Lose Time Chatting: Are You Addicted to Challenges?

Posted November 6, 2013 by Lauren in discussion, Lose Time Chatting / 31 Comments

Lose Time Chatting

This discussion topic came to me while I was drafting my October wrap up. I’m doing pathetically on my TBR challenge for 2013, in fact I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t even care about it anymore. And then something happened… I got found the link up for the 2014 TBR Challenge and what was the first thought that crossed my mind? Oh, I better sign up!! That’s ridiculous right? I just barely, BARELY made a dent in my pile for this year and I want to attempt it again?

It’s not the fact of entering the challenges, it’s that once I do I am filled will this incredible anxiety to read ALL THE BOOKS for that challenge, and then I fall behind in others and then I get more stressed out … and it’s a constant battle of self-imposed book challenge anxiety.

But I can’t help it, challenges just look so enticing to me. It’s not even the giveaways or the added fun things that go with them, I think it more boils down to the challenge counter. I love looking on Goodreads and seeing the counter getting closer and closer to completion.

Unfortunately it doesn’t even stop at specific reading challenges, like the TBR Challenge and the Debut Author challenge, it also is Bout of Books, Bloggiesta, Review challenges… I love them all. Bloggiesta & Bout of Books are less stressful because it’s a specific timeframe of completion and I do normally get a lot done but even with those I usually set unrealistic goals and end up feeling defeated if I don’t get them all met.

I guess what I am trying to say here is that I need a series case of challenge rehabilitation. I’m trying to not join them all, but Jeez… the bookish community makes them look so good! For 2014 I’m going to try to take it down a notch and not join as many challenges, but I’m also going to plan for the inevitable… I will definitely be participating in a few.

I’m really interested… are you like this with challenges? Do you love participating and joining? What’s your favorite part of challenges? Or are you on the other side of the join and totally dislike challenges? What’s the turn off for them?

Chat with me, please!

Lauren

31 responses to “Lose Time Chatting: Are You Addicted to Challenges?

  1. —my reaction when I read the first lines of your post—

    “WHAT?! THE 2014 TBR CHALLENGE IS OPEN FOR SIGN-UPS?”
    *opens new tab*
    *Googles for the challenge*
    *SIGN UP!*

    Haha so I guess that confirms your post! I love joining in challenge, and having a special “goal” to work towards, even though I never completed a single challenge before but oh well! =P Not sure if it’s a bad thing but I do feel slighting pressurized to read books that complete the challenge, kind of like review books that I impose upon myself. Nevertheless, I think I’ll still love joining in challenges because they’re so fun and a great way to find out new books for the new year!

    See you in the 2014 TBR pile challenge 😉 Awesome post!

    Alicia @ Summer Next Top Story
    Alicia recently posted..Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier | BOOK REVIEWMy Profile

    • HAHAHA, i love it 🙂 I do agree, they are an awesome way to find out about new books! I especially loved the DAC because I wouldn’t have tried half of those books if not for that!!!

    • Lol, I could definitely do with repeating that line myself Katrina!! I am not yet entirely sure about the TBR challenge but I will definitely be signing up for the Debut Author’s challenge. I read a ton of books for it last year but the TBR was a STRUGGLE for me. I do have a lot more options to choose from this year though 😛 I do agree… I completely forget about the prizes as well!!

  2. This is the first year that I participated in any challenges, and I’m behind on them (although I have hopes that I will be able to finish the DAC at least. We’ll see.). I didn’t choose to participate in many this year (just DAC and SARC, actually), but I did those because I saw them heavily advertised and so they struck my interest.
    But I’m not even close to finishing the SARC, and I’ve come to the realization that I’m just not interested in reading most of the qualifying books for it.
    I do think there are a great many benefits to participating in challenges – what better way to gain accountability and read more, after all? But if you’re not all that into it, it becomes a problem. I want to try more challenges next year, but I will choose them carefully and make sure I’m actually invested in their requirements.
    Amanda @ Late Nights with Good Books recently posted..Review: Allegiant by Veronica RothMy Profile

    • I love the DAC 🙂 What is the SARC challenge? hmmm… lol. One of the defeating things about challenges is when the qualifying books become not interesting 🙁

      I completely agree about the accountability as well as choosing challenges more carefully. I won’t be as willy nilly in 2014 and hopefully I will struggle less.

