Wondering how you can stop procrastinating and finish reading your books? If you’re like me, you probably enjoy reading. Do you have this problem (is it really a problem?) of buying tons of books? I have good intentions of reading them all. Books just start stacking up one by one. I see the books sitting there, but I get lazy about reading them. Here is how I am overcoming the procrastination of reading.
Stop Buying
As a librarian, I can’t believe I am about to tell you this, but just for now, stop buying books. If you already have a pile of books to read, buying more will not help you stop procrastinating and finish reading what you have. Instead, when you run across a book you want to buy, add it to a list. I keep a wish list on Amazon of books I want to read. This way, I can keep up with a book I am interested in without forgetting about it later.
Organize What You Have
Look at all of the books you have that you keep meaning to get around to reading. Maybe it’s a few books. Or perhaps like me, you might have a tall stack of books. Look at each title and decide how you are feeling at the moment. Are you looking for a light fiction read? You may have purchased a non-fiction book on a subject you want to learn more about. Pick one book to start with and keep a list of the others. I have made a little shelf section in my bedroom of books I need to read. Keeping them together is a reminder for me to stop procrastinating and start reading.
Read a Little
To stop procrastinating about reading your books, you have to approach it like eating an elephant- bite by bite. Some nights I’m so tired that I only read a couple of pages of a book before I’m falling asleep. It might take me days or weeks, but little by little I finish. It’s OK to read a little at a time. Just keep pressing on until you finish.
Reading Multiple Books at Once
Reading more than one book at a time is the norm for me. However, I’m finding out that this isn’t a good practice for me. I go back and forth from book to book and eventually forget the key points about one of them. Or abandon one book altogether. Focusing on one book at a time is working out much better. I end up finishing the book sooner and remembering what I have read. I also use a reading journal (like I mentioned in this post) to keep notes about what I read.
If you are like me and want to read ALL THE BOOKS, I hope these tips will help you get your books better organized and motivate you to start finishing that stack of books you have piling up.
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