With a new school year in full swing, it’s important to not only get your work done for your classes but also find balance in doing things for yourself. For me, that’s always been reading in my free time. However, as my course load racks up, my free time dwindles, and it shows in my monthly reading wrap-ups.
If you’re like me and pride yourself on setting goals for your reading each year, it can be frustrating when you feel like you’re falling short. Don’t sweat it, though! I have plenty of pointers on how to stick to your reading goal this semester.
- Set up a Goodreads account
-
Goodreads is a great tool to track your reading. You can shelve books you want to read, books you’re currently reading, and books you’ve already read. It also allows you to set a yearly reading goal, which can make you more motivated to reach it.
- ignore the urge to doom scroll
-
I’m guilty of mindlessly scrolling on my phone for hours in between activities or right before I go to bed. When I have fits of boredom, something that always makes me feel more productive is opening up a book instead of unlocking my phone.
Whether it’s reading a few chapters or just a few paragraphs, progress is progress, and it all adds up with time. The only downside is having to stop reading in the middle of an intense chapter. That always leaves me sitting in class, anxious to keep reading where I left off.
Doom scrolling before bed is a beast of its own, but I’ve found that when I forgo my phone for my book, I can unwind and sleep much better.
- Get a Kindle
-
I love my Kindle. Not only is it convenient (it fits in my smallest purse), but it’s also efficient. Reading a 1,300-page fantasy novel (thank you, Brandon Sanderson) feels much less intimidating when you can’t physically see how thick the book is.
Not only that, but Kindles don’t emit light on their own, which makes the display easy on the eyes. It’s super great for when you want to read in the dark before you go to sleep but don’t want to subject your eyes to your phone’s blue light. Convenience is a game changer when it comes to reading frequently!
- Try out audiobooks
-
This one is difficult for me because I always feel like I can read faster than someone can read to me. However, audiobooks are a great addition to your reading. Every minute you put one on in the background while you go on a walk, drive somewhere, go shopping, or clean your room, is a minute you spend inching closer to your reading goal.
For books I already physically own, I like to borrow audiobooks from the library and listen to the audiobook in my car so that I can pick up where I left off in my physical copy. Mixing up the way you consume a book can keep the experience fresh!
- only read books you know you’ll enjoy
-
I struggle to stick to this one, especially because I get FOMO if I’m not reading a book that everyone on BookTok is raving about. Sometimes, based on the summary alone, I know I’ll hate a book everyone is recommending to me. Why waste my time on something I’ll have to force myself to get through when I could just find something I like?
Not only does a bad book make reading unenjoyable, but it takes longer, too. I won’t be motivated to pick it up, so it’s more beneficial to just DNF it and move on.
Hopefully, these tips help you stick to the reading goal you’ve set for yourself! Even if you don’t meet it, you’re doing something leisurely for yourself, and it’s important to stick to that work-life balance.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest!