I’m glad to report that I’ve been able to cross off another item on my 2019 goal list – “read (or listen to) at least 20 books”. This is actually a recurring goal that I’ve had on my lists since 2016. Whenever a new year starts, I simply reset my reading goal.
In this post, I am going to talk about how I was able to turn a goal into a habit, as well as about the tips that helped me to improve upon it and stay on the track. If you are curious to see what books I’ve read this year (29 total so far, woohoo!), take a look at the photos below, but I am also planning on doing a separate post with best/worst books at the end of the year.
Even though reading (or listening to) books has become a part of my daily routine, I still like to write it down as a goal because my list is my stimuli after all. Additionally, I like to keep track on what I’ve read about and the amount I have read over the years (I even have a special list for this :)). After noticing how little information my brain actually retains, I also started jotting down relevant ideas and quotes whenever I read/listen to books.
How does a goal become a habit?
Looking back, I’d honestly say that four years ago I wasn’t much of a reader. However, whenever I read a book, I felt this being much more fulfilling and interesting than watching a meaningless reality-show (I still love the Real Housewives franchise though!). But for some reason, turning on my laptop and typing Hulu.com into my browser was (and still is) a lot easier than opening a book. So, I was really looking for the ways, how to get back to the habit I so much loved as a child (yes, I was the girl who preferred to sit inside with a book over climbing trees). Here are some tips that worked for me:
- Set a goal for a certain number of books you want to read within a specific timeframe. E.g. 12 books in 12 months. There are people who read 12 books a month and there are people who read 0 books a year, but you do what is realistic for you!
- If you haven’t read in a while, start with your favorite genre. Perhaps an intriguing bio, a compelling thriller or a lighthearted novel is a good choice before committing to Goethe’s Faust or James Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake. If you don’t know what to read, use Amazon, Audible and Goodreads for your due diligence. I have to say that other users’ reviews have been a great help for me.
- Discover audiobooks. For me personally, discovering audiobooks was life-changing (I currently listen more than I read).
- Where/when do I listen?
- Commuting (car/train)
- Walking
- While doing mindless chores at home (cleaning, cooking, laundry)
- Occasionally in the gym (although upbeat music is better for cardio in my opinion)
- The duration of an average audiobook in my personal library is ca. 10-11h. Most of the time my speed is set to 1.25x (yes, you can set the speed), so on an average, I need ca. 8h to go through one book. Usually I complete such books within a week, but if something is especially engaging, it takes 2-3 days. On the other hand, with some not-so-compelling books, I have needed 2 months to finish the book.
- Note from my experience: not every book is meant to be an audiobook. E.g. novels are typically great for audio format, however, some non-fiction books packed with facts belong still on a paper (or in an e-book format) in my opinion. Also, the narrator makes a HUGE difference. E.g. the narrator of the book Where the Crawdads Sing was excellent with her Southern accents.
- FYI: you can also lend audiobooks from some libraries for free (e.g. New York Public Library has this option).
- Where/when do I listen?
Some more tips:
- If you notice after 50-60 pages the book is not for you, it is OK not to finish it in my opinion. I am not promoting laziness and inconsistency here, but use your critical thinking skills. This has happened to me only twice in the past four years and I have no regrets. If I feel the book is dragging, too complex or just not to my taste, why waste the time?
- Make it part of your daily routine. I know it’s easier said than done. I’m not going to lie that the attempt to read every evening for 30min instead of watching The Family Guy has worked out perfectly, but what DID work out for me: I started listening to audiobooks REGULARLY.
- Don’t overdo it. I usually have 1-2 audiobooks on my iPhone and 1-2 traditional (paperback) books waiting for me on my nightstand. I cannot do more (again, everyone is different, so if you can read 10 books at once, go for it). Another thing I’ve noticed: if I finish a book (especially if its non-fiction), I usually want to take a day or two off listening to nothing, because I feel like this information needs to set.
- Mix it up. Unless you are only reading or listening to one genre and never get tired of it, mix it up! I personally am a huge fan of non-fiction, but this year I definitely overdid it. I listened to several self-development books one after another (that were all good), but at the end I felt like I am just receiving the same info in different forms. And at one point I was just missing to read or listen to a novel, so I switched to fiction.
Even if you are already an avid reader, I hope you enjoyed the post. AND, if you have any comments or tips on reading habits, please share below in comments section.
Much love,
Liis