Daily and Yearly Reading Goals ... what's yours?

Hi folks, and Happy Holidays. I am new both to this group and MFP. I am 55 years old and a seafood lover; avid walker (with our dog) and kayaker. I'm a health care professional and consider myself healthy and in reasonably good shape, BUT can lose 50 pounds and be much healthier for it. Trying to adopt a healthier "lifestyle routine" and that in itself can be a real challenge, mainly with breaking old habits after years and years of routine (like eating while watching TV in the evenings).

My wife and I both LOVE to read and are avid book and audiobook e-readers - for me I tend to stick to Libby (free library app) and iBooks. I love iBooks because it has a daily and annual reading goal feature that automatically tracks your reading habits. I force myself to read at least 45 minutes everyday, no exceptions. I'm now at the point where I'm easily reading 60 minutes or more each day; this year I have read 58 books so far (broad variety of fiction; fantasy; sci-fi; thrillers and the occasional non-fiction). Will likely try to match or beat this same goal for 2023.

Here is a fun fact: Women read an average of 15.7 books in 2021, while men read only 9.5 books on average. And the number of books consumed dropped by age, with adults aged 18-34 reading 13 books for the year, compared to 12.5 books for those between 35-54, and 12 books for those older than 55!

Although I'm not certain it's appropriate here, and my apologies for that, but I am looking and would appreciate any interested MFP friends and mutual support.
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Replies

  • Catfish_Fan
    Catfish_Fan Posts: 513 Member
    Welcome! I don't tend to set a goal, I just read as I can. I don't have my yearly averages totaled yet, but I do keep track on Goodreads and in a spreadsheet. I primarily use "immersion reading" with a text and an audiobook at the same time, so I know how many hours I have read per year and per day when I calculate that (since number of pages is relative for each book, hours is more accurate for me).

    Goodreads says I have completed 138 books this year so far, and I will probably add one or two before the year ends. Then I will have my daily average calculated for the year in number of hours per day. I don't watch very much television at all, I would rather read and so I do.

    I added you as a friend too, I am active on this site and have been for a year and a half, since Sparkpeople closed. Glad to meet you!
  • CrankyOldGoat
    CrankyOldGoat Posts: 17 Member
    Glad to meet you as well, and a fellow avid reader 📚 I love GoodReads, especially when I was using my Kindle on a regular basis - I still go to GoodReads to figure out best reading sequence for a new author or series.

    I often listen to classical music or acoustical guitar for background whilst I read. Like you, I’d prefer to read over watching TV any day.

    I’m not sure I have the brain power to read and listen to an audiobook at the same time, pretty cool …
  • Starbucks2005
    Starbucks2005 Posts: 3 Member
    Hi , I am Jessi , I am a major bookworm . well , this year is almost over but next year I want to try to read 50 books . I read on kindle but I switch between kindle and libby . I mainly like to read in silence but sometimes I'll turn music on . something not too loud . I like to listen to audiobooks as well . my favorite thing to do is walk and listen to an audio book . I haven't done that in a long time.
  • CrankyOldGoat
    CrankyOldGoat Posts: 17 Member
    I tried listening to audiobooks while I walk the dog, it never worked out - as o found I tried to hard to try an absorb what I was hearing. I prefer reading - but my wife loves audiobooks, especially when she is knitting or cooking. I’m jealous of that multitasking ability.
  • Btrflydog
    Btrflydog Posts: 1,474 Member
    Hi. Nice to meet another avid reader. I'm Noreen. I work full time so don't get in as much reading as I'd like. I set my GoodReads goal at 24 a year - this year I'm at 25 and may finish one more before the end of the year. I usually read with the TV down low or music in the background. Haven't really gotten into audiobooks unless we are in the car traveling. Then we will try to listen to something we both like.

    Saw your friend request and added you as well. Also just saw that MFP added an intermittent fasting option. Have read about that, and starting today am going to give it a try. Could lose 50lbs myself.

