How Much to Read

Image

     When you're deciding how much to read, it's good to have a bit of a format. Everyone's is different, just as everyone's favorite books are different.

     But whether you're artistic or detail-oriented, laid-back or strict, a words person or a numbers person, a big-goals person or a daily rituals person, the methods below will work.

     "How much to read" includes three basic things:

1. A vague goal that inspires you
2. A book count that grounds you
3. A routine that guides you

     All three are important for managing your reading life. Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.

Image

     A vague goal that inspires // This means that your reading life has a direction. You want to read in a certain way for for a certain reason. I really shouldn't even call it a goal as it is more like inspiration. Maybe this inspiration is a person, a thought, a quote, a writer.

     Example: I want to read like super smart people are watching a film of my life.

     A book count that grounds you // This is more of a goal as it is solid and something to work towards. A number for the week, month, or year will set you on a good course. Set your goal, and stick to it.

     Example: I want to read 50 books in 2015 (check!), 60 books in 2016, 70 books in 2017, etc.

     A routine that guides you // To get to your book count by the end of your allotted time, you'll need some routines. Maybe you read first thing in the morning or last thing before bed. Maybe you read between classes or on your lunch break. Maybe you read a ton on the weekends or on vacation. Know what works for you, and try to make it a daily ritual. This can be however structured or unstructured you want it to be.

     Example: I read a calming, non-fiction book for thirty minutes in the morning, fiction in the afternoon, and anything I want to read in the evening.

     Challenge for today: Make up what you want these three to be for you, and you'll have decided how much you specifically want to read in this stage of your life.

~Madeline

This post is part of my 31 Days to a Better Reading Life series.