Bookish Goals & Reading Habits to Refresh Your Routine
Even as a lifelong reader, I’ve often had trouble making time for books. There are periods of life that are busier than others, and so a beloved hobby can be pushed aside for a season. However, I would argue that those busy periods are often when we need the benefits of reading the most! Whether you’re in the middle of such a period, or you just want to refresh your reading habits, this post is full of simple, low-pressure tips to help any book lover read with more intentionality:
The best reading goals are the ones that fit your life.
My free reading tracker is a great way to stay organized and enjoy the process.
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Little Luxuries for a Bookish Life
Table of Contents:
5 Reading Habits to Try
1. Track What You Read
If you’re wondering how to develop reading habits that support memory and focus, I highly recommend tracking what you read.
As someone who tends to love a book and then immediately forget key details, I have found that tracking what I read helps improve my focus and memory — and kind of make a game of picking my next read. This tracking process is especially helpful with unfinished series, I’ve found, or series where I can’t jump to the next book straight away for whatever reason (usually it’s not on Kindle Unlimited and my Libby hold isn’t ready).
Download my free book tracker here to flesh out your reading goals!
2. Set Some kind of Reading Goal
Not long after I started tracking my reads, I established a personal reading goal. There are a few ways you can set reading goals — number of books, number of pages, types or genre of book, time read per day, and so on — but I stick with an annual reading goal.
Each year, I set a number goal for myself, and everything I read — whether a physical book, e-book, or audiobook — goes into that tally. In the few years I’ve been doing this, I have increased the number slightly each year, but know that won’t always be the case.
The number or metric you pick is less important than the way you approach this new reading habit. Whatever you go with, make your reading goals approachable and flexible. Opting for low-pressure goals makes reading into a game, which is the point here. If reading to meet your goal feels like a chore, you likely set your sights too high.
3. Make Reading into a Ritual
Part of the idea with these reading habits is to establish a soothing daily routine. By building reading into your daily life, you ensure you (almost) always have time for it — and, relatedly, are taking time for yourself. Think of reading as self-care in this way — regardless of what you’re reading, whether it’s a thrilling fantasy series or a romantic comedy, it is part of your quiet, personal time.
Click here for my curated guide of book and coffee or tea pairings!
Personally, I like to incorporate reading into my evening routine and wind-down time. If that sounds nice to you, start considering your nightly routine and how you can add reading to the mix, perhaps by enjoying a nice cup of tea and reading a few chapters before bed. Alternatively, if you want a slow start to the day, incorporate books into your morning coffee time! This kind of habit stacking can help build consistency and ensure you stick with these moments of little luxury that are so easy to push aside in times of stress.
For help establishing your reading rituals, check out my free reading tracker here!
4. Keep a Book With You (Yes, Even on Your Phone)
Another great bookish life hack is to swap mindless scrolling with reading. This may seem obvious and (somewhat) easy at home, but you can bring this reading habit into the real world with you with a Kindle e-reader or the Kindle app. Of course, you can also take a book with you when you go out, especially on days when you know you’ll be waiting around somewhere (IE: doctor’s offices). And that is a great habit to get into, too. But, for the times when you leave your book or your e-reader at home, don’t forget about the Kindle app! The app automatically syncs with your Kindle e-reader place, making it easy to read a few pages while waiting to meet a friend rather than mindlessly doomscrolling.
This practice of keeping a book with you isn’t about inflating your reading goal number, though you will naturally read more if you incorporate this habit. Instead, it is about swapping unintentional habits you want to kick — doomscrolling — with intentional habits you want to nurture — reading.
For more info on Kindle e-readers, check out my latest review for their Colorsoft model here and here for my review of the Paperwhite (pictured above left).
5. Keep a Visible TBR Shelf (Without the Pressure)
One reading habit I started this year was to create a visible TBR shelf. I have a small bookshelf in the hallway outside my office where my to-be-read books go. Obviously, this doesn’t account for e-books or audiobooks I want to enjoy, but it has helped alleviate the many small stacks of unread books around the house. It’s not a perfect system — some such stacks still exist — but it’s a good start! Plus, you can incorporate it into a beautiful home library, which is a win-win!
The point of a visible TBR shelf is not to pressure you to read. It is not a to-do list. Instead, it is a gentle reminder of what you have expressed interest in reading before — a menu of sorts, to peruse and pick from when you are between reads. As a mood reader who tends to fall into slumps of “what should I read next?”, having such a shelf has been helpful. It takes my TBR list out of my brain, and, with it, the pressure to remember that I wanted to read XYZ novel next.
Make Reading Work for You
In all, reading should be a joyful little luxury, a gift for yourself, a daily habit you look forward to — not a chore. If it feels like a chore, take a step back and review your reading goals and habits. There’s also nothing wrong with taking a break from reading. As with any burnout, slogging through won’t help; take a break and come back to your bookish life refreshed and eager to dive into some great new stories.
Whether you’re building new reading habits or just trying to make more time for the stories you love, this free tracker is here to help. It’s simple, flexible, and made for book lovers like you.
Click here to download your free reading tracker today!
Bookish Essentials for Readers
Set the vibe for your next cozy reading night with the perfect book and candle pairing.
From fiery fantasy to soft romance, these scent-inspired matches will transport you straight into the story.
Click here for my book and candle pairings!
