Reading Goals That Won’t Stress You Out (Even If Life Is Full)
New Year, New Reading Goals (In a Very Full Life)
New year = new goals. I get excited to make goals every year, and this year is no different. This is our first full year running Currently Booked, so I thought it might be fun to share some of my reading goals with you.
If you’ve been around the blog for a bit, you can probably tell that Emily and I are extremely busy in our own very different ways. I’m a wife, a mom to four wonderful kiddos, a caregiver to an elderly parent with dementia, a farmer, a homeschooler — among many other things. If I don’t make goals, it probably isn’t going to happen.
I want to encourage you to do the same. Make yourself some reading goals. They don’t have to be anything crazy or impressive. I’ll share some of mine below, and I’d love to hear what you come up with as well.
1️⃣ Read 50 Books This Year
Just a couple of years ago, I would have laughed at myself for even mentioning this. I was lucky to pick up a couple of books throughout the entire year. But reading is 100% a part of who I am and has been from a very young age (who put their principal on the roof for reading the most books in the whole school during the first grade…this gal →🙋♀️). I’ve realized that reading is my form of self-care, and I need to focus on filling my cup so that I can show up for others in a way that is healthy and productive.
Now, some people may say, “That’s so many books. How could you even consider that?” while others might think, “That’s not very many at all.” And my answer is simple: do what works best for you.
Driving in the car for 45 minutes a few times a week? Listen to an audiobook. Sitting at a doctor’s appointment or during a lunch break? Bring a Kindle. Up 15 minutes before everyone else? Crack open a book. Reading doesn’t have to look one specific way to count.
2️⃣ Be More Flexible With Reading Formats
As I mentioned above, flexibility is key for me. Mostly, that means leaning into audiobooks while driving and doing farm chores. I wear hearing aids, meaning I always have a pair of earbuds in, so honestly, there really isn’t much of an excuse. I know I could do a better job of fully using all the formats available to me, but sometimes my brain can only handle one book at a time — and that’s okay. The important thing is that I always have a book on hand, whether it’s a Kindle, a physical book, or an audiobook, so reading can fit into my life instead of competing with it.
3️⃣ Touch a Book Every Day
This doesn’t mean reading for an hour. It might be five minutes. It might be one chapter. Sometimes that’s all I have, and that’s okay — and it’s okay for you too. Staying connected to books daily, even in small ways, matters more to me than long, uninterrupted reading sessions.
4️⃣ Choose Books That Support My Emotional Well-Being
There are seasons when life feels heavy or my brain is completely maxed out. During those times, I need books that feel comforting, familiar, or simply easy to be in. A lighter read, a reread, or something that doesn’t demand much mental energy can be exactly what I need. Reading should support my emotional well-being, not drain it.
5️⃣ Give Myself Permission to Pause or Walk Away
I hate being a quitter, but sometimes I can tell that a book just isn’t right for me at this point in my life. In the past, I’ve pushed through anyway — and it often made reading feel like a chore. I’m officially giving myself permission to pause or walk away from books I’m not ready for. It doesn’t make me any less of a reader.
6️⃣ Accept That Reading Will Look Different Month to Month
Some months I might read two books, and other months I might read eight. That’s just the reality of life right now. During the spring, when farm life gets especially busy, I’ll likely choose easier, lighter reads. In slower seasons, I may reach for books that require a bit more brain power. Reading doesn’t need to be consistent to be meaningful.
7️⃣ Read Alongside My Sister
I’d love to read at least a couple of books alongside Emily — my sister and the other half of Currently Booked. Living 12 hours apart makes things like this harder than we’d like, but it still feels completely doable. Reading the same books and talking about them gives us a way to connect, even from far away. Who knows — maybe it even turns into a small book club someday.
8️⃣ Let Reading Be Quiet
I’m giving myself permission to not turn every book I read into a review or a discussion. Sometimes that becomes a lot, and honestly, a lot of reading time gets lost when I’m trying to do it all. Some books are meant to be read quietly — just for me — and that’s okay.
9️⃣ Be Honest About What Reading Really Looks Like
I’m making it my goal to show you that reading isn’t always rainbows and lollipops. It can be hard to find the time, and some months are slower than others. You’ll see this reflected in our monthly TBR posts, which we update at the end of every month to show what we actually read — not just what we planned to read.
🔟 Read for Joy, Not Trends
I’m making it my goal to read what I want to read, not just what’s currently trending. I love creating my monthly TBR, but sometimes a book catches my eye and I just want to pick it up and start reading — and that’s okay. Reading should be joyful and life-giving, not another chore on the to-do list.
Final Thoughts
These reading goals fit my life right now — and yours may look completely different. And that’s okay. The most important thing is creating reading goals that support your season of life instead of competing with it.
If you’d like a simple way to keep track of your reading without pressure, we created a free Busy Mom Reading Tracker designed to work with real life. It’s there to support you — not stress you out — even in the busiest seasons.
