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9 Tips for Squeezing More Reading Time Out of Your Day
Don't let Your Year in Books end with a whimper. It's not too late to say goodbye to 2016 the right way: with a pile of books (and probably a hot beverage). In an effort to read more and, for some of us, to complete our 2016 Reading Challenge, we turned to—who else?—our wonderful Goodreads community.
We asked on Facebook and Twitter: What are some tips for reading more? See what could work for you…and then get back to your books!
1. "Cut off all outside distractions. If your phone dies, let it die. Don't plug anything in until you're finished with your book. And get cozy. Make yourself a hot tea or hot chocolate and throw on some flannel pajamas." (Lacie)
2. "Stack the deck in your favor! Have a bunch of short books you've been meaning to get to? Put them on the top of your list." (Melinda) *See 25 of our favorite books under 200 pages.*
3. "Listen to audiobooks every second you can't actually be reading. Commuting, cleaning, and laundry would be wasted time without the ability to listen to a good book." (Denise) *See 20 of our favorite audiobooks for every type of reader.*
4. "Get up early to read for at least an hour and then read for at least an hour at night." (Rae)
5. "Call in sick for a 'me day.'" (Jainell)
6. "Find sneaky ways to read more at unexpected times. I read when I'm blow drying my hair!" (Joanna)
7. "Always have a book with you. If you're waiting in a long line at the supermarket, whip it out!" (Grace)
8. "Start reading a book or comic book series with 5+ books. You'll get hooked and won't want to stop reading." (Sally) *See 24 of our favorite addictive series for teens.*
9. "Mix up genres and book lengths. Never get bored!" (Mark)
And for those who are really serious about reading more, there's this tip from Justine:
"Quit your job and send the husband and kids out of town. Recruit some cats, stockpile tea, and get to it!"
Do you have a secret reading tip? Share it with us in the comments!
(Top image credit: Doctor Who)
Comments Showing 51-100 of 148 (148 new)
message 51:
by
Shari (Shira)
(new)
Dec 18, 2016 07:03AM
Put a book on your pillow. Read until your eyes close.
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I just wanted to say the DW picture at the top is A++ thinking! :)
Always have an e-book ready on your phone or tablet. Even when you have a physical book that you're currently reading. Trust me it works.
Katheryn wrote: "I just wanted to say the DW picture at the top is A++ thinking! :)"It really is,, I saw it and I was like noooooo why did Matt smith have to go...why cruel world... why...
Jill wrote: "1) Have your book with you everywhere (kindle makes this easier) 2) Anywhere you have to wait, or basically just sit around doing nothing, whip out the book - supermarket lines, commute in trains..."
This is marvelous. The whole comment, all thought out, especially the points about effort and guilt. And most especially having a good answer ready for the 'what are you reading' question.
Shari wrote: "Put a book on your pillow. Read until your eyes close."yup... tossing and turning, trying to sleep, is a waste of time... now that I'm older and wake up during the night, I read then, too...
Always, always, carry a book in your bag. Every time you have to wait for service e.g standing in a long que at the shop, waiting for your food to be served at a restaurant, and waiting your turn everywhere, open the book and read. It makes the waiting bearable and it provides that scare resource I.e reading time.
Last tip's awesome!One idiotic thing I do to squeeze out more reading time is:reading while walking around in the house or at school .Of course,I stumble and get hurt half the time,but,c'mon,it's a book!
I like the first, second, and fourth one the best! (Although I don't have a phone.)
Create a book moment in your daily planning and stick to it until it becomes an habit
Bozhidar wrote: "I am not a fan of audiobooks. I have tried a few but i find it hard to concentrate on them(following the story) or get into it(like i am living the adventures)."
Try listening along with your book.
Try listening along with your book.
Taaya wrote: "1. Plan your workout only with exercises you can do while reading.2. Read on the toilet - if you don't have a a lot of kids, nobody will bother you there
3. Don't. Ever. Read. Fanfiction. Or at l..."
No. 2 really works for me
Bobby wrote: "Bozhidar wrote: "I am not a fan of audiobooks. I have tried a few but i find it hard to concentrate on them(following the story) or get into it(like i am living the adventures)."Try listening along with your book. "
Brilliant, Bobby!! I'm definitely going to try that, see if it helps.
1. I keep a book on me at all times.2. I buy stock in tea (not really, but damn if I don't invest).
3. I devote 7 p.m. as my reading hour (even if I've read during the day).
4. I turn off the computer and t.v.
5. Mix up genres (I plan to do this in 2017 to keep my brain spinning).
6. I don't do audiobooks or e-books (as often) because they come off as distractions to me. I must hold an actual book.
I've been trying to limit my screen time, and it's really been working! I finished three books this month I'd been stuck on since September, all because I stopped wasting so much time on the Internet.
