Get Things Done: Manage Your Reading List Now!
There are many ways to organise the books you are reading – and want to read. This guest post gives you a few ideas on how to manage your reading lists so you can be confident you’re not missing out on some quality prose!
Are reading lists making you shiver with fear? Don’t fret. You can stay on top of your reading assignments with the help of simple, easy-to-use apps and hacks.
Technology to the rescue, once again!
Apps and Reading Logs
For your digital, non-book reading list, there are some intuitive and popular apps you can try to keep up with your reading list of publications, journals and online magazines.
Pocket is the go-to read-it-later smartphone app that integrates with apps like Flipboard and Twitter. It’s available on a number of devices and platforms including iPads and iPhones, Android devices, eReaders like Kindle Fire and Kobo, and browsers like Google Chrome, Safari and Opera.
Essentially you can save any online article, blog, or journal for reading it later offline. It is a digital reading list of everything that interests you on the web and everything that you must read for work and study purposes.
Apart from Pocket you can also try a more book-based reading list app like BKSFL. This modern reading list app lets you integrate with your GoodReads account so you can sync your reading progress and enrich it with interesting discoveries on GoodReads.
BKSLF Reading List App for iOS
BKSLF (which is available for iOs devices) helps you keep track of your reading with reading lists such as Reading, Done Reading, and To Read.
Take the next step in reading list management with an app trusted by hundreds of readers.
A To-do List for your …Reading List
Why not use a to-do app to manage your reading list? Use the intuitive and simple to-do app Any.do for organizing your reading list.
Any.do lets you create and name lists based on three activities: Currently Reading, To Read, and Done Reading. Simply create a task for every new book and drag it in the appropriate list! Any.do is available for Android and iOs and as a web-based application.
To-doist is a similar app in which you can color-code your books based on their status. For example, use blue for “To Read” books, green for “Currently Reading,” and yellow for books you have read already.
Due to being visually optimized these apps lets you have instant overview of your reading progress, saving you time and making sure you stay ahead of schedule of your reading list deadlines.
Aldiko Book Reader
The Aldiko Book Reader is another great reading list management app for Android devices which comes with several other functionalities, including ebook reading and management, reading experience customization, and the ability to organize your books with tags and collections for better management of your reading tasks.
Aldiko also features book reading status to help you stay on top of what you’ve read, what’s half read, and what’s been read all the way to the end.
Tweeting Your Reading List Progress
Although not a reading list app per se, Twitter (and for that matter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook) can help you organize your reading list.
For example, you can use Twitter to tweet about your reading activity and book reading completion. Use hashtags to indicate where you’re at, like “mustread” and “readingnow” and “justreadit”. If a book is so action-packed you can’t put it down, consider live-tweeting your reading activity!
While it won’t help you manage your reading list, the accountability it gives you for what you’ve read and what you must read ensures you stay focused on your reading responsibilities and do your best to honor your deadlines.
It will make you more determined to stick to your reading assignments, whether these are for work, pleasure, or school.
Pinterest is another social network that can help you visualize your reading progress. Simply create boards where you can categorize your literary journey, like one of these:
- What I’m Reading
- Bookshelf Of Things To Read
- I Have Read These Books
- My Favorite Reads
Edit your pins/books by adding them to the appropriate board.
As you watch boards get filled with new additions, a sense of achievement will strengthen your daily reading habit.
Go Traditional
Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best solutions. Create a document on your computer in which you categorize all books and articles in your reading list in three major categories. Print it out and adjust it as your reading progresses.
Your Inbox Is Now a Reading List Log
Another idea you might like uses technology you have already: your email inbox. Simply create a new email account or folder in your existing email space so you can sort your reading based on status.
You can either color code or use stars to signify reading status or even create folders into which you drag and drop books. Either way you will have a bird’s eye view of your reading and be able to manage your time efficiently to meet deadlines and reading goals.
Create A Reading List Board
If you’re more of a hands-on, creative type of reader, why not create a reading list board in which you can pin printed miniature book covers on a board? Place the board in your office or study room and update it as your reading progresses.
The physicality of the board will act as a reminder of your reading tasks and will further feed your drive to read more.
Reading is a pleasant, rewarding experience. When we read, deadlines, long reads and dense writing can rob us of our motivation and commitment. Using a reading list will keep you focused and driven and will ensure you keep track of your reading list without missing deadlines.