A question I get asked the most is how I find the time to read…even with four kids.
The same way I wonder how people find the time to work-out every day or stay caught up on their laundry or watch all their Netflix shows. We choose our priorities.
My simple answer is: I don’t find time to read; I make time to read.
I know, I know. It’s easier said than done. So, how do I practically make time to read? Here are a few tips that I practice.
1. Keep a book with you.
When you have a book with you on the go, you are more likely to find moments when you can pick it up to read. This looks different for everyone. You may have a book on your phone through the free Kindle or iBooks app. You might keep a book in your purse or in the console of your car. Maybe you listen to audiobooks on Audible. Regardless of the format, if you have a book with you, you’ll find more time to read than if you leave your books on the nightstand or bookshelf.
Here are some on-the-go opportunities when you can read:
- Kid’s practices/activities
- In the school pick-up line
- While nursing a baby
- On your lunch break
- In the passenger seat of a car trip
- On the treadmill or elliptical or stationery bike
If you want to get feral about it, here are some more extreme tips:
- While food is simmering on the burner
- Blowing your hair dry
- Waiting for a page to load on your computer or phone
- Stopped at a train crossing
Yes, I have done ALL of those. (Maybe that’s why I’m not a “cook.”)
2. Choose good books.
What is a good book? That depends on you. So choose a book that’s interesting to you. And don’t lock yourself in to a book that bores you. If you give it a chance and it doesn’t grab you, then pick up a different one. Sometimes it’s your season of life; sometimes it’s just a bad book. But don’t force yourself to read something that doesn’t keep your attention or you’ll fall into the trap of believing you don’t like reading! Remember,
“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.”
~ J.K. Rowling
So find the right books!
(If you need help with this, check out my Top 10 Reads of 2017.)
3. Cheat on your phone with a book.
Did you know that Americans check their phones on average every 12 minutes (that’s 80 times a day) and spend over 4 hours a day on their phone? That’s a lot of phone time. (Granted, I did just tell you to read a book on your phone!) What if you put your phone down for a certain period of time and picked up a book instead?
Maybe at commercial breaks, grab a book and read a few pages instead of scrolling social media.
Not everything on your smart phone is encouraging or life giving, and your phone certainly doesn’t reduce your stress. But reading has proven to lighten people’s stress levels and make them feel happier. I give you permission to cheat, but only in this one area!
4. Read first thing in the morning.
It seems like every black and white sitcom I ever remember watching, the man of the house read the newspaper at the breakfast table. Of course that was before smart phones and tablets took over the world! (See Tip #3!)
I believe that’s because reading stimulates your brain activity. When you read first thing in the morning (even if it’s only for 10-20 minutes), it’s a brain boost the way exercising in the morning is a metabolism boost (or so I’ve heard).
One of my favorite times to read is while I’m drinking coffee and eating breakfast. Even when my kids were too little to read for themselves or understand what I was reading, I read aloud to them while we ate breakfast. Wake up a little earlier if need be or set a timer so it doesn’t run into the rest of your morning routine, but it will set a nice tone for your day.
5. Read before you go to bed.
Reading is a stress reliever and a mind relaxer. When I’m laying in bed but I can’t get my brain to turn off, I pull out a book and read until my eyes just can’t stay open. I know this seems like the exact opposite of what I said in tip #4, but that’s the amazing thing about reading: it works both ways! (Unless you find a book that you simply can’t put down…then you might loose some sleep!)
6. Join a Reading Challenge.
Reading challenges come in all shapes and sizes. Some people equate them with reading goals. But mostly, it’s just a creative way of finding books to read throughout the year.
I like the ones that challenge me to read different styles of books. I’ve made my own reading challenges before in a sort of “reading bingo.” My favorite reading challenge is Modern Mrs. Darcy’s. She challenges her readers to select books in 12 different categories that she selects. It also pushes you to try something new, think about your reading list differently, and makes finishing a book even more fun.
7. Set Reading Goals.
Like anything else in life, reading won’t just happen because we “want to read more.” We have to make it happen on purpose. One of the ways I do this is by setting reading goals.
Some people set a certain number of books they want to read in a year. Some people make a list of specific books they plan to read. Either way, failing to plan is planning to fail. So make a reading goal. When you are intentional about your reading (i.e. doing tips 1-6), you’ll be surprised how well you can meet these goals.
For the last two years, I have surpassed my own reading goals. Last year was a bit of a fluke, though. I set a goal to read 50 books in the year, and by December 31, 2017, I had finished 70 books. I know. It was a lot even for me! (If you don’t think that’s a lot of books, please comment some of your own tips for making the time to read, because I bet I could learn from you too!) But it was a hard year, and when I’m stressed, I read. A lot.
This year, I have high hopes for a less stressful year, and a reading goal of 55 books.
Keep track! Some people post the books they have read throughout the year on Pinterest. Some use their bullet journals. My favorite way to keep track of my finished books is through Goodreads. They offer their own reading challenges, not to mention a vast amount of book recommendations and reviews to help you choose good books! You can follow me on Goodreads and what I’m reading here.
Find what works best for you. Plan a time to read every day. Read for at least 20 minutes (80% of the most successful people read at least 20 minutes per day). Be creative in where you find time to read. Be intentional about your reading.
How do YOU make time to read? Leave a comment with some of your own tips or even the funniest place you’ve ever read a book! I’d love to hear from you.
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