Hello readers! Emily here! Today we will be doing a slightly different take on Make it Happen Monday — instead of specific reading challenge recommendations, we will be making some recommendations on how to make more time for reading so that you can read all those books you want to read for your challenges!
Making more time for reading seems like it should be easy — I mean, we all love to read so why is it so hard to find the time! I think it’s kind of like any self care — you know you want to do it, you know you feel better when you do it, but for some reason you prioritize literally everything else. That’s definitely how I used to be — and still am sometimes, to be honest! It seems like the busier I get at work or with family commitments, the harder it is to clear my brain enough to want to spend time reading. Instead, I lose hours in phone games or some other brainless activity. But then I just don’t feel as much like myself as I do when I am reading regularly. So here are my tips for finding more time in your day for reading if you feel like me and want to prioritize it!
Ok, so maybe finding time to read isn’t as easy just as deciding you want to, but I do think there are some easy tips you can try in order to find a few more minutes in every day for reading.
- Prioritize reading in your life! I know this sounds obvious, but think about how you can make it work better in your life. For example, I made a deal with myself that I could still watch TV if that’s really what I felt like doing, but I had to read a chapter in my book first. This way, if reading catches my interest and I want to keep going, I still have the time to do it. If not, no big deal, I put down my book and watch some TV, no self judgment. Try to identify what is keeping you from reading as much as you might want to and maybe try prioritizing reading over that for a week or two and see how it works for you.
- Try audiobooks! Sometimes when I hit a reading wall, it’s not that I don’t want to consume stories, but that I just don’t feel like starting at a printed page. Maybe I want to keep doing something else with my hands (crafting or chores or whatever) or maybe the most free time I have that week is on my commute. Either way, audiobooks really help make a dent in your TBR list but in a different way. And before you come for us, yes, audiobooks count as reading. We’ve already addressed that in this post here!
- DNF books you aren’t enjoying! This is another topic we have addressed before on the blog, but we are both huge fans of putting books down if they aren’t grabbing your attention. For me, if I’m reading a book that I’m not loving, it becomes so much easier to avoid reading. And honestly, there are too many books out there that I want to read for me to spend much time on a book I’m not clicking with. Put down that book that’s not fun and try to find something else!
- Use those little minutes! I have the Kindle app on basically every electronic device I own and almost any moment I’m waiting for something I pull up a book and try to read. Carpool line, grocery line, waiting for your kids to finally put on their shoes so you can leave the house… Sorry, is that just me? Anyway, all those little moments add up and if you take advantage of them rather than waiting for the “perfect” time to read, you might be able to get more reading done.
- And finally, don’t fall into the comparison trap! It can be discouraging if you are a reader on social media if you see someone else reading more than you or getting ARCs you want or whatever. Just remember why you are reading and what your personal goals are and don’t fall into that habit! Nothing is more discouraging than feeling like you’re “not good enough”. The great news is, reading is an individual sport. You’re doing it for YOU so don’t let others distract you or dissuade you from your own goals. Some years I read over 100 books a year. Some I read fewer than 50. Life circumstances, reading speed, and so much more can affect how much a person can read. You do you and you’ll be just fine!
what about you?
So what did we miss? What helps you find more reading time in your day? Let us know if any of these tips work for you! We can’t wait to talk about it with you in the comments!
Love this!! Audiobooks have been a blessing for me lately because I listen at work every day, so I’ve been able to finish an extra book almost every week! I’m a hardcore DNFer, too, so that helps. I’m terrible about wasting time on social media and getting distracted from reading, though!
I love audiobooks! I got into them a few years ago and it has made me time in the car so much better (and I feel more productive about it too!).
I’m one of those people that try and always have a book with me … just in case. Kindles are nice for this because they are so much lighter. It can be tough to find time or motivation to read, but it’s true that reading is all about the individual. Read what you love, read when you can, and don’t compare yourself to others. All great tips.
-Lauren