I'm shocked no one said "download a e-book reader on your cellphone so you can read on the go". I can read my books while waiting in long lines at the supermarket, on the bus or even on break at work. I always have my cellphone and its not as bulky as a e-reader so I can have it anywhere!
1. While reading one book in its physical form, have another going on an e-reader. The opportunities to use an e-reader on your phone crop up in lots of unexpected places and the time you spend reading during these opportune moments adds up quickly, allowing you to finish more books than you though you could.2. While concentrating on a longer book such as a novel or work of non-fiction, also start an anthology or collection such as a collection of poetry. As the longer book progresses, you can take breathers to read a short story or essay from a collection or anthology or some poetry from a collection of poems. You can finish a few of these collections each year without diverting your attention from the longer reads you are doing.
There is a series of books called The Best Short Stories (or essays or poems or Science Readings) of 201x, which make excellent accompaniments to reading longer books. And, as an added bonus, these readings have been curated so you will only be reading things that are worth you time.
Paul wrote: "1. While reading one book in its physical form, have another going on an e-reader. The opportunities to use an e-reader on your phone crop up in lots of unexpected places and the time you spend rea..."I love this idea, reading anthologies while working your way through a longer work! I will definitely try this!
I read while I'm waiting for dinner to cook (only slightly scorched my salmon tonight - still tasty!) or when I need to take a walk into town...which probably isn't advisable, but sometimes I can't help myself. ;) Who wants to look at the same houses over and over again anyway?
Liz wrote: "I'll add: always know what your next book is going to be and ask for it ahead of time at the library so you aren't waiting between books!"Agreed! I usually plan out a month's worth of books for each month and make sure I have them all in whatever form, so when I finish one, I can pick up another.
Edward wrote: "Spend less time on Goodreads and Amazon and more time reading! :)"I agree with you on that one. The time spent reading the comments on Goodreads, you could be reading..haha, good one.
Tiago wrote: "Caroline wrote: "Stay off social media. A book is far more interesting!!" That's exactly what I have done. I've deactivated my Facebook account temporarily and removed Whatsapp and Telegram from m..."
Good job, Caroline. I, myself have spent less time watching TV and dedicate more time to reading. Don't get me wrong...I love watching sports, but I have dedicated a couple nights a week to just read!
Comics, manga, and manhwa are great when I'm not in the mood for heavy reading.
Jill wrote: "1) Have your book with you everywhere (kindle makes this easier) 2) Anywhere you have to wait, or basically just sit around doing nothing, whip out the book - supermarket lines, commute in trains..."
i am a tv buff too and insanely agree with your last point!
My mother recently bought a waterproof speaker. So trust me - an avid listener of audiobooks and music whilst showering - to steal it for myself and sync it with my phone. I put the speaker in my shower, and I've gotten quite a bit of reading in since!
I'd like to have Google Glass with Amazon Kindle app in it as soon as possible and then it will solve all my problems!!
A few things help me, mindset-wise:1. Focus on 1-2 reading topics for a while. A "topic" might be an author, a historical figure, a fictional series, etc. This reduces the time it takes me to transition from one theme to another, so I'm more likely to stay motivated/interested consistently.
2. Prioritize! Sometimes that means skipping a TV show. :)
3. Embrace manageable goals. I love classics (read them almost exclusively), but it doesn't mean I have to read a 600 page tome every month. No shame in short books.
Ultimately it comes down to priorities, of course. Not gonna lie, I spend too much time on the internet. If there's a book I'm committed to on a daily basis, however, I'll inevitably squeeze it into all the spare moments of the day.
Cheryl wrote: "the gift wrote: "1 do not watch tv2 do not watch tv
3 do not watch tv...*
*repeat as necessary
4 find a comfortable seat at the coffeehouse, go to librar(ies) once a week, live with low income, ..."
ABSOLUTELY!!!
Taaya wrote: "1. Plan your workout only with exercises you can do while reading.2. Read on the toilet - if you don't have a a lot of kids, nobody will bother you there
3. Don't. Ever. Read. Fanfiction. Or at l..."
The third one definitely. I stopped reading fanfiction this year and met and surpassed my reading goal.
