July 1 marks the midyear checkpoint for New Year’s Resolutions. It’s time to take stock of what you’ve accomplished and what you need to do to accomplish even more. Every year, I resolve to read a certain number of books, and I know I’m not alone because through the Half Price Books Resolve to Read program more than 60,000 people (including me) resolved to read more! However, of the 50 books I resolved to read, I’ve only read 16. Needless to say, I have some work to do, and here are a few ideas I’ve had about how I’m going to check this resolution off as done.
Join a Book Club. Being in a community of readers who are all reading the same book, and knowing that a discussion will take place, will push me to read the book so that I will be able to participate. Did you know you could join the HPB Book Club online, which is a great way to be part of a book club for people who are too busy or uncomfortable in group settings?
Track your progress. I am a list maker, and one of my favorite things to do is to check something off my list. As I read a book, I can add it to the list or create a list of books I want to read and check them off as I have read them. Some websites will help your track your progress online. My favorite is Good Reads.
Bring a book to work or have a book in the car. I’m not saying I’m going to read at work or read while driving, but when I go out and wait for others to arrive, or eat lunch at my desk, I can get a chapter or two read, and have a nice relaxing lunch or wait.
Break your challenge into smaller pieces. In January, I challenged myself to read 50 books. My thought process was that if I read 4 books a month (one book a week) that would be 48 books. Some books are quicker reads, so I rounded up. Unfortunately, I didn’t read much in either January or April, so now I have to read 5-6 books a month in order to make my goal. Thinking I need to read 5 or 6 books in one month is less overwhelming than thinking I need to read 34 books in 6 months. Plus, I can color coordinate my list so that at a quick glance I can tell how many books I’ve read that month.
Now if I could only figure out how I’m going to lose that weight.
How are you doing on your reading resolution? Of course, if you need more books, visit your local Half Price Books or shop HPB.com. Don’t know what to read? Ask any HPB Bibliomaniac for reading recs. You’ll walk away with more than enough books to complete your challenge.
Happy Reading!