1. Pulling book sets for students (it's a library thing)---In the past I would spend hours finding books for different class sets and then pulling them onto carts for students to peruse. When they were done I would have to put them all away. Now that all students have an iPad at my school, I want to share with them how to find the books they need for the projects themselves and assist them in locating them in the library.
2. Cut down on the reading challenges I join---This year I have reduced my participation in year-long or open-ended reading challenges and attempted to join only short term challenges that fit with my reading goals of reading the Classics or reading YA Award winning or potential award winning novels. If some challenge like the R.I.P Challenge comes along and it fits into those goals then I am fine with joining up.
3. Accepting loaner books from friends---I've decided these loaner books are the biggest stress-makers in the reading world. I will no longer accept a loaner book. If I decide I want to read it, I will borrow the book from the library. For some reason books borrowed from a library do not stress me out. This is probably because no one at the library actually cares if I read the book or not.
4. Participate in blogging memes that don't give me joy---for a few years I joined several memes which just seemed to stress me out. I've decided the only memes I will participate in are ones, like this one, which I enjoy creating even if no one makes a comment. If I am participating because I want to increase traffic to my blog it is not a good enough reason for me anymore.
5. Avoid weeding out books because "someday someone might read it"---Did you notice the double negative? Weeding is necessary for keeping a library healthy and vital yet it is so easy to avoid removing books from the collection because of "someday someone might". I have so many outdated books in my library because of that mantra. It is time to get serious about weeding.
6. Feel pressure to write full reviews for all books I've read---I actually have never done this but I often feel a lot of self-imposed pressure to write something on every book I read.
7. Finish every book I start---I often find myself slogging through a book even though I am not enjoying it, just because I don't want to give up.
8. Buy books just because they are on the discount rack---I'm over it. Why buy a discount book I probably won't read. I'm heading to the library instead.
9. Avoid getting an e-reader---too late! I got an iPad and found out I actually enjoy reading books on it.
10. Kick myself for all the books I haven't read---instead I shall celebrate the great books I have read.
