Read more in 2020

Hello everyone and hope you had a lovely Christmas with your family and friends. I really enjoyed mine and I feel so grateful and thankful for all blessings that God bestowed on me in 2019.

One of the things I was able to do in 2019 that makes me proud was the fact that I was able to read considerably more than I did last year. I set myself a ‘stretch’ goal of reading 36 books ( 3 a month) this year and I am currently reading book no 33.

My inner tick box self might just lock myself up and not talk to anyone to get to 36 by the 31st of December. 😀

Jokes apart though,the actual no is beside the point, I wanted to set my myself a measurable goal to read more and I am so glad and thankful that I was able to. I follow a lot of readers on various mediums and I know some who read 52( a book a week),some on 100 etc .So don’t think 36 is a lot .Like I said it’s not about the number but trying to make reading a habit. You don’t have to read 36 books. If you read just 6 (1 in 2 months) books in 2020 from none in 2019 that would still be a huge achievement.

Like most new habits or goals just saying ‘ I want read more in 2020’ as a New Years resolution rarely ever works (believe me I know cos I have tried it ).So I thought share a few tips on how I was able to read more in 2019 and hopefully improve in 2020.

1.Have an allotted time in your day for reading -It could be bedtime, commutes (if you get the train or don’t drive),lunchtime etc. Choose a time in your day that works for you and your schedule. Choosing what works for your schedule is one of the best ways to make the habit a sustainable one.

2. Set a measurable and consistent target-Like most habits, breaking it down in small measurable ways makes it easier to be consistent.Setting a goal like ‘Read 2,5,10 pages everyday’ could work if you are just building the habit.Of course with time that goal could increase to reading a chapter a day or even a book a week . However a starting minimum threshold of reading 2 pages means that you commit to reading something no matter how little everyday.For me I approach building new habits with the mindset of something is always better than nothing. 2 pages everyday is better than no pages a day.

3.Read in the way that works for you -Due to technological advancements we can now ‘read’ in various ways.I personally love the feeling of flipping the pages of a physical book but that’s just my preference. For you it could be audiobooks while driving to work. For another it could be having all their books available on their kindle as they travel a lot . For another it could be reading on apps like Blinkist while they are in between clients. All readers have their own opinions on the best way to read. Like most things in life, do what works for you.

4. Draw up a ‘To read list’ -One of the ways I was able to read more in 2019 was constantly collecting titles that I was going to read next. I got recommendations from all sorts of places eg podcasts,conversations, social media,the library,good reads etc. My ‘To read’ list is always growing and so I always have another book to move on to when finishing one . Having an idea of what you are reading next helps keep you motivated regardless of how busy life becomes.

5. Choose books about subjects that interest you -Love baking,choose books about bakers/baking trade, intrigued by nature choose books that talk about nature,intrigued by people in certain fields or areas of human endeavour read their biographies or autobiographies .You are most likely to finish a book about something that really interests and intrigues you.

6. Re read a book that you really enjoyed– I am always reading books that I have previously read. I know this is not always to everyone’s taste but if I really enjoyed a book especially non fiction ones there is almost always something that I will take away when I read it again.

7. You don’t always have to read ‘serious’ books – A lot of people are really snobbish about reading for leisure,as it believed reading must always be about learning. This mindset is often what keeps a lot of people from reading as they see it as another thing that they have to tick of. And while I am the greatest advocate of self development, I think this mindset hampers people from seeing reading as an enjoyable habit .If something can’t be enjoyed it’s seen as a chore. Reading does not need to be a chore or something that people feel’ guilty’ that they don’t do enough of.

Like i mentioned earlier, if ‘serious’ ( which is soo subjective) books are not your thing,you can read what you ENJOY. I totally recommend reading to know but believe me it can be overrated sometimes.

I hope you find these tips useful and if you do pls do let me know how you get along with the reading habit. If you need some motivation you can follow me on the Good reads app with this link

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/92904564-oyindamola-sosanya

You can have a look at my book shelf to see my reviews on some of my 2019 reads and we could also build a community and take on some fun reading challenges in 2020

Here is wishing you a blessed,fruitful,joyful,healthy and prosperous 2020.

Much love

Oyindamola

Quote Photo credits – Pinterest