Welcome to week two of January, the time where we’re all doubling down trying to keep to our resolutions. Note “we” and “our,” you are not the only one giving these resolutions all you got. One resolution I have been able to successfully stick to each year is reading more books each year. It takes a little bit of work every year to up my reading numbers but these tips are exactly what you need if you’re focusing on sticking to your resolution to read more books.
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Read Before Bed
The infinite scroll before bed is so bad in so many ways. Bluelight, the rabbit hole of TikTok, lately doom scrolling through Twitter. It’s the fastest way to throw your sleep schedule off track. Instead of sitting on your phone until 3 am, set your alarm, plug in your phone, put it anywhere else but next to you, and read instead! I’m notorious for reading for 5 minutes and waking up with my book or Kindle literally anywhere in my room, but even just 5 minutes of reading before bed feels good. When towards the end of a good book though, be careful not to get stuck in the one more chapter trap!
Know When to DNF
Another big one! As I said, reading should be fun, and book breaks are encouraged. But if you’re finding yourself taking multiple breaks after a chapter or less, maybe it’s time to put that one down for good. I spent so many years forcing myself to finish every book I started, even if I hated it. Now if a book is really not hitting me right or I’m just not enjoying it, I put it down. Most of the time I end up circling back to it a few years later, sometimes they stay a DNF book – Did Not Finish. And that’s totally ok.
Have Two Books Going
Controversial, I know, hear me out. Not every book is going to be the greatest page turner of all time, even if you really enjoy it. And not all book has to be a pageturner. That being said, I’m a huge advocate of having two books going at once, so when one gets a little sticky, you can swap out for another, maybe lighter book. Don’t punish yourself for needing a break from a book. They’re marathons not sprints, and reading should still be fun!
Set A Pages Per Day Goal
Perfect for those of us who like crossing things off the to-do list, set a goal number of pages each day. Start reasonably too, 20-30 pages per day. Get that in on the bus ride to work, over your lunch, whenever it works for you! Bonus points, practice your multi-tasking skills by reading while cooking or cleaning!
Listen to Audiobooks
On this blog we do not gatekeep reading. However you enjoy consuming books, that’s enough. So many people love to consume books with audiobooks, and it allows you to consume books and learn at any point, while driving, working, exercising. Audible is a great opinion, or you can borrow audiobooks from your local library!
Join A Book Club
I loved my book club. Unfortunately, it sort of fell off with everyone getting busy, but it was the best experience. I loved coming together, discussing a book for 8 minutes, and just talking about life and news and subjects that grow out of a great (or terrible!) book. Plus, it really motivated me to finish a book by a certain date too, I always want to be able to talk through the endings and see what everyone thought.
Made a Cozy Reading Space
This is a step I’m focusing on this year! I’m very big on zones in the house, and having a little zone dedicated to reading and reading only space would be perfect. I carved out a cozy corner in my office, the warmest spot in the house, going to add a fuzzy blanket, perfect pillow, and I’m on the hunt for an oversized comfy chair. Make a space that puts you in a comfortable, relaxed mindset where you can focus on your book!
Use a Reading Tracker
There are a ton of book tracking options from journals to printables to online trackers. I always lose my paper trackers, so I love tracking my books online. I recently made the switch to Storygraph from Goodreads. Storygraph helps you track your reading habits, see how your reading changes over time, and helps provide better book recommendations. Plus, it’s not owned by Amazon, so it’s nice to be not so Bezos-centric. Be sure to friend me on Storygraph too!
Link 2 reading journals and storygraph
Now you’re going into the rest of the month ready to stick to your resolution to read more books! Comment below to find a book buddy, follow me on Storygraph, or join the Facebook group to keep up with the Book Explorer Book Club and more!