    Merry Christmas all.
  • Catfish_Fan
    Catfish_Fan Posts: 513 Member
    I calculated the year a couple of days early. I read 140 books and my spreadsheet says I read for 4 hours and 45 minutes per day average every day this year. I might finish one or two more books by the 31st but my average probably won't change very much at this point. This includes days when I read nothing and days when I spent most of the day reading. I don't watch very much television at all... My free time is spent with audiobooks and the e-book companion.

    Like it says, When I'm Not on MFP I'm Reading.
  • FitMary202
    FitMary202 Posts: 1,472 Member
    Great to see everyone here. Always an inspiration!! Last year Catfish Fan's totals caused me to vow to keep up my Goodreads log. Well... the good thing about plans is that they are always there when I need to re-commit!
    Maybe I'll do better with my record keeping in 2023? I read a lot for work so it all bleeds together and I rarely take the time to update. I started the audiobook of River of the Gods and thought it was wonderful. Unfortunately, evening audiobooks always ended with me falling asleep and no easy way to backtrack. Maybe when I retire, I'll be able to listen during the day!
    Best to all for the NEW YEAR!
  • Btrflydog
    Btrflydog Posts: 1,474 Member
    Happy New Year all! This year I managed to read 26 books(goal was 24) for a total of 9,529 pages.
    In my personal challenge to read one book A-Z by Author I managed to read 19 out of 26 books. Missed Authors with the letters, D,E,Q,T,U,V,X & Y. We used to do this on one of my SparkPeople teams every year. Maybe we could start a challenge this year for our little group here. Anyone interested?
  • FitMary202
    FitMary202 Posts: 1,472 Member
    Well done, Btrflydog!
    I enjoyed the book challenges on SparkPeople too! I'm in if others are!
  • FitMary202
    FitMary202 Posts: 1,472 Member
    And I just realized that the new book I started is by Aminta Arrington. I think I'm already on a roll!
  • Don_WM_
    Don_WM_ Posts: 262 Member
    I try to read some every day. No specific goals other than that. So far this year I have read 91 books.
  • Catfish_Fan
    Catfish_Fan Posts: 513 Member
    Don_WM_ wrote: »
    I try to read some every day. No specific goals other than that. So far this year I have read 91 books.

    That's great! My kindle reading streak is at almost 1 year (reading every single day on kindle). I am up to 99 this year so far.
  • Catfish_Fan
    Catfish_Fan Posts: 513 Member
    I beat the Kindle Summer Challenge tonight!

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  • LadyCalico2
    LadyCalico2 Posts: 63 Member
    My yearly goals involve being an eclectic reader, so every year I try to get in a Sci-fi, a non-fiction, a Pulitzer winner, a western, a horror, a play, a YA, a graphic novel, and a romance.
  • FitMary202
    FitMary202 Posts: 1,472 Member
    LOVE these goals and accomplishments! I try to branch out too. It's such a broadening experience and fun too!!
  • Btrflydog
    Btrflydog Posts: 1,474 Member
    Nicely done on the challenges. I've already surpassed my GoodReads challenge of 24 books this year. At 26 so far and 3 months still to go.
  • Catfish_Fan
    Catfish_Fan Posts: 513 Member
    I hit my kindle one year in a row reading streak goal tonight. This is my longest streak ever on the kindle.

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  • FitMary202
    FitMary202 Posts: 1,472 Member
    Well done, Catfish!!! Woo hoo!
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  • Catfish_Fan
    Catfish_Fan Posts: 513 Member
    edited December 2023
    I completed the Kindle Year End Challenge today!!! My reading streak on my kindle is now at 417 days in a row. Very soon I will have some year end stats to share.

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  • Btrflydog
    Btrflydog Posts: 1,474 Member
    edited December 2023
    Well done Catfish_Fan!

    I finished our A to Z author challenge last night. I'm glad I did it - but I think that one is definitely a one and done challenge. At least for me. I think this year I'm just going to focus on my Goodreads challenge of number of books read.

