Happy New Year! Let’s set some goals, shall we? I don’t mean weight loss goals or saving more money. I want to talk about something a little more fun, like reading goals for this new year. We are so concerned with the reading logs our kids bring home but very rarely make time to delve into stories and good books just for us.
Reading is so important. Books help us experience different perspectives, writing styles, and storytelling. I joined a book club in 2015, almost a year after my first child was born. I wanted to read more but found no accountability reading by myself, and that’s when a friend invited me to join her book club. It has been such a fruitful opportunity in my life. I’ve read books far out of my comfort zone and gotten to have wonderful conversations with good friends.
I mentioned in my 2019 reading recap post last month that I use the Goodreads yearly reading goal tracker and I’ve stuck with a 12 book goal for the past few years. Since I’ve always either met that goal or surpassed it slightly, I wanted to up the ante this year. I set a goal for myself to read 24 books. While I don’t think I will necessarily read two books a month, I think that the number is attainable, leaves room to read many different genres, and gives me time to savor each book.
This all sounds pretty great right? But some of you might think: “How can I make time for reading with tiny people running around, a job, a life to live?” I promise you can find the time. It may not look like an afternoon of reading while snuggled under a blanket with a cup of coffee in a silent house (although that sounds heavenly), but I bet you can find minutes throughout your day to read bits and pieces.
My top three reading tips:
1. Always carry a book.
My Kindle has been a game changer. I can slip it in my diaper bag or purse (or use the Kindle App!) and have hundreds of books at my fingertips. I have also come to love audio books. Listen on your daily commute, while doing dishes, or working out.
2. Read for a few minutes a day (set a timer).
I am a before-bed reader; it’s a time of day I know is kid-free and quiet. I try to read for about 20-30 minutes if I can, and after a week those little chunks of time add up!
3. Join a book club.
As I said before, the accountability of a book club is fantastic. It’s like being a part of a group project in school – all working towards the same goal (finishing the book) but without having to produce an actual project or work with a bunch of slackers!
If joining a book club is on your list of goals for the new year I invite you to join Dallas Moms as we relaunch our book club! We will be meeting in-person every other month to discuss the book and on our off months we’ll host a Facebook live in our private Facebook group.
The first book that we will read:
Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
If this is something that interests you please join our Facebook group, as more information on our first meeting date in February will be shared there!
