I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t want to read more books.
My to-read list gets longer every day and I find great joy in knowing it’s never-ending. But if you’re like me, at least one of your New Year’s Resolutions is centered around reading. I always set a huge reading goal for the year, then get distracted and realize my goals seem a bit unreachable.
But not this year!
I, for one, am going to not only accomplish but exceed my New Year’s book goal for 2022. If you’re wondering how you can read more too, we’ve got you covered with some tips.
Set Your Goals
The first thing you have to keep in mind when you’re accomplishing any goal is that you have to take it slow. Just as they say you have to eat an elephant one bite at a time, you can also only read a book one sentence at a time.
One of the best ways to make a goal and keep to it is by employing the SMART method.
Specific: Make your goal as specific as possible. Some people want to read a certain number of books, but others like to whittle it down even more. Some want to read a certain number of each genre or everything by one author. Decide what you want your book goal to look like and set it! The more specific you are, the more likely you’ll achieve your goal.
Measurable: The best way to keep your goal is to make sure it’s measurable. Sure, we all want to read more, but what is ‘more’? Set a numerical goal of how many books you want to read, or even how many pages you want to read per day. Using small, measurable, daily goals to accomplish your reading challenge will also help you to keep track of your progress. Some days you might exceed the goal, but the key is to make it obtainable enough that it won’t be too difficult to accomplish every day. Once you accomplish your reading goal for the day, you’re done. You don’t have to do more, but you always can!
Attainable: You also want to respect yourself and your time when you make your reading goals. If you make your reading goal impossible or unnecessarily difficult, you won’t accomplish it and, most likely, will just give up. Figure out how much you want to read and work with your own hours and free time. Remember the key term: want to. Make sure to still have a healthy balance of free time along with reading time.
Relevant: If you start reading for the sake of accomplishing your goal or getting a task done, you’re not going to enjoy the amazing adventure the book you’re holding can take you on and you’re going to get overwhelmed. On the same note, if you’re attempting to crush as many books as you can, you’ll also develop big book fear and miss out on some amazing stories.
Time-Based: Set an end date for your reading challenges. At the beginning of every year, month, or week look at your workload and see how many books you can take on. Remember to make the goal challenging, but not so challenging that it’s unachievable.
I suggest taking a small part of your day, whether that’s your lunch break, morning coffee, or bedtime, and reading a set amount of a book. You can measure it by pages, chapters, or time spent reading. Everyone has a different amount of free time and a different goal they want to accomplish. Take some time to assess your reading goal and decide when you want to focus on it. The goal is to make reading not only a priority but a habit.
Another way to get real about your goals is to share them. Tell your friends to keep you accountable. Post what you’re reading online. In 2020, I read over 100 books and would post a picture and rating of them after I finished. When I slowed down, people would notice and text me to ask what I’ve been reading.
You can also use apps and websites like StoryGraph, Goodreads, and Notion to track your reading goals and write reviews. These websites will let you set goals and measure them by the month, week, or year so you don’t have to keep track by hand.
Always Have A Book On Hand
Another hack to help you read more is to always have a book with you. Whether you pull a Rory Gilmore and carry three different books everywhere, or you carry your Kindle around, or you always have an audiobook queued on your phone, make sure that you always have a book accessible.
You never know when you’re going to be stuck waiting for your kids, have some downtime in the doctor’s office, or just get in the mood to stop and read wherever you are. You’ll be surprised at just how much reading you can get done in those inconvenient waiting times when you’d probably otherwise be on your phone.
I think true happiness is never being more than 10 feet away from a book. Decorate your house with them! Fill your shelves and your mantel with great adventures. Some people have magazines in their bathrooms – replace them with books! My nightstand has a book holder that’s always a revolving door of different genres, authors, and adventures.
Audiobooks Are King
I swear by audiobooks. I’ll usually listen to one when I’m getting dressed, walking, cooking, cleaning, driving, or just relaxing. I always have at least two audiobooks downloaded on my Libby app so I can cater to whatever mood I’m in.
I always grab my phone first thing in the morning. I’ll mindlessly scroll through Instagram or TikTok, respond to emails and texts, and just stare at my screen. When I have an audiobook that actually excites me, I’ll first open my Libby app, play the audiobook, and then do those tasks.
Some books aren’t available on Libby, so I go on YouTube and listen to them there. Most of the classics are in the public domain and you can find a recording or PDF online pretty easily.
One tip I have for those of us with a short attention span is to speed up the audiobook. My partner thinks I’m insane, but I listen to podcasts and books at 2x speed. That’s how fast my brain goes, so if it drives you insane, don’t do it, but it has changed my life.
If you don’t love audiobooks but also aren’t a fan of carrying around hardbacks all day, you can still get the Libby and Kindle apps for your phone, but look for the book options instead of the audiobooks. I wanted an audiobook recently on Libby, but they had the book option available sooner, so I opted for that. It’s really nice to always have a book in your back pocket.
Double Dip
Another reading tip is to read more than one book at a time. I often find that having fiction and nonfiction going at the same time helps. Another way to not get your multiple books mixed up is to have them on different mediums. Right now, I’m reading a physical book, listening to an audiobook, and reading a downloaded book on my Libby. So, no matter where I am or what time of the day it is, I can grab whatever book suits my fancy.
Don’t Read Bad Books
Another thing to know is that life is truly too short to read bad books. There is no shame in putting down a book after 30 pages or so. You’re not going to love every New York Times Best Seller. You’re not going to want to invest in reading every book your partner or book club insists you must.
If you’re not interested in a book and you force yourself to read it, you’ll lose the joy of reading and get caught in a slump. Donate the book, return it to the library, give it to your neighbor, and choose something that you can’t put down.
Get Suggestions
There are people who are paid to read and suggest books. Various YouTubers and TikTokkers have dedicated their lives to reading and recommending books. There are tons of articles online about the best [insert your favorite genre here] books of [insert any year here].
Whether you want to take a quiz or go on websites that tell you what book you should read next, there is no end to suggestions.
If you want our suggestions, we write a Book Club Newsletter every month that goes along with a specific theme. We add in what to watch, listen to, and read because we know not everyone loves to just read books. You can sign up for our newsletter here.
My mother always looked at the authors quoted on her favorite books’ jackets. She then proceeded to read every book all the authors wrote. I will pick a YouTuber I like to watch or a podcaster I like to listen to and then, promptly, write a list of every book that they suggest.
If you’re not so much for strangers recommending books for you, go to your friends. Start a virtual or in-person book club! Suggest books and ask for their favorites. I go to my Instagram about once every three months and ask people to tell me their favorite books.
However you read, whatever you read, and whenever you read, we hope this year is filled with nothing but amazing books that you simply cannot put down and cannot shut up about. Because life truly is too short to read bad books.
Do you have a reading challenge for this year? What’s your book goal? Share it in the comments below!
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