Do you remember those reading goals our teachers gave us back in elementary and middle school? As a little bookworm, I used to delight in seeing how many books I could read in a trimester, or how far I could go past my point goal. Back then, school made time for students to read and encouraged it as much as possible. As time has gone on and forced us to work our way into the real world, reading slowly fades into the background and becomes a leisure activity meant for the few minutes before I go to sleep at night. Even for a bibliophile like myself, it can be difficult to read as much as I’d like to!
A concept I’ve seen pop up more and more is getting back to setting a yearly reading goal. This may mean picking a series you want to get through, or setting a goal of exactly how many books you hope to get through. Whether it be 10 or 100, it helps to set your sights on making reading a priority. Then, as you go through the year, you get to focus on having quiet and consistent times to read as you pursue your goal. It might just bring you back to your elementary school days and return your love of reading!
An important aspect of this resolution is to make a “To Be Read” list. This is the place for all of those recommendations your friends give you, the morning talk show book club picks, and the ones you spotted in the bookstore and resisted adding to your purchase pile. As much as I try to catch up with my TBR, I can’t seem to read as fast as I add to it. But that’s the thrill! I can always rely on my next pick to be one I am really looking forward to reading. Don’t forget to make it attainable yet challenging, measurable, and flexible. You also have to find the sweet spot of specificity! For example, don’t proclaim that you’d like to read “more” this year. Instead, decide to read one book a month, or 20 in a year so you have a healthy amount of time to achieve your goal!
Since the new year is upon us and the time for resolutions and intentions is nigh, take a few extra minutes to make yourself a reading goal and write up a TBR. How many books will you read this year?
After an exciting holiday season, I’ve added quite a few to my personal TBR and can’t wait to put them towards a goal of my own. In case you need a few ideas to get you started, here they are:
- Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
- The Lost Stories Collection by Michael Scott
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Happy 2022– I wish you a year of joyful reading!