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13 Ways Book Lovers Make More Time for Reading
So many books, so little time? Every reader's been there. We asked on Facebook and Twitter: How do you make more time for reading? From savvy tips ("Listen to audiobooks while you drive!") to cheeky suggestions ("Just don't sleep!"), these are the ways your fellow book lovers fit reading into their busy lives.
1. "Throughout the day I play a little game. I read a chapter (just one) and then I get up and clean something. Example: Go and sweep the kitchen floor. Then read a chapter. Then fold a load of clothes and put them away. Then go read another chapter. I can do this all day. It works great for me!" -Shannon
2. "I always carry a book with me, so if I have to wait—like at a doctor's office—I can get some reading in." -Brigitta
3. "Get called for jury duty! Ha! Waiting can take hours. Get prepared to catch up on your reading." -Elizabeth
4. "I take the bus to work instead of my car, which saves me money and gives me lots of time to relax and read!" -Michelle
5. "Well, I stay up late reading, which has lead to a mild sleeping disorder…but, guys, books are worth it!" -Kyushu
6. "I wake up a little earlier each day and enjoy a book with breakfast." -Kaitlynn
7. "I am a huge fan of audiobooks. I listen to audiobooks while driving, taking a walk, cooking, and traveling…. Audiobooks offer huge opportunities to make the most of your time while you are doing something else." -Emile
8. "Instead of watching TV before bed, I read! You sleep better that way, too. -Raquel
9. "I actually 'plan' my reading time each day and night. Even if I have a hectic day, I schedule at least 30 minutes for myself." -Susan
10. "It's not the safest way to make time, but I read while walking to work." -Eliza
11. "I've actually called in sick when I've been reading something particularly good!" -Angela
12. "I watch TV a LOT. However, it finally dawned on me that the commercial breaks these days are much longer than they used to be. So I keep my book with me when I'm watching TV, and I can get several pages read during commercial breaks. I average about 30-40 pages per night this way!" -Sara
13. "Get old. Retire from your job. Presto! More reading time!" -Linda
1. "Throughout the day I play a little game. I read a chapter (just one) and then I get up and clean something. Example: Go and sweep the kitchen floor. Then read a chapter. Then fold a load of clothes and put them away. Then go read another chapter. I can do this all day. It works great for me!" -Shannon
2. "I always carry a book with me, so if I have to wait—like at a doctor's office—I can get some reading in." -Brigitta
3. "Get called for jury duty! Ha! Waiting can take hours. Get prepared to catch up on your reading." -Elizabeth
4. "I take the bus to work instead of my car, which saves me money and gives me lots of time to relax and read!" -Michelle
5. "Well, I stay up late reading, which has lead to a mild sleeping disorder…but, guys, books are worth it!" -Kyushu
6. "I wake up a little earlier each day and enjoy a book with breakfast." -Kaitlynn
7. "I am a huge fan of audiobooks. I listen to audiobooks while driving, taking a walk, cooking, and traveling…. Audiobooks offer huge opportunities to make the most of your time while you are doing something else." -Emile
8. "Instead of watching TV before bed, I read! You sleep better that way, too. -Raquel
9. "I actually 'plan' my reading time each day and night. Even if I have a hectic day, I schedule at least 30 minutes for myself." -Susan
10. "It's not the safest way to make time, but I read while walking to work." -Eliza
11. "I've actually called in sick when I've been reading something particularly good!" -Angela
12. "I watch TV a LOT. However, it finally dawned on me that the commercial breaks these days are much longer than they used to be. So I keep my book with me when I'm watching TV, and I can get several pages read during commercial breaks. I average about 30-40 pages per night this way!" -Sara
13. "Get old. Retire from your job. Presto! More reading time!" -Linda
How do you make more time for reading? Share your tips in the comments!
Check out more recent blogs:
Finding the 1,000 Books to Read in a Lifetime
Paulo Coelho's 'Hippie' Travel Tips
The Most Beloved WWII Novels of the Last Decade
(Top image credit: Beauty and the Beast)
Check out more recent blogs:
Finding the 1,000 Books to Read in a Lifetime
Paulo Coelho's 'Hippie' Travel Tips
The Most Beloved WWII Novels of the Last Decade
(Top image credit: Beauty and the Beast)
Comments Showing 151-195 of 195 (195 new)
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Lys
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Sep 30, 2018 04:14PM
I bring my books with me to work. I work at a hotel in a somewhat small city. During slow days, I get a lot of reading done.
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I am a teacher, and I schedule 15 minutes at the least for every class period with my students every day at work. That gives me an hour and 15 at least every day! I also carry books with me everywhere because you never know when you'll get a chance to sit and read!
Have Family D.E.A.R. Time- Drop Everything and Read!
