I had a conversation the other day with a lady about not being able to as much as we would like. This is something that most definitely relate to because up until six months ago, I was working as a daycare teacher 8-12 hours a day. I didn’t have the time or energy to read because of my job, which I hated.
That conversation got me thinking about what can we do when we can’t read very much. Is there a magic formula that gives us the ability to read more or is it about time management?
Give Yourself Grace
Don’t beat yourself for not reading. While reading is a fun and rewarding activity, somedays other things have to take precedence.
It’s absolutely okay not to read every day or even every other day. No where does it say that you have to read this many hours or days to be considered a “real” reader.
Don’t Compare Yourself
Don’t compare your reading to others because everyone is different. Right now I’m 17 books into a 25 books challenge. I know other readers who have already finish over 100 books for the year. Am I upset by that fact? No, because we are different people with different abilities.
Try An Audiobook
If sitting down to read isn’t typically an option for you, try listening to an audiobook instead. That way you still get the story, without have sit down with a physical book.
You can listen to an audiobook while doing whatever you have to get done like chores or driving to work.
There are a ton of different options when it comes to finding audiobooks: you can get an Audible account, access them through your local library on Libby, or buy them on CD.
Set Aside Five Minutes
Most of us have five minutes a day to scroll through social media or watch a funny animal video. What if instead, that time was spent reading?
Take five minutes of your lunch break, while the kids nap, or right before before bed and read. Depending on the length of the chapters in your book, you may even be able to read an entire chapter in that amount of time.
Read Shorter Books Or Short Stories
Another idea is to stick to shorter books and short stories. Because these are smaller chunks of story, it’s easier to get through in less time.
Book The Weekend
If you don’t typically work weekends, spend some of your free time with your nose in a book. Depending on how fast you read, you may even be able to finish an entire book.
Read One Book At A Time
There are some people who can read 10 books all at the same time an finish them all. But if you’re strapped for time, it’s better to focus on reading and finishing one book instead of several.
Decide on which book you want to read and then if you like it, stick to it. If you don’t like it, pick a different book.
Final Thoughts
No matter how busy you get, if you enjoy reading, don’t stop. Keep trying to find time to read a book.
Great post! I love reading but most times when I can’t find the time to sit and read, Audiobooks always come in very helpful.