Active Life and Reading. How do you do you manage both?

[Tee27]

For those of you who have active/ hectic lives, such as mine (especially lately), how do you manage to read consistently? Do you stick to a schedule, lose a couple hours of sleep each night to get in a few pages...? I, unfortunately, have no particular schedule and tend to read at least twice a week for an hour.

[Batsap]

I tend to live in something of a sleep-deprived state at the moment, because I try to get in some reading before I sleep.
If you're finding it difficult to get your reading done, but don't want to lose sleep, then you could try always having a book with you and snatching what time you can. Like, if you're waiting or on a train/bus.

[Tiffany]

I tend to lose sleep at night so that I can read! I read to my nieces very regularly (like every night) and I count those. I mostly count those because they are chapter books and usually ones that I want to read. Like my one niece we have been working on The Ranger's Apprentice. My other niece decided she wanted to try The Chronicles of Narnia. So, sometimes the book I am reading to myself only gets a page or two a night, but I make sure to get those every night! Now, if I could figure out how to crochet and read at the same time I would be good. I would get a lot done.

[sonya]

i read whenever i can. little chapter or two a night.

[Erin]

Tiffany wrote: " Now, if I could figure out how to crochet and read at the same time I would be good. I would get a lot done."

I broke down and bought the Harry Potter series and The Chronicles of Narnia on audiobook so that I could knit and/or work on counted cross-stitch and still not lose reading time. Wouldn't want to convert my whole library over (not that I could afford it!!), but for a few favorites, it's nice (especially listening to Narnia - Kenneth Branagh, Jeremy Northam, Michael York, and Patrick Stewart, to name a few. :D).

[Tiffany]

Are they really good readers because I have a hard time with audiobooks. I tend to fall asleep listening to them.! :)

Erin wrote: "Tiffany wrote: " Now, if I could figure out how to crochet and read at the same time I would be good. I would get a lot done."

I broke down and bought the Harry Potter series and The Chronicles of..."

[ஐ Katya (Book Queen)ஐ]

Tiffany wrote: "Now, if I could figure out how to crochet and read at the same time I would be good. I would get a lot done."

You can do both. Just check out audio books from your library. I used to listen to some of those while cross stitching.

I have some of the HP series on audiobook. However, I prefer the british version read by Stephen Fry, over the US version read by Jim Dale.

[Ellen]

Between work and reading and my kids (who are almost grown), I keep a balance. Meaning sometimes one suffers and sometimes another. My friendships suffer most.

[T]

I read before bed every night, to relax, even if it's a horror/mystery/thriller it's still my way to relax.....

Just recently returned to work after 27 months off and so tired that it is taking me twice as long to finish books now.

[Irene]

I chuckled at the crochet and read at the same time comment. Trying to do that at lunch yesterday. I use the audio books while driving, I read before falling asleep, at lunch at work, waiting for appointments, always have a book, ebook with me.

[Karen M]

Mainly I try to read first thing in the morning for an hour with my first cup of tea, then I have breakfast. I sometimes read a bit at night and definitely off and on during the day for 5 or 10 minutes at a time.

[Christina]

Lately, the only reading I really get to do is in bed until I fall asleep. I also take my Kindle Fire with me EVERYWHERE so that if an opportunity presents itself I can read a page or two.

[Tee27]

Batsap wrote: "I tend to live in something of a sleep-deprived state at the moment, because I try to get in some reading before I sleep.
If you're finding it difficult to get your reading done, but don't want to ..."

I usually carry a book with me, but I still don't read it when I get the chance. I guess I just haven't found any addicting books lately.

[RB]

I read mostly during my daily commute and manage like that to read an average of about 30 pages daily - i'm a slow reader.

I think that audio books could be a good option, but I'm reluctant to try, because I'm "affraid" that I might find the narrating voice annoying, and also because if I have to listen to an audio book I would have to focus 100% (same as in reading), which means that I wouldn't be able to do anything else at the same time. But this might be different for others :)

[Mirvan.]

My active life and reading is balanced because my work is book related. Or at least reading related. I am a paid book reviewer, essay writer, translator, transcriptionist, essay writer, all part-time. So that is why reading is very important to me.

[RB]

Mirvan wrote: "My active life and reading is balanced because my work is book related. Or at least reading related. I am a paid book reviewer, essay writer, translator, transcriptionist, essay writer, all part-ti..."

I'm jealous! :-)

[[deleted user]]

Rita wrote: "Mirvan wrote: "My active life and reading is balanced because my work is book related. Or at least reading related. I am a paid book reviewer, essay writer, translator, transcriptionist, essay wri..."

I'm also jealous

[Ellen]

I'm not-I think it sounds wonderful but not for me. I have a terrible time reading anything I "have" to. My mind just rebels. And I don't have the talent to do your other jobs!

But congrats to you. :D

[Angela]

I'm a stay at home mum and volunteer ambulance officer, so at the moment I manage to get in a fair amount of reading, usually an hour or two a day/night.
Plus when my hubby is home to look after the girls I like to head out for an hour run! I love my running!!

[Huw]

I am not working at the moment (which doesn't create as much free time as one would imagine) but I have always read first thing in the morning, for an hour in the evening - there is nothing worth watching on UK TV between 1900 and 2000 - and last thing at night. I now have the added bonus of puppy sitting a litter of 10 Vizslas several afternoons a week, which gives me bonus reading time, except when the compulsion to play with them overwhelms me.

[Louise]

@Tiffany, I actually quite enjoy the Ranger's Apprentice series as audiobook :-)

I listen to audiobooks in my car to and from work. I mainly get those from the library, so what I listen to depends on what's available!

I also suscribe to Audible, but I can't get those to work on my car stereo, so I listen to them at home while cooking or playing computergames.

Apart from that I read 10-15 min every day on my coffee break at work, and about ½ hour at night.

[Maggie the Muskoka Library Mouse]

I go to bed with half an hour dedicated to reading. :) I also carry a book with me wherever I go, just in case I have a few minutes to spare for a page or two.