أفكار عملية، وجدتُ معظمها- عبرالتجربة العملية- مفيدًا فعلا: حمل كتاب أينما ذهبت يشجعك على القراءة، ويمكن أن تكون الكتب الإلكترونية على هاتفك الذكي بديلا للكتاب الورقي إذا وجدتَ ذلك أنسب.
استغلال فترات الانتظار، وكذا أوقات السفر، في القراءة أثبت فاعلية فريدة، أما القراءة قبل النوم فحبي الأثير.
القراءة مع الإفطار مبكرًا، أجرب نصفها لأنني لا أستيقظ مبكرًا عادة. أما الكتب المسموعة فلم أستسغها حتى اليوم، حيث صوت القارئ يخرجني من الحالة الأثيرة التي تضعني فيها القراءة كلية.
كون القراءة بديلًا للتلفاز في المساء فوصفة ممتازة جعلتني اليوم لا أستطيع الجلوس أمام التلفاز لفترات طويلة كما في السابق.
تخصيص 30 دقيقة يوميًا للقراءة فكرة جيدة، لكني أقرأ عادة للاستمتاع وهذا الواجب الزمني لا يساعدني على ذلك.
أما القراءة أثناء المشي ذهابًا إلى العمل فلم أجربها، وإن كان السماع سيكون أفضل.
القراءة أثناء الفواصل الإعلامية التلفزيونية الطويلة، لم أجربها لكن يمكن تعديل الفكرة لتتناسب مع أي فواصل أخرى.
وأتمنى أن أظل على شغفي بالقراءة حتى أستمتع بها في فترة التقاعد، هذا إذا أتاحت الطاحونة التي نعيش فيها لنا رفاهية كهذه.
I don't watch TV, gave it up years ago and have more time to read instead. I never read in bed, as I find that I read longer and am more comfortable in a chair or on the couch. When I'm on vacation, I don't sleep in (I'm a morning person) so I have plenty of time to read before everyone else gets up.
I swear by this technique- when you start a book, make sure you can read 50 pages of it in one sitting. It’s a magic number that gets your far enough into the story to care about it. Smaller initial chunks never hook for me. After that, you can read a chapter or two each time, but don’t let more than two days go by without reading, otherwise you won’t feel that need to revisit the story. This tactic has helped me read 50 books the past two years.
Listening to audiobooks during workouts and commutes gets me 4-5 hours of listening per day, usually 2-3 audiobooks per week. You can download audiobooks from your local library using the Overdrive or Libby app, most big city libraries have their digital collections available through those apps and it's life-changing. In addition I always bring my Kindle with me when I'm anticipating a lot of hurry-up-and-wait. I can't imagine going days at a time without reading, it's become a lifeline for me.
I try to read at least 150 pages of any book im reading at the time. If it's a particular busy day, ill be happy with at least 40-50 pages. But basically, I try to read as much as i can every day.
1:My reading is more important than my sleeping 2: skiping my physical ed class give me a lot of time
3: my daily shores can totally be interrupted
4: why wasting time eating lunch when I can just grab a snack and go read ?!
E-readers are great. I take mine everywhere. Make me stand in line somewhere, I dare you. -Waiting on a meal or a to-go order, it's out.
-Drop off the wife at the store or post office, it's running.
-Showing previews at the movie theater, bring them on.
-I've taken it to Disney World for years now. 50 min wait time, Sweet!
-Doctor, Dentist, Vet, DMV, it doesn't matter anymore.
-Parties, you name them, I've taken it, Birthday, Christmas,
Thanksgiving.
-Meetings at work. You know they are going to waste time waiting on someone or something. I'm ready.
-Those rare occasions when the spouse wants to drive.
-AC repair at the dealership. Four hours to pull out the dash, no problem, I'll wait for it. (Bring noise cancelling headphones for the annoying tv playing in the background)
Keep it charged up and standing by for all of the wait lines in life.
I made a schedule in order to read a least 50 pages per day, 25 during day and 25 more pages at night, it works incredibly perfect!
Read atleast 50 pages or one hour every day. No Facebook.
I read more non fiction based on themes, hence better grasping and reading speed.
Always have a book and kindle app installed on every device - i read anytime anywhere or I nap!!
#2 I follow like a prayer, so that I can sneak a read when ever I get some free time. Longing for the day I can follow #13.
I'm a professional reader - yes, it's a real title. So I have this many books to read during the year. In between them, I read the series I chose myself vs. being offered to me. My husband is often called on emergency responses so if we're out eating or something else and he needs to leave, he doesn't need to bring me back home; I just find a corner and read my books. I always have my Cornell sheets to take notes if I finish one. And like everybody else, I read when I wait for the water to boil, appointments, between chores, taking vitamin D, etc.
