I know from experience that reading is not always the most fun activity, even though I know the benefits. But what are good reading goals for struggling readers?
If you struggle to keep up with your reading goals, forming a habit first before going after ambitious reading goals might help. That means trying to read at least one page every single day at some point in the day to form the habit of reading. That might be right after work or before bed.
In this post, we will take a closer look into tips for struggling readers to achieve their reading goals, and what are some good and achievable reading goals. Let’s get started.
What are good reading goals for struggling readers?
As I mentioned before if you struggle to keep up with reading, try forming a habit first before going after more ambitious goals.
That goal might be for example:
- Reading 10 pages every day
- Reading for 10 minutes every day
- Reading one book every two months
- Reading a chapter every week
One good thing to forming a habit is to read each day at the same time. That might be right before, after work, or before bed. By making your reading habit as important as brushing your teeth before bed, it will be much easier to stick to your goals.
You could even start smaller to form the habit. There is even a book written about that, it’s called The Art of Showing Up. Basically, it is about forming good habits such as going to the gym, or in this case, reading.
If you just read even one page a day for a month or two, it will come more naturally over time. Then you just keep adding how much you read.
Forming the habit of reading 1 or 10 pages every day is a good start. Some days when you are busy, you can just read one page and move on. If you have more free time, you can read more, but don’t go with the mentality that “if I read 10 pages today, I don’t have to read tomorrow.
Go for at least one page, or one minute of reading per day to start with. Just to form the habit. Sticking to your reading goals after you have formed the habit will make it a lot easier if you struggled to accomplish your reading goals in the past.
I also have a post on how to set good reading goals, you can read it here.
Having realistic yet specific reading goals will make it easier to stick to them. If you don’t yet have solid reading goals, read the post I mentioned above.
Why is reading so difficult?
One reason why reading might be so difficult is that you don’t get instant gratification when you start reading.
Unlike in video games, the benefits or the “rewards” of reading come with a significant delay. If you are reading personal development books, you have to first read the book, understand it and apply it to your life, before you see any benefits.
Even though we all probably know the benefits of reading, it might still be hard to stick to your reading goals. That’s where forming a reading habit will come in handy.
How to make reading less difficult?
There are a lot of ways you can make reading less difficult. For starters, having dedicated time for reading with your phone off can help out a lot.
On top of that, you might reward yourself every time you finish a book. Maybe by going to eat out, or something else that you enjoy.
One of the most important things to make reading less difficult is to pick books that you actually enjoy reading. Reading something that you have no interest in will be boring to read.
Here is a post about different tips to help you achieve your reading goals. Check it out if interested.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, forming the habit of reading before going after more ambitious reading goals will make it easier to stick to your goals.
Do not start with “I have to read 100 pages every day” which can be really difficult for beginners, start by showing up. Read one-page minimum every day. That might mean 1 page today, 5 tomorrow, and 1 the day after that.
By reading just one page a day, you start to form the habit of reading which in the long run will help you out a lot, if you struggled with reading in the past.
Here are some examples of reading goals for students, check them out if interested.
Hopefully, this was helpful, have a wonderful day, and good luck with your reading goals!