Jill wrote: If you find more enjoyment in watching a series than reading a book, then go do that. That's fine. I get annoyed by people who judge others for preferring the visual medium over books because what exactly do they think films and series are? They are just as much stories as books are, and every film and tv series starts with a writer, and idea and a screenplay. The same storytelling rules apply, there is just as much value and enjoyment to be found in a good tv series as there is in a good book. "I agree with you on that one. I still watch my TV shows every week. Reading and TV are both hobbies of entertainment. I want to read more, but I don't want reading to be my only hobby so I do keep social media for fun and communication, and TV for fun (and to bond with friends over)
Erin ☕ *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Jill wrote: If you find more enjoyment in watching a series than reading a book, then go do that. That's fine. I get annoyed by people who judge others for preferring the visual medium over books b..."Same. I'm a reader sure. But that doesn't mean I don't watch tv shows either. And there are definitely times when I watch rather than read. Sometimes it's because the shows can be more exciting and other times it's just a preference kind of thing. Just because you like watching tv doesn't mean you can't be a reader at all
I mostly read while commuting or late at night. BTW, I love making myself a hot tea and drink it while watching "Doctor Who"! (And I'm not even british :P)
Try "bookwalking"! As long as it's in an uncrowded area it actually works. I read 5-7 pages a day just walking from my car in the parking lot to my office and back. It may not sound like much, but it adds up.I even wrote a little post with a few "tips" for bookwalking. (tongue in cheek)
Make the most out of your sunday. That is the least busy day for me and also the one I get to read the longest. I have no problem staying off social media but I tend to check Goodreads a couple times a day. The irony...
Jeffery wrote: "Tiago wrote: "Caroline wrote: "Stay off social media. A book is far more interesting!!"
That's exactly what I have done. I've deactivated my Facebook account temporarily and removed Whatsapp and T..."
Much better!!
That's exactly what I have done. I've deactivated my Facebook account temporarily and removed Whatsapp and T..."
Much better!!
Take a book with you wherever you go. Then, when there's dead time, read! I can't tell you how much I've read standing in line at the bank, in a parking lot at a big event waiting for other cars to clear out, even walking from one place to another, etc. And, and master the art of reading while walking. You get body and brain exercise at the same time that way.
I have been following a practise of reading few chapters of a novel and then discussing about it with my husband. This somehow motivates me to start reading the next chapters soon. Also never open facebook/instagram before finishing the chapter you are currently reading.
I have been taking a book everywhere I go, so when there is a time when I have to wait for a while, I pop open that book!
"Get up early to read for at least an hour and then read for at least an hour at night.": done.
Bozhidar wrote: "I am not a fan of audiobooks. I have tried a few but i find it hard to concentrate on them(following the story) or get into it(like i am living the adventures)."i was the same way. i have discovered i REALLY need to like the voice of the reader. i have found fiction is too hard for me to follow if there are too many main characters (like more than 4). i like memoirs or autobiographies read by the author. i only have a 30 min commute to work but that hour each day means i can finish most audio books i pick in 7 days or less. also the first audiobook that got me hooked on trying more was recommended to me by a person whose recs i trust a lot. the rest i tried after that were ones listed in my library's GR group.
Haha!!!Here's mine:
1) read while stirring/cooking
2) read while in toilet (bodily function/drying your hair...)
3) read while commuting
4) read while walking
5) read during lunch break
6) read during commercials
... well, read every spare moment!!! LOL
When my car broke down for about 2 months, I took the city bus, and I will tell you, there is plenty of time to read then. While you are waiting and while riding to your destination!!
Noora wrote: "Ha! I know, I wish there was a place to just add a word count for other reading (aside from published books) to get an accurate idea of how much I really read in a year, books *and* fic."True. Maybe someday someone will arrange that place. I didn't get to read much FFs this year though, just a few fictions and nonfictions.
Wonderful Article!Love the way all the users have expressed their latter side of their reader in their heart and soul!
I have a nice job with about 2 hours total of downtime per shift. so i am definitely reading then and lately i have been getting up early to read for an hour or two. this allowed me to recently do something i've never done before. i read seven books in seven days which definitely saved my reading year.
I read when I feel like it and don't force myself through books just so I can boast about how much reading I have done.
Join a book club at the library! First, the library typically acquires the boooks, so you can take chances on titles you might not usually read. Also, I like having a bit of peer pressure so I'll show having read some or all of the book in question so I can be part of the discussion. I like to listen to non-fiction on audiobook, again typically from the library. I have a 2-hour, round-trip commute 3 days/week and a40-minute, round-trip commute 2 days/week, so I'm able to "read" books I otherwise might not have time to get to.
Cheryl wrote: "Bozhidar wrote: "I am not a fan of audiobooks. I have tried a few but i find it hard to concentrate on them(following the story) or get into it(like i am living the adventures)."I agree. But I wi..."
I have to be driving and I have a short commute-- but I usually finish an audio book every two weeks. Try Silas House--Clays Quilt
