After starting my monthly series about the books I'm reading, I received several comments and questions about how I find time to read so many books. I will say that this season of my life has been the one where I've had the most time to read! I am a stay-at-home mom (I work only 3-6 hours per week from home), I have just one child, and that child still naps twice a day! It's a unique combination that allows me extra time here and there during the week that I can spend reading if I'm caught up on everything else. I know it's not something that will last, so I am enjoying it while I can! That being said, here are a few tips that might help you spend more time reading.
Keep a to-read list // I've found that if I keep a running list of books that I want to read, whether they're new releases by my favorite authors or books that have been recommended to me, I end up making more time to read because I'm anxious to get to the next book on my list! I currently have 14 books on my nightstand and 8 e-books in my Kindle app, so those piles definitely keep me busy reading!
Read every day // I'm a firm believer that you will make time for what's important to you. If you truly want to read, you can find some chunk of time in your day, no matter how small it may be, to read. I read every single night when I get in bed, something that I've been doing for pretty much my whole life. Sometimes it's only 10 minutes before I start falling asleep, but if it's a particularly gripping book, it may be an hour! This means that even if I have a crazy busy week or we're traveling or have house guests, I can easily read at least a book or two a week.
Join or start a book club // If you love reading but never seem to get around to it, it might help if you join a book club so you have an external obligation of sorts to read (and finish!) a book. Similarly, check books out from the library. If you hate paying overdue fees like I do and the book you're really enjoying is due in a couple of days, you might make a little more time to read so you can hurry up and finish it before it's due.
Read more than one book at a time // This might drive some people crazy, but I really enjoy reading a couple books of different genres at the same time. Typically this means that I'm reading a fun novel, a Christian living/thought book, and maybe a parenting or psychology book. Those are the genres that I tend to read the most anyway, and I've found that if I'm reading the Christian living book after my morning devotions, reading a couple of chapters from the parenting book at some point during the week, and reading a novel every night when I get in bed, I'm spending more time reading and finishing more books than I realize.
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This is really helpful, Sherri. And, yes, soak up this time that you have to read so much! I wish I would have taken better advantage of that a few years ago. I used to think I wouldn't like reading more than one book at a time, but I've found that it's helpful to go back and forth between them.
ReplyDeleteYou are so good at reading! I just don't make time for it. I think your library tip would help me most... I do tend to read books faster when I have them checked out... otherwise I like to "savor" them and not let them end... so I just don't finish them! ha, whoops
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