Would we really be millennials if one of our new year’s resolutions wasn’t to ‘read more’? It’s been one of mine for years, and every year I manage to continue with my counterproductive reading habits that end in a very anti-climactic number on my Goodreads Reading Challenge every December. This year, I’m determined to prove myself wrong. Here are the habits I’m going to try and adopt to actually complete my target number of books this year.
Set a realistic target
It’s easy to look at the year ahead and think ‘I’m going to read fifty books this year’ without really thinking. This will vary for everyone. Some people will find an optimistic target overwhelming and then end up reading less. Others will find it motivating to have something to aim for. Look at the number of books you read in 2019 and think about how much time you have. If you’re in third year, for example, you may not be able to read as much as you did in 2019. However, if you’re in first, you probably will have much more time on your hands than you did before. Think about what will work for you, based on what motivates you, what your year will be like, and how much you’ve read in the year before.
100 page rule
100 pages is a good time to consider whether a book is worth the time you could spend reading it. The 100 page rule is the idea that you read the first 100 pages of a book and if it still does not enthuse you, you are allowed to give up and move onto the next. Obviously, it’s important to give a book a chance, but on the flip side you mustn’t feel guilty if you’re really not getting along with it! It’s easy to spend a month trying to get through a book that you’re not enjoying, while this is time you could be spending reading ones that give you the enjoyment that you deserve! You have no obligation to finish a book, and it can sometimes be counterproductive to force yourself to do so.
Read books you love
Half the battle of trying to read more is not knowing what kind of books you like to read. Personally, I always try to force myself to read classics as I feel guilty about leaving my beautiful collection unread (I am completely mad… I know). While it’s important to try new genres, read shamelessly! If you’re guilty pleasure is the RomCom section of Waterstones, you do you! Find a balance between trying new things and sticking to what you love is key to successful reading. Don’t feel judged for what you enjoy reading, or pressured into reading something more intellectual, if that’s not your thing. Remember that a collection of books is your life’s library and even if you don’t love one now, it doesn’t mean you won’t love it in ten years’ time!
Use libraries more
It’s 2020… We all know that it’s time to start living more sustainably. However, libraries are great for other reasons, too. At Nottingham City Library, you have access to unlimited books for FREE. Checking a book out of the library also reduces the obligation we feel to finish it. There’s nothing worse than spending £7.99 on a book, hating it but forcing yourself to the end. You can take ten books out of the library and read as many or as few as you like, and then switch them out for more!
Utilise free samples
For some people, choosing what to read can be half of the problem. Both iBooks and the Kindle App have a free sample feature, where you can check out a book before taking the trek to the library or buying it. Reading the first chapter of a few books to decide which one to read next is a great way to make a super long ‘to read’ list much more manageable.
Let us know on our Social Media which books you’re going to get stuck into this year! We’ll keep you updated about the ones we’ve loved in our reviews section.