Too Busy To Read?| Caroline Lilley
“You can’t read any more until you play outside.”
“Caroline, don’t bring your book in with you.”
These are just some of the things I heard as a child from my frustrated mama. Once I demanded she teach me how to read as a 3-year-old, the poor woman could NOT pull my nose out of books. Where most kiddos would’ve had a toy taken away from them if in trouble, I lost my current read(s).
Welp, these days my mom isn’t around to hold her now adult daughter accountable to being social, responsible, and managing her time. I’m now doing my best to balance a fulltime job, spending time with my husband, caring for our home, hosting a book club, meal planning, yada-yada-yada… I know you get it.
So, honestly, I can’t help but give myself a little pat on the back for wrapping up 2021 with nearly 70 books, “in the books.”
If you’d like to turn more pages and close more covers in the near future, here are 5 tips ‘n tricks that you can try.
Always carry a book with you
I mean this so so literally. Any spare moment is a reading opportunity.
Funny story: my husband and I were out shopping the other night and while he took a bathroom break I stayed put and read a few pages of my book. Did I get some glances from nearby shoppers? Yes. Did it bother me enough to stop? You bet it didn’t!
Informal date nights are one of my favorite times to have a book with me. The moments of waiting to place our orders or for drinks to be delivered are prime page-turning time! I used to take out my phone and scroll the social medias but reading is both satisfying and productive!
I love a bag that’s spacey enough for an average sized book; if that’s not your style, ereaders, apps, and audio books have made keeping your current read with you much easier.
Read multiple books at a time
This one isn’t for everyone, but it can be a game-changer.
When I was in high school – I kid you not – I had a daily schedule to help me read 4 books at a time. I laugh at it now, but I surely do not prefer that reading style anymore. I don’t mind having 2 going at once, though. One is always on my tablet and solely for during my morning run; the other, my “main event,” is for all other times of day and goes everywhere with me.
If you have a long commute, consider dedicating that time to a specific read!
Enjoy it
Not many of us really can say we enjoy chores. That’s why we say things like, “it feels like a chore.” It’s bleh. Not fun. Unless you’re in school, reading shouldn’t feel like that. Being in the mood to read plays a huge role in how much you can do. If you’re loving it you won’t want to stop! If what you feel when you pick it up is dread, don’t do it. Your time is precious and reading should be a pleasant way to spend it.
That being said, there are those (myself included) who feel the need to finish every book they start. Trust me, it’s a struggle and isn’t always fun. If you give a book its due diligence and keep finding yourself feeling like your time can be better spent elsewhere, give yourself that freedom. It’s all good, friend.
Set a goal
Okay, okay. I know this sounds contradictory to what I just said about not allowing reading to become a chore, but it’s been proven that goals are effective, right?!
If you read 9 books last year, consider setting a goal of 12 this year.
If you want to finish your current read by _____ figure out how many pages/day you should try to complete in order to do that.
Tracking your books is great for motivation. Set a yearly goal and note each book you start-to-finish. There websites and apps that help you do this and will take it even deeper by allowing you to track your progress while reading! I find it so helpful and encouraging to see how I’m doing.
Prioritize it
Do you know how hard it is to sit down for even 10 minutes without looking at your phone? It’s gross how hard it is. So gross! For me, at least.
DND on phones is a feature from the Lord to help us get things done. If you’d like to read in bed before falling asleep, mute your phone or put it on the far side of the room for half an hour. I bet you’ll be surprised at how much progress you make without the distractions of social media!
If you’re about to sit down and binge Netflix or Hulu until you fall asleep, maybe don’t. Read a book instead! Or try limiting yourself to just an episode or 2 and then crack those pages open.
If you like to listen to some tunes in the shower, change Pandora out for an audio book a few days of the week!
Reading isn’t something that just happens and that TBR pile doesn’t shrink on its own; it takes intentionality. If you choose to begin applying 1 or all of these to your life, I’d recommend doing so slowly. It might take some time for it to become something you do without really thinking about, so be gentle with yourself. Maybe, by the time 2023 is coming into view, you’ll look back and see a lovely pile of books behind you.
Cheers, friend!
Note from Jeanette- Isn’t Caroline great, to hear more tips and tricks to manage your time for reading follow her here!!