  3. My name is Chrystal and I have a problem… signing up for too many challenges and never completing any of them. *sigh*

    I even gave myself a personal reading challenge this year, sounded like a great idea – but I have barely made a dent in it.

    Next year, I’m just reading to read – no challenges, except maybe my normal Goodreads 100 book challenge (which I am behind on yet again – maybe I need to lower my total?).

    You are not alone!
    Chrystal @ Snowdrop Dreams of Books recently posted..Review: Somewhere to Dream by Genevieve Graham (AND GIVEAWAY!)My Profile

  4. I’ve started out the past two years joining ALL THE CHALLENGES. Then I get overwhelmed not with my goals but just the sheer amount of things to keep track of and update hahaha. I don’t think I’ll really be picking up any yearly challenges next year but I do like doing things that are quick and much shorter like Bloggiesta! 🙂
    Brittany @ The Book Addict’s Guide recently posted..Book and a Beverage [29] – Fiona from The Book VoyageMy Profile

    • Agreed Brittany!! I love the shorter, quick ones because the smaller timeframe means it’s easier to focus and keep track. I had a really hard time keeping track of the TBR challenge the most, especially since they had to be prior to 2013.

  5. Omigoodness — this is ME. I signed up for three my first year of blogging, or four (?) then dropped it to one last year — but still didn’t actually finish any of them. I get all excited when I first sign up (especially the TBR challenge) but lose my motivation as the year goes on. But with that being said, I’m co- hosting one next year … So, hopefully things are about to change 😉
    Melissa @ Writer Grrl Reads recently posted..Sometimes Never, Sometimes Always – Elissa Janine HooleMy Profile

    • OMG 🙂 Melissa, you’re cohosting a challenge next year??! What one?!?! I want to sign up!! (BAHAHA, how is THAT for an addiction, I don’t even know what it is!! lol). I totally agree with you though, I definitely lose my motivation as the year goes on but I am SO excited when they first start!!!

    • I agree Leigh! I also enjoy the readathons 🙂 I really love things that take place in December as well, although I’m much more busy in December I just seem to have more motivation.

    • I absolutely agree Mel! It should definitely be a balance. I always do have fun participating but then I tend to get burned out, especially if I focus on one more than the other. I have to work on that more in the new year 😛

  6. My main challenge every year is the Goodreads challenge, because it’s easy to keep track of how many books I’ve read. Next month I’m preparing for a different kind of challenge, though — my first hosted read-along. It’s the first challenge I’ve ever done that I can’t drop out of, because the buck stops with me. It’s definitely nerve-wracking, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.
    Abria @ Read. Write. Discuss. recently posted..New Read-Along: Echo in the BoneMy Profile

    • Oh hosting a read-along, that’s so fun 😀 I have only hosted one, but the ones I have participated in have been a ton of fun. Good luck with hosting!!

  7. For the past several years I’ve done a “75 Books” challenge, just for a yearly reading total. My favorite kind of challenge is the kind that doesn’t specify what to read… so usually I just stick with that one and then the occasional read-a-thon as an extra push.
    Charleen recently posted..ITW Must-Reads: The EightMy Profile

    • I can totally see why challenges that do not have specifics would be the best, I fluctuate between wanting to participate in those and wanting to participate in ones that have exact guidelines. I need to pick a side and stick to it 😛 I love read-a-thons though. A ton!!

      • Yeah, I do start getting the itch to join up this time of year, when everyone’s wrapping up their challenges and getting excited about new ones… but I just know most of them aren’t ones I’d stick with, so I resist.
        Charleen recently posted..Review: White FireMy Profile

    • Glad to know I’m not the only one Brianna 😀 I am already setting up for the same type situation this year… what, 2 weeks after I wrote this post?! lol

Leave a Reply

CommentLuv badge

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.