How to Tackle Your TBR in 2022

Did you just go to the bookstore and already have an itch to go again? Does your bookshelf have years of unread books? Do you feel guilty about the books you own and haven't read, or the books on your wish list you’ll never get to? Well, that ends today because we’re bringing you 10 tips to tackle your TBR in 2022 (try saying that five times fast).

1. Cleanse the List. Let’s be realistic here, how many books are on your TBR? 10? 50? 200? Will you actually read them all? Go through the list and consider each book. If you’ve lost interest in one, take it off the list! I cut my TBR from over 200 to 70 this year by deleting old books I don’t want to read anymore. If you have an abundance of physical books, consider donating them or giving them away to friends.
2. Only Add Exciting Books. You will never tackle your TBR if you keep putting books on it, so while you’re whittling away at the pile, only put books on the list that genuinely excite you. Now is not the time for “maybe I’ll read that later” *puts book on shelf*.
3. Make Reading a Thing. Put reading on your to-do list, block it out on your calendar, or pick a time of day and build a habit. Personally, I like to read an eBook before bed on dark mode and when I wake up (theoretically to stop scrolling on Instagram, but it doesn’t always work). A chapter each night and every morning add up. Plus, then you can read one book in bed and a different one in the daytime. This combines with the next tip, which is…
4. Read in Multiple Formats. The easiest way to do this is by reading one audiobook and one print book or eBook. Your brain can separate books better when they are of different genres. 
5. Use Your Ears. Audiobooks are my favorite way to read, especially because I can increase the listening speed and read them faster. It can take practice to be able to listen to audiobooks and do other things, like doing dishes, painting, or other repetitive tasks, but once you get the hang of it, you can fly through them. Going on a walk with an audiobook is an especially pleasant way to get some exercise.
6. Make a Goal. Not every reader cares how many books they read in a year, but if you do, consider how many books you want to read. 100 books a year (a difficult goal!) means 8.33 books a month, while 25 means about 2.
7. If a Book Sucks, Stop Reading It. I had a hard time letting this completionist habit go, but once I did, it was liberating. You are not tied to a book. You don’t have to finish every book you start. Feel a momentary disappointment that the book wasn’t good, and move on to the next. Sometimes, I imagine what the ending would have been, and that makes it easier to leave it behind. There is also no requirement for when you can stop reading—you don’t have to give any book “a good chance”—just put it down an prioritize a book you like.
8. Read Shortest Books First. Finishing books quicker will give you motivation, and more importantly momentum, to finish your TBR. You could also only read short books in general. For example, I’m hesitant to check out a 17-hour audiobook from my library when I know I can read two 8-hour ones in the same time. Do what feels right to you, and if that means skipping longer books, we’ll allow it!
9. Make it Pretty. There’s something about annotating a physical book and seeing all my colored flags sticking out of the pages that makes me want to finish it faster. Maybe this could work for you too?
10. Take it Easy. Stressing out about a huge list of books (a.k.a. Obligations, things you Have To Do, and Guilt Monsters) is not going to make that TBR shrink, and you will feel burnt out in the process. Maybe some months you only read one book—that’s fine. Reading is not a race.

You know what the next step is, right? March over to your bookshelf and pick out a book you haven't read yet. Go to your library’s website and check out an eBook you’ve been sleeping on for months. Treat yourself with that eBook everyone is talking about and read it now! 

You’ve got this.

​​​​​​​Grayson Yount

​is a writer based in North Carolina. She attends writing classes of all kinds at UNC Chapel Hill and has a particular fondness for sharp imagery. In her free time, she drafts her own novels.
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