6 Tips for Reaching
Your Reading Goals
1. Set Goals You Can Actually Reach
You’re probably thinking “Well Duh” but this was my biggest struggle when I first started reading again. When it comes to a pages per day or a yearly reading goal, it’s absolutely necessary to know your limits. Start with a goal you know you can consistently meet like 10 pages a day or 20 books a year. If you find yourself consistently missing your goal, revise it! Don’t beat yourself up for not reaching an unattainable goal.
2. Set Aside Time to Read
It’s so easy to get caught up with work, kids, and chores that it can be hard to find time for your favorite hobbies. What works best for me is setting aside time to read before bed. Honestly, I sleep so much better at night reading before I fall asleep than when I scroll.
3. Roll-Over Pages
I’m old enough to remember roll over minutes and I use this same system for my daily pages. Right now my daily pages goal is 50. If I’ve read more than 50 pages in a day, the extra roll over to the next day. This way if I happen to sit down and finish a whole book in a day I don’t have to start from scratch again the next morning. If I know I will be too busy to read for a couple of days, I can bank up pages and feel like I’m still meeting my goals.
4. Mix Up Length & Genre
There’s nothing like the sense of accomplishment you get from finishing a good book. I’ve made the mistake of trying to read 1000 page books back to back and it can feel like making no progress, and it can be tedious to stick with the same genre for books on end. “Too much of a good thing” and all that. I recommend mixing up book length and genre every other book to avoid burnout.
5. Use A Reading Log
To avoid that “Wait, how many pages did I read yesterday?” feeling start a reading log. It’s also a great way to hold yourself accountable. You can keep track of the books you’ve read, your daily pages progress, and maybe even right a short review!
6. Join A Book Club
Getting back into reading can seem intimidating but you can do it if you start small. Join a book loving community means you don’t have to jump in alone! Seeing bookstagrammers reading 250 books a year is daunting, and it’s easy to make a habit of comparing yourself to others, but don’t doubt yourself! You can achieve all your reading goals! Continue your reading journey by signing up for a book club!