At the beginning of 2020 I set a goal for myself: I want to read 52 books this year. A book a week.
I’ve always been a reader, but prior to this year, I’d read maybe 1-2 books a month. I was only reading before bed which meant I usually only read for about 10 minutes before inevitably falling asleep sitting up.
We are now more than halfway through 2020 (woah!) and I’m proud to say I’m still on track with my reading goal. This blog post is for anyone looking to read more, or maybe even just get started with a reading routine.
Tips For Reading More:
Read books you LOVE
This is my biggest tip. Read books you LOVE and you’ll want to read more. In the last year, I’ve really gravitated towards what would be considered “light fiction.” While sure, I’d love to read more non-fiction and focus on personal growth, I just can’t get into those books right now. I’m always reading a book I’m excited about and therefore I’m always excited to make the time to read.
Learning what genre of books I love has made all the difference this year. Nowadays if I can’t get into a book after the first 50-75 pages I’ll ditch it.
How to find books you love:
Someone on instagram recently told me that they’re always stuck on what book to read next. I’ve definitely been there before! Here’s how I find what book to read next:
I follow bloggers and Instagrammers with similar tastes in books to me. This is where I get most of my book recommendations. Everyone’s taste is a bit different, but I follow a number of people that have a similar reading taste to me. I know the books they share will probably be my cup of tea. Some of my favorites to follow: Becca Freeman, Grace Atwood (her blog is full of great book recommendations!), Morgan of NYC Book Girl.
I follow my friends on Good Reads. A number of my friends love the same kinds of books as me, so I’m always checking in on what they’re reading on Good Reads. Or we’re also sharing what we’ve read with one another. [You can check out my Good Reads profile here + I also talk more in-depth about all the books I read in my monthly round-ups]
I follow some authors I love on social media. For me, that’s Hannah Orenstein and Jasmine Guillory. They both constantly share great books that are somewhat similar to the books they write.
I look at recommended books for a book I’ve already read and love on Good Reads and Amazon. Lookup a book you LOVE on Amazon and/or Good Reads. There will be a list of other books that customers bought or other books that people also loved.
I keep track of ALL these books I want to read in the notes app on my phone.
Find your “reading spot” in your home.
This might sound crazy but prior to this year, I only ever read in bed or sometimes outside in a nearby park. The thought of reading on my couch seemed crazy. I’ve now figured out my perfect set up on my couch — some pillows behind me for extra support and a pillow on my lap to prop up my book. When the time comes for me to move to a new apartment I dream of having a comfy reading nook, but for now, the couch is my spot. Having this reading spot means I’m not just reading before bed now.
Find pockets of time to “squeeze in” reading.
I used to fill all the gaps in my schedule by watching TV or scrolling Instagram. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that, you do you, but I’ve become hyper-aware of those little pockets of free time in my schedule and how I can spend then reading instead of staring at a screen.
Now that my whole like is digital thanks to the pandemic — my workouts, my job as a fitness instructor and even my social life — I’m really digging my reading time after dinner because it’s one of the only times during the day I’m not looking at a screen.
Even prior to the pandemic when my schedule was all over the place I’d find random pockets of time to read. For some people that might be waking up early and reading first thing in the morning. Maybe it’s during your commute if you’re on the subway or a train. For others that might be heading to bed an hour earlier to get some reading in. Since my schedule had random lulls in between teaching, I’d get a lot of reading done at 3 PM when I was in between classes.
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Your Turn: How do you find what books to read next? Do you have any tips for reading more?
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