In today’s fast-paced world, reading seems like a luxurious activity we cannot afford. But with some serious dedication, we can achieve reading goals that often seem impossible and out of our reach. Most of us don’t realize that the key to reading a lot is better time management. When setting a goal, such as reading a hundred books a year, every minute counts and we have to be cognizant of our goal throughout the day, hopefully, without feeling pressured. It can be done in a non-overwhelming way if we keep track of our reading activities and, more importantly, if we stay away from things that distract us from this worthy goal.

What are some of the techniques we could use to meet our goal, you ask? As pretentious as this may sound, there is no secret to it, except that reading must be our top priority. It begins with setting a reading goal, which could be fifty or a hundred or even two hundred pages a day. Calculating our reading pace is helpful. For example, depending on the writing, a page could take anywhere from one to four minutes to read. Using basic math, we can easily calculate the length of time it will take to read each book. The next step is gluing ourselves to the chosen book and not letting go of it until we finish it, which means we must take the book with us anywhere we go and utilize any and all free time to read it.

We all have twenty-four hours in our days and maximizing every moment to read is how the work gets done. We need to be honest with ourselves and recognize the things that distract us from reading. Social media is probably our worst distraction. Watching Youtube videos or movies also cuts into our reading time. We have to accept that we will have to limit ourselves in certain areas of our lives that we might have taken for granted previously. A few minutes here and there in between activities can provide us with previously unrecognized reading opportunities. Repurposing our time is key; being honest with ourselves and recognizing our reading capacity, strength, and weakness will go a long way, especially as we establish our new patterns. Keep in mind that forcing ourselves to get through every single page without giving up or reaching for our devices will train our brains to be reading champions.

Now, onto the easy part: Make sure to pick books that you like. Knowing your taste in books can make the selection and the reading much smoother. Prepare ahead of time by combing reading lists, or your own bookshelves for that matter, in order to easily assemble a list of books that will satisfy your mind. It is natural to find some books here and there that we might not like, especially with a goal this ambitious, and it is okay to put those books aside and reach for the next one. This is supposed to be a highly enjoyable journey. The more we keep our noses in the books, the less distracted we will be by other things.

As you chip away at the list, if your book list is not complete yet, keep track of other books that inspire you along the way. Keeping a reading journal with minimal notes will be another inspirational element. It is a good incentive to have a journal that is a physical reminder of all your hard work of this cherished journey. And finally, try to do the bulk of your reading when your mind is the freshest—for example, in the morning before you get out of bed. You won’t regret it! For more, this list has some good tips on how to achieve this goal. Happy reading!