Resolving to Read More in 2024
By Kelly Patten
Each January we ring in the New Year by promising to exercise more, stop eating so much takeout, take a break from alcohol—the list of unmet resolutions goes on. I realized early on in my life that these types of goals and resolutions were not for me. I hate the gym and my list of Foodpanda favorites is pretty extensive. James Clear writes in his book, “Atomic Habits”: “The implicit assumption behind any goal is this: Once I reach my goal, then I’ll be happy. The problem with a goals-first mentality is that you’re continually putting happiness off until the next milestone.” (1) Clear says we need a mindset shift where we enjoy the process rather than just waiting to achieve an outcome.
I never achieved success with my New Year’s resolutions until I changed my perspective. Instead of trying to take up running or give up sweets, I focused on something I already loved: reading books. The first year I decided I wanted to read a book of poetry; another year I joined a book club. This year I chose to incorporate more non-fiction, and over the past 12 months, I’ve managed to read eight non-fiction books, which fills me with pride. Whether you’re an avid reader, making the most out of reading “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” over and over at bedtime, or somewhere in between, here are some ways to incorporate more books into your daily routine.
Prioritize reading time
Our day is built around many habits or behaviors that we repeatedly perform. Researchers from Duke University have found that habits represent about 40% of our behavior each day (2). When building a reading habit, we want to prioritize its importance in our day. Start small—I’d like to read for five minutes today or read two pages of my book. Many of us already read books with our kids as part of a bedtime routine. Instead of scrolling through your phone in bed, consider using that time to read before sleeping. Sometimes we might feel pressure to read that dense and wordy bestseller that everyone’s talking about. Choose books that you genuinely want to read and pick back up. I love a trashy historical romance with the “bodice ripper” cover. I used to feel slightly embarrassed, but now I’ve embraced it! Even better if it takes place in the Highlands, so I can screenshot pages to send to my gruff Scottish husband.
Parenthood doesn’t always lend itself to peaceful, quiet alone time. Reading doesn’t have to be a solitary habit. Instead of starting another series on Netflix, consider listening to an audiobook with your partner. Model reading behaviors for your kids by picking up a book or Kindle instead of your phone. Set up a family reading time when everyone takes out a book—even if it's just for five minutes. The more you practice reading as a family, the more you’ll increase your stamina for resisting phones, toys, and emails in exchange for exploring books together.
Use an app
Goodreads is the classic reading tracker app. It’s filled with thousands of book reviews and recommendations. You can also use it like social media to connect with friends, set reading goals, and curate your own TBR (To Be Read) list. I personally love their monthly newsletters, which are filled with trending books and quirky book lists to peruse. Looking for a cozy holiday romance? Maybe dark and morbid non-fiction? Young adult fantasy? They’ve got you covered!
My favorite tracking app is Storygraph. I love the rewarding feeling when I finish a book and pull open the app. Not only does it track the books you read, it provides graphs and charts that illustrate your reading stats—moods, pace, genres, and authors. You also can search for personalized recommendations by turning on various filters.
Libby is a free borrowing app for e-books and audiobooks. In order to access the treasure trove of books on Libby, you will need a United States library card. There are a few work-arounds here as we live abroad and you might not be American. Do you know anyone with a US address? Many states will give you free access with an address. You can also register for a free library card in Broward County, Florida, and get access to their extensive library database.
Make it easy
Between school drop-offs and pickups, sitting in traffic on Sukhumvit, working full-time jobs, and being full-time parents, it's not easy to find time to curl up with a book. It’s far too easy to pull out your phone and mindlessly scroll Instagram when you have a few spare minutes. I always keep my Kindle in my bag for easy access. Don’t have a Kindle? You can download and use the app for free on your phone. Accessible reading material helps cue your brain to pick up the book and just start reading. Prior to being a mom I never gave much thought to audiobooks. However, parenthood has proven the power of the audiobook. Just popping in headphones allows me to multitask and enjoy books while I go through my daily routines. Laying with my daughter while she falls asleep? Now it’s also time to relax with a book. Stuck in traffic? Pop in your audiobook! You can access many free audiobooks through Libby and Spotify.
Join a reading challenge
Some of us enjoy a good social media challenge. Consider joining a reading challenge this year. Perhaps you want to read at least one book each month. Maybe you want to expand your tastes and explore new literary genres. The A to Z Reading Challenge pushes you to read one book for each letter of the alphabet. Whatever you choose, I hope that 2024 brings you and your family a year full of books and reading!
Photos from Canva.
References
- Clear, J. (2018) Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery.
- Clear, J. (2023) The Habits Guide: How to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones. jamesclear.com/habits
About the Author
Kelly is currently a stay-at-home mom who has lived in Bangkok for over seven years. She previously worked as a primary educator and literacy specialist. Kelly loves reading fiction books, listening to podcasts, and exploring Thailand with her family.