A business strategy book about gaining momentum in startups.
AI Engineering by Chip Huyen – A deep dive into building real-world AI systems.
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle – A classic on mindfulness and living in the present.
AI Value Creators – Insights on leveraging AI for business value.
$100M Leads by Alex Hormozi – A guide to generating and scaling sales leads (great for entrepreneurs).
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss – An ex-FBI negotiator’s take on high-stakes negotiations.
Start With Why by Simon Sinek – Leadership and inspiration through understanding your “why.”
The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman – Business fundamentals for anyone, distilled.
Power – A book exploring strategies for success and influence (yes, the title is just “Power”).

That’s nine books in just several weeks, spanning topics from technology and marketing to psychology and self-improvement. A few years ago, reading that many books so quickly would have felt impossible for me. Now it’s almost routine. The coolest part is that I didn’t just breeze through them for the sake of numbers – I genuinely absorbed the lessons from each one, because of the way I read them. For example, I can readily discuss the negotiation techniques from Never Split the Difference or the core principles from The Personal MBA, because those ideas stuck with me through my highlighting and reviewing process. This stack of finished books is proof to me that the method works, and it’s incredibly satisfying to see my “read” list grow week by week.

Overcoming the Common Excuses (Why You Can Do It Too)

If you’ve been avoiding reading due to a hectic life or a lack of focus, I wholeheartedly believe this approach can tackle those exact obstacles:

“I’m too busy to read.” With this method, you make the most of whatever reading time you can afford. Even if it’s just 30 minutes a day, listening at double speed while reading means you’re effectively getting an hour’s worth of reading done in that half-hour. The efficiency adds up. Plus, knowing you can finish a typical book in a week or two with minimal effort makes it easier to prioritize that bit of daily reading time. It no longer feels like a never-ending commitment. I’ve had days jam-packed with work and family stuff, but squeezing in a short reading session was doable because I knew I’d still make noticeable progress.
“I can’t concentrate, I’ll just fall asleep.” You might be shocked how alert you feel when you try reading with audio. The combination of hearing a voice and seeing the text keeps your brain awake. It’s almost like watching a movie with subtitles – it’s engaging! In fact, I sometimes get too drawn in and have to cut myself off to go to sleep at a reasonable hour. If drowsiness or a wandering mind is your issue, this multi-sensory approach could be the fix. Start with a compelling book and maybe a moderate speed (say 1.5x) and you’ll likely find you stay much more focused than usual. The narration adds a layer of entertainment and personality to the book, turning it into a richer experience than silent reading.
“It’s hard to find motivation to read.” Finishing books more frequently is incredibly motivating. When you complete a book every week, you get a regular dopamine hit of accomplishment. That sense of “Wow, I learned something new and checked off another book!” makes you want to keep going. It turns reading into a rewarding habit rather than a sporadic chore. For me, each finished book reinforces my identity as an avid reader (something I never thought I’d say a few years back). And because I’m actually remembering and using what I read, I feel like I’m leveling up my skills and knowledge constantly – which is a huge motivator to grab the next book on the shelf.
“Won’t it be overwhelming to read and listen at the same time?” Not really, once you get used to it. Admittedly, the first time you try to follow along with audio, it might feel a bit odd. Give it a little time. Maybe practice with a fun, easy novel or a light non-fiction book. After a couple of sessions, your brain adapts. You’ll likely start to love it and find it more comfortable than either listening or reading alone. If anything ever feels off – say the narrator’s pace doesn’t match your reading speed or the audio is distracting – you can adjust. Slow the audio down, or try a different narrator, or even switch to a text-to-speech app if that voice suits you better. There’s flexibility to make it work for you. In my case, I now find it so natural that reading without audio feels slow and solitary!

Final Thoughts: An Easy Hack to Read More

Reading a book a week has not only become possible for me – it’s actually been enjoyable and relatively effortless, thanks to this dual-format technique. What started as a personal life-hack to cope with my own busy schedule and short attention span has turned into a sustainable habit that I genuinely look forward to.

If you love learning from books but struggle to find the time or focus, give the read-and-listen approach a try. It addresses the usual hurdles by making reading faster, more engaging, and easier to stick with. Whether you’re a developer, an entrepreneur, a leader, or just someone with a packed calendar, you might discover that you can plow through those books on your wish-list without sacrificing other responsibilities.

For me, this method has unlocked dozens of great books that I might never have finished otherwise. It’s a simple change – using two formats at once – but it made all the difference. I’m no longer frustrated about books gathering dust on my nightstand or feeling guilty about the backlog of titles I “should” read. Instead, I’m consistently digesting new ideas, one book at a time, one week at a time. And if a formerly easily-distracted reader like me can do it, I’m pretty confident you can too.

Happy reading (and listening)! Enjoy the journey of knocking out book after book, and watch how it fuels your growth without overwhelming your life. You’ll wonder, just like I did, why you didn’t start doing this sooner.