Hey there, book lover! Ready to dive into 2024 with some fresh reading resolutions? I often come at you with all my stats for my previous year of reading, but this year I don’t have any. And that’s because the past two years I’ve allowed myself to just read only if I felt like it. It was great! So today we’ll explore some of my more relaxed approach to reading and hopefully it gives you some inspiration as well.

Let’s face it, we’ve all had those reading slumps, or times when life just keeps us away from books. But guess what? This year, we’re going to revive our reading mojo, without the stress and pressure. A joyful journey back into the world of reading if you will, one page at a time. And how about we start by setting that intention with what’s in and out in my reading life this year.

In in 2024

Out in 2024

Reading Resolutions for Self Care and Joy

So, what can you do to ensure 2024 is the year you fall in love with reading all over again? Follow along with me here. Here are some reading resolutions that support self-care and bring back the enjoyment:

Who cares about the number!

No matter whether you read 1 book or 360 books this year, it’s about enjoying the experience and the time you dedicate to those worlds you’re immersing yourself into. Build the habit of reading a little each day and don’t care how many books you finish or how many pages you get through each day.

Set the mood

Prepare a reading ritual or routine that will encourage you to prioritize your reading time. Whether that is 15 minutes or 2 hours, it doesn’t matter. Find your favorite chair (or bed), pick a blanket to cozy up under, maybe light a candle or prepare a beverage. Make your reading time feel like your self care bubble, even if that’s reading while commuting to work.

Make reading fun

Don’t take reading so seriously. Try your hand at a reading challenge that encourages you to have fun while reading. There are many reading challenges hosted by some amazing blogs and communities online that you can join. Of course, I invite you to check out our very own, Romanceopoly. A mash up of playing Monopoly and reading.

Try a new book format

Have you always read physical books only? Try an ebook or audiobook. Listening to an audiobook while you clean the house totally counts as your reading ritual and if time is tight, this will get you excited to pick up the duster. I speak from experience.

Read with friends

Yes, reading can feel solitary sometimes but it doesn’t have to be. It is so much more fun when you can gush about how much you loved a book with a friend or book club even. Or rant, it happens. And they’ll certainly understand you more than your dog or partner. If you are on the lookout for a new community to join, I encourage to check out our brand new Under the Covers Community.

Put the book down

I know, I know. You’re here because you want to read more, not less. There are many reasons you would put the book down, sometimes temporary and sometimes permanent. If you’re not enjoying the book, set it aside and maybe later on give it another try. Or simply DNF it (do not finish). Repeat after me. You don’t have to finish reading every book you start! This is usually the biggest culprit in setting off a reading slump.

Keep a reading diary

Whether that is writing down your thoughts about a book in a notebook or digital journal, or make it a creative outlet and go all out decorating and making it a whole vibe. It can be so rewarding to flip through those pages (or digital pages) and see your reading journey. I’ll be showing you my 2024 reading journal setup inside of the Under the Covers Community but you can always peak at some of my old ones in the video below.

Diversify your reading

Go out of your way to find books in the genres you already know and love that are written by an author of a different race or ethnicity. How about a fantasy based on a culture you don’t know much about written by an author of that ethnicity?

Declutter your bookshelf

Give your bookshelf a refresh and sell those books you’ve got lingering around. You can use an app like Pango Books. And then you’ll have guilt free book spending money for new ones. Another fulfilling idea is to unhaul your books and donate them to a local shelter or plan a Little Free Library drive by to drop them off. Check out my Pango Books profile too.

Set a reading budget

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Reading can get expensive! Let’s remove that stress by making sure you’re being responsible with your book shopping. Grab a library card or sign up for memberships that provide unlimited reading like Scribd and Kindle Unlimited. I encourage you to bookmark our kindle unlimited book guide for more information about the program and our upcoming recommendations this year.

Try a bookish craft

Whether that’s to make a book wreath, book flowers, or try your hand at making a bookmark. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be perfect.

Binge read

I haven’t done this in so long and I blame the shiny object syndrome of wanting to read all the new releases. When you find an author, or series, that you love binge read it all! The series that stick with me to this day are the ones I read so long ago and I deep dived into everything that was available at the time. Try it 😉

Embrace flexibility

Don’t stress about resolutions; read what you love, when you can and have fun with it. The most important part about reading resolutions is to not take them so seriously! We’re not talking a business plan with quarterly reports, although I have been known to make pie charts about my reading. Read what you love, when you can and because it fills you with warm fuzzy feelings. Even when it’s about serial killers.

So who cares how many books you read this year, how perfect your kindle reading streak is, if someone online tells you that audiobooks don’t count (they totally do and they’re so wrong) or if you can’t remember the plot of a book a week after you finished it. Some books are meant to stay with you forever and others did their job at entertaining you.

I hope I get to see you around the Under the Covers internet-sphere whether you join our reading challenge, our online book community or the Under the Covers Insider newsletter to stay on the know with all the latest happenings.

Until the next one and happy reading!