January is gone, and therefore dream to read more books in 2022.

Just like winter in South Florida, resolutions aren’t made to last. So in the first month of the year, you spent your time arguing with strangers on Twitter, obsessing over your Wordle solutions and boring your followers with your scores, depleting your Netflix library and doing usually something other than tackling that pile of TBRs by the bed.

But do not worry. There is still time to turn the tide. You’re just going to have to make a few changes.

Here are some tips on how to read more effectively in the new year. Which is still fairly new. Truly.

Don’t start your quest with a monster

Look, we know you’re eager to finally “Moby-Dick” to your assets. I am not, but maybe you are. But if you have trouble concentrating – and who has not had trouble since March 2020? – start with something a little more modest. Take a thriller or a thriller, a romance optimist or a fantastic adventure. It is easy to fall into a fast paced plot. And “Moby-Dick” will still be there in March.

Take time to read before bed

Once you get into bed with a book or your tablet, you come down, and you come down hard. Read earlier in the evening, then watch TV. You can still read when you go to bed, but you won’t feel so guilty when you doze off after a paragraph.

Take time to read in the morning

Pounds go better with coffee than with exhaustion. If you’re an early riser, there’s no better time to read. Coffee keeps you alert and you can pretend for a short while that you don’t have to go to work.

Always read on weekends

What could be more fun, mopping the floor or reading a good book? Exactly. Schedule time to pick up a book and let the dog hair accumulate around you.

Stick to a 50-page hard and fast rule

If you’ve got 50 pages and you’re struggling with every page, it’s time to find something else to read. There are no pop quizzes. But there are many other good books.

Put your phone in another room

Think of your phone as this hot but unreliable example: if it’s within reach, you won’t be able to resist it. Place it in a strategic spot that’s just far enough out of reach that you won’t get up and check it out. Laziness has its merits.

Delete apps from your eReader

If you’re reading on a tablet, make sure you can’t cheat on your book with your social media.

Think about short stories

If you’re pressed for time, read a collection of stories. This will allow you to get in and out without losing the sense of the story. If you prefer non-fiction, try an essay collection.

Try audiobooks

They’re great to listen to while walking, and if you come across a good one, you’ll walk twice as far as you intended. Then you can grab a bagel with tomorrow’s breakfast reading. Win win.

Keep track of what you read

Some people will see this as a burden, but there’s something addictive about connecting to titles as you read them, whether you’re using GoodReads or just keeping a file on your laptop.

This story was originally published January 31, 2022 06:00.