Why We Feel the Pressure to Read More Books

Why We Feel the Pressure to Read More Books?

The pressure to read a certain number of books each year often stems from cultural, personal, and societal influences.

• Social media and Reading Challenges.

Don't get me wrong—it's great to challenge yourself, but platforms like Goodreads and Instagram often promote annual reading challenges, turning reading into a measurable goal. Sharing progress or "book stacks" online creates a public sense of achievement and accountability. The algorithms amplify content about productivity and achievement, making it seem like everyone is setting high reading goals.

• Cultural emphasis on productivity.

Modern culture often equates productivity with self-worth. Reading goals become another way to "optimize" oneself, similar to tracking diet or work achievements. The pressure to read can feel part of the broader hustle culture, where even leisure activities are quantified.

• Romanticization of reading.

Reading is often idealized as a hallmark of intelligence and sophistication. This creates an implicit expectation that reading more equates to being "better" or more intellectual. Bookstores, literary influencers, and even workplace reading initiatives may unintentionally create pressure to read more rather than read for enjoyment.

• Comparison and peer pressure.

Seeing others' reading achievements—whether through social media posts, discussions, or casual bragging—can lead to feelings of inadequacy if your numbers don't match up. This phenomenon is amplified by curated lists like "100 books everyone should read" or best-of-the-year lists, which can create fear of missing out on something.

• Personal goals and self-improvement.

I'm a huge personal goal and self-improvement gal. Like many people, I set reading goals as part of my journey, aiming to learn new skills, explore diverse perspectives, or cultivate a healthy habit. When life gets busy, though, these goals might feel like burdens instead of joys, leading to internalized pressure to keep up. I, for one, put so much pressure — once I have written and/or set my goal, I feel like it's written in stone, and if I don't follow the plan, I fail.

• Commercial and educational influences.

The publishing industry benefits from the culture of high reading volume, encouraging new book releases and popularizing phrases like "must-read" or "bestseller." Schools and academic environments often measure progress by the number of books read, subtly ingraining this mindset from a young age.

I love reading, and it's a big part of my life. During the lockdown, it was all that I was doing, and I felt happy to binge-read. I still feel immensely proud when I finish reading a book in a short time— but I sometimes catch myself wanting to read as many books as I did during lockdown— it's unrealistic. This time, I have life around, work, family, house, and other hobbies that I discovered along the way. It's essential to remember that the value of reading isn't about quantity but about the experience, insight, and joy it brings. Everyone's reading pace and preferences differ, and that's okay. So don't pressure yourself because you saw a reel on Instagram of someone who read a hundred books, and you only read 5. It's great that you managed to do something for yourself, to relax, even though life sometimes makes it impossible. And with that, I will start December with my November TBR because so much happened during the month, and I didn't manage to read all the books I planned on reading— and it's okay; I will survive, and so will you!