    As for my GoodReads challenge this year I read 31 books out of 24 Pledged and 11,691 pages. My best year totals were for 2016 - I read 31 books and 12,421 pages.
  • FitMary202
    FitMary202 Posts: 1,472 Member
    HIP...HIP...HOORAY, CatFish and Btrflydog!!!
    Impressive!!
  • Catfish_Fan
    Catfish_Fan Posts: 513 Member
    With the year end upon us, I have the opportunity to look at my stats for the year (I keep track of my reading in a spreadsheet as well as on Goodreads, since it is all on audio I can calculate the time I read per month or per year).

    I am finishing book 144 tonight, so 12 books per month exactly.

    As for times, well in 2021 I averaged 5 hours and 29 minutes per day and I don't think I will ever be able to top that. This year I came in second place at 5 hours 14 minutes a day. When I started my spreadsheet in 2011 I was averaging 56 minutes a day so I have improved, or basically quit watching television and replaced my free time and workout time with audiobooks (and the e-book or print companion when I am not walking around exercising). YA books are great for exercising because they are uncomplicated by too many characters and do not have twisty, complex plots--for those types of adult books I have to sit down and immersion read. At some times I have two books going because one will be an easier read for workouts.

    I found a great audiobook app for Android, and I bought a cheap Tracfone / Android device at Amazon dedicated for that which fits in a pocket. I simply never activated the phone part. I use the Android tablet part with a micro-SD card for storage. It also runs the Audible app, and Libby and Hoopla apps for public library audiobooks. Great little tablet, replaced my old iPod. It was cheap, long battery life, and plays over wireless Bluetooth headphones. When it gets too old hopefully I will be able to replace it with another that has a more current Android version. I'm not online very often with it, just to download the audiobooks from the library.

    I hope you met your reading goals for the year. I set my goal at 110 early in the year and beat that a long time ago.

    Happy reading.
  • FitMary202
    FitMary202 Posts: 1,472 Member
    Impressive work, @Catfish_Fan, and a lot of fun too, I'm sure! I'm going to have to take a page from your book. I don't keep good enough records. I even started one book twice and got a couple chapters in before I realized it was a repeat! Note to self: start tracking even the DNF books.
    Happy 2024!
  • Btrflydog
    Btrflydog Posts: 1,474 Member
    edited January 1
    @Catfish_Fan - that's quite a lot of reading. Well done!

    I surpassed my good reads goal of 24 books( still read real books, and work full time). 2 books a month is generally a goal I can meet. So I upped my good read challenge to 28 for 2024. Final total for 2023 was 31 - I've only done that once before in 2016. Time will tell if I am able to meet my new 2 1/3 books a month goal. But 2024 is a leap year so I have an extra day -LOL.

    Happy New Year and Happy Reading all!
  • mikedee_nyc
    mikedee_nyc Posts: 198 Member
    Just really got back into reading this year and finished 15 books. Although some fantasy books are huge I still want to ramp that up in 2024.
  • Catfish_Fan
    Catfish_Fan Posts: 513 Member
    Most people read exactly 0 books in a year, so any reading goal is great!
  • FitMary202
    FitMary202 Posts: 1,472 Member
    Most people read exactly 0 books in a year, so any reading goal is great!

    What DO they do with their time???
  • Catfish_Fan
    Catfish_Fan Posts: 513 Member
    FitMary202 wrote: »
    Most people read exactly 0 books in a year, so any reading goal is great!

    What DO they do with their time???

    I have a friend who puts quite a bit more time into his television viewing than I do into reading, but I convinced him to add audiobooks to his 45 minute commute and he's doing great with it.

    Myself, I used to go fishing (for catfish!), and listen to Detroit Tigers baseball games with my late Grandmother in the spring and summer months. Later I discovered that audiobooks on CD from the library could help me retain what I read and my reading hobby grew from there. I still enjoy fishing and Tigers baseball, and my library checkouts are all digital now.

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  • FitMary202
    FitMary202 Posts: 1,472 Member
    Oh, my goodness, what an adorable picture!!
  • TEXASTITCHER
    TEXASTITCHER Posts: 8,364 Member
    I saw this game and thought to share it with this group:

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    It could be fun to play