Bathroom reading is the biggest one! Or when you have a relaxing bath. I also read when waiting for water to boil or something to warm up in the microwave. As well as I usually have a lot of waiting around before and after my work shifts, so reading gets done then too!
I read an audio book while I am cleaning, driving to work, get ready in the morning,etc. and I read them on 2x. I also make time every day to read two chapters of a physical book.
- I take a bath instead of a shower - I use public transport instead of a car or bike whenever I can
- I read before I go to bed
- In one of my more boring jobs years ago I used digital books on the computer
I'm always with my E-reader (I love paperback books but where I live they are expensive and takes time to receive it... so yeaaaa Kobo), I read during my breakfast and lunch at work, I woke up early so, I have 30 min to read every morning and take 30 min before I go to sleep, so I can pretty much read a book in two days
I read while having my breakfast, last half an hour before bed, while dinner is being cooked (oven-bakes make for the best reading time!), when stuck in traffic (I do not drive).
11. "I've actually called in sick when I've been reading something particularly good!" -Angela This is by far my favourite tip of them all - love it!
Because of storage space in my home I always buy ebooks that I keep on my iPhone. This way I can always read any place I'm at.
I bring my iPad with me wherever I go! There's always an opportunity to read and I also like to avoid getting stains on my physical books.
Shower reading is a skill worth acquiring. Takes some practice to wash hair one-handed, but well worth it.
I usually have at least 4 books on the go:1 to read in bed (usually a library book)
1 to read downstairs
1 audio book for driving to work (or anywhere else)
1 to read at work
I will often transfer the "downstairs" book to my bag if I am going out so I have it with me to continue reading. I also enjoy reading in the car (as a passenger). I also have books on my kindle for if I finish whatever I am reading and have forgotten to take another book with me. If I am not enjoying a book, then I will stop reading it - life is too short to force yourself to finish a book that you are not enjoying.
I am reading during the weekend for 1 - 2 hrs in the afternoon and in the evening 1 hour. Sometimes also in work, when I have free time. I am really trying to read more. :) what about audiobooks? well I am not listening often, bcs almost everytime I fell asleep... :/
I have perfected the art of walking and reading, so I can make the most of my daily commute. Proud to say so far I haven't bumped into anyone!
It's not that you "don't have time"... You have to MAKE time to read.I read whilst waiting for the bus, on the bus, an hour or so before bed, whilst I'm running a bath... You would be amazed at how much time you can squeeze in!
I leave the house to go to work early enough that if there's a traffic issue, I have a little time to work with. I also call this my reading time, because typically traffic is fine and I get to work about half an hour before I'm scheduled and can read for 20ish minutes in my car before going in. I also read on my breaks. Like the person up top, I also get excited for some reading time when I'm called for jury duty.
Why am I reading this list, when I actually could/should read a book?!
I read while I walk and have done, nearly everywhere I go, for the last 6 years. It's hard to find the time and simply reading on public transport wasn't achieving my reading goals.Now, I think I've spent more time reading while on foot than I have sitting.
Over the weekend, I was giving blood and out came the Kindle fire to read a few more pages while hooked up. Wish I could have figured out how to use it when I was an apheresis donor cause that's a two hour procedure but you can't move either arm. . .
Kindle app on my phone so it's everywhere with me. The following are required for a great book) In a store line up (starbucks/Grocery/clothing stores) = reading. Waiting rooms = reading. Cooking alone = reading. Eating alone = reading. Sitting on the couch while my husband watches hockey = reading. Blow drying my hair = reading. And of course reading before bed and staying up late, but I think that turned me into an insomniac so I need to stop that and switch to getting up early.
Sara' s comment about reading between tv ad breaks is spot on correct! I can read 2-6 pages through an ad break. That's 6-18 pages a tv programme. It is especially helpful with the thick, daunting books such as 'War and Peace' or James Joyce's 'Ulysses'. It is very satisfying and helpful to have achieved reading dozens of pages after an evening of watching tv!
I have a Bedtime book and a Downstairs book as well! I also have a car audiobook and an indoor audiobook for cooking or cleaning.
I make a habit of not reading in bed. It's not that I don't like being comfortable, but f I read in bed I will never sleep.
mrbooks wrote: "I make a habit of not reading in bed. It's not that I don't like being comfortable, but f I read in bed I will never sleep."I can so sympathize.
I love nr. 13 :).I am definitely huge on listening to audiobooks while doing household chores and bringing my e-reader everywhere possible. And I read a lot while commuting.
I LOVE #3! I read an entire book for book club while waiting to be called for jury duty!
#1 Is really good when you're reading a collection of short stories.
Kernisha wrote: "I’m so happy I read this. I read so much during my university break and now that I’m back out at school, I feel like reading has become an unaffordable luxury. However, I am going to MAKE time to r..."Library!
