Several years ago, when my kids were young, I actually worked as a book reviewer. My job was literally to read and write reviews of the books I had read for reviewing sites. During those years, I didn't have to set a crazy goal for reading over 100 books; it was easy to do. Now, however, with our busy, hectic schedules I have had to set goals for myself including in the area of reading.
I ended up reading 58 books in 2021. I have to say, I am proud of that number because honestly it was a crazy, difficult year for me. What really saved me last year was audio books. I love audio books! Don't let anyone tell you that listening to an audio book is not reading. It is totally reading! If you want to increase the number of books you are reading each month, I advise adding some audio books to your list. And the best part is that you can probably find what you want using your library app. That way you don't have to get an expensive book subscription or anything like that. Just see what your library has to offer.
Now that I've looked over my reading from last year, it's time to do some assessment. 58 books is a good result for me. I will probably shoot for 50 books again next year and see if I hit 60. What kind of reading did I do this year?
Here are the stats:
- 8 non-fiction
- 50 Fiction
- 6 historical
- 7 children's fiction
- 2 YA
- 4 classics
- 31 mysteries (This was definitely the year of the mystery!)
So, how can we all be more successful at Setting and Reaching our reading goals?
1. Set reasonable goals with a challenge. Estimate how many books you read the year before and add a few more. So if you read 20 books last year, make it 25 this year or 30. But if you set your goal at 50, there is a chance you might not make the goal. However, if you really want to challenge yourself and you are up for the challenge, then I say GO FOR IT!
2. Once you figure out your yearly goal then figure out a reasonable monthly goal. If your goal is 30 books this year then you should aim for 2-3 books a month.
3. Select some books that you would like to read this year. Maybe you'd always wanted to read the entire Anne of Green Gables series or the Lord of the Rings trilogy--add them to your TBR (to be read) list.
4. Most of us have no problem in figuring out what to read. It is finding the time to actually read and make those goals. To reach your goal, you need to make reading a habit. Pick a time of day to read everyday. For me, I get most of my reading done before bed. Every night before bed, I finally have time to myself and I spend that time reading. It also helps me relax and be able to fall asleep more easily too. Its a win-win!
5. Keep track of your reading. If you don't write it down, the odds are that you will not know what you've read this year by the time December comes along. There are many ways to keep track of your reading, but the easiest way for me is to keep a list in my Notes app on my phone. I make a new Note each year and title it "2022 Reading List," changing the year each year, of course. You can even insert a check mark by each read book if you choose to.
The point is to be INTENTIONAL! Be actively working toward a goal each month and you will more than likely reach it. Good luck, my friends! And Happy Reading!!
