“How in the world do you find time to read all those books?”
It’s a question the She Reads selection committee often hears. To be sure, one of the perks of selecting these books is having lots to read. But finding time to read them isn’t always easy. Since you all have asked, we decided to share with you how we work reading into our everyday lives. Below are our combined tips. We hope that our ideas will inspire you to build reading into your life in ways you might not have thought of before!
- When I break for lunch I go outside to eat and read. ( I know, I know you shouldn’t read while you eat, but it’s what I do).
- I read in the bathtub. Books might get a few water spots, but worth it for a relaxed reading time.
- I read in the car when my husband and I take a road trip. I have been known to read aloud to him. We have fond memories of reading “The Firm” during a long trip to and from Memphis, TN. The time went so fast reading that book and we shared the experience of having read it.
- I listen to audio books on my iPod when I clean the house or run errands.
- I am in a book club that meets once a month, so I feel like I have to read the book club selection. The accountability can help you get intentional about making time to read. Don’t have a book club to join? Create one! Use She Reads as you select what to read!
- My friend gave me a great tip that I haven’t tried yet, but if you read with a Kindle and you want to float in the swimming pool, put the Kindle in a Ziploc bag and it will protect from splashes, but not if you drop it. Kerplunk!
- I find time to read by making it a priority. I have to turn off other mediums, but it’s so worth it. It quiets my mind and allows me to sink into the story.
- As a full-time writer/speaker and with lots of family time, I leave open books all over the house so that if there is a few moments I can pick one up and read. I have read as many as 5 books a week. In my busy season, like now, it’s more like one or two a week.
- Every bed in the house has books by it.
- We read at night instead of turning on the TV. A great novel is just as riveting as any TV show.
- We make the library part of our regular errands.
- Starting at the beginning of summer we do “DEAD” – drop everything and read. The whole family has to participate for at least half an hour.
- I choose to read over choosing to surf on the web or watch TV.
- I always have a book in my car so I can capture those little moments here and there to read.
- After dinner I read to my children, usually a chapter in The Hobbit or one of the Chronicles of Narnia. Then, after they are in bed, I indulge in a few chapters of whatever novel I’m currently reading. We try to keep the TV off in the evenings.
- One night a week I turn on classical music or smooth jazz and read. It’s a no TV night. A couple other times a week I may read a little after dinner or before bed. And I frequently read some on Sunday afternoons. If my husband watches a sporting event and I’m not interested, I’ll usually stay in the room with him and read.
- I will join my kids while they are watching PBS or Disney shows and read on the couch while they cuddle up with me. I am with them physically but I am doing something I enjoy too.
How have you made reading a habit? How do you work it into your life? Do share!
Yup, Yup and Yup. I do all those things. Except the Kindle thing since I don’t have one. However I once spent an entire day reading in the pool when I was a teenager. I just kept near the edge and rested my arms are the side of the pool. You can’t lounge on a raft and do this. You must be floating upright as if you are sitting. I guess you could just sit on steps in the shallow end to.
Awesome.
I do the same thing. I have several books open all over the house. I read depending upon my mood.
Also agree with all of these. Seems like I hear often how friends don’t have time to read, then they list all the TV shows they watch.
The book in the car is my favorite way to add reading to my day. I often find myself waiting to pick up a child or at a doctor’s appt. If I have a book in the car, I’m already set.
In addition to the bathtub, my hubby teases me because there are magazines, devotionals, and non-fiction books that can be read in small segments in each of our bathrooms.
Great tips! Except it’s DEAR (drop everything and READ), not DEAD – which would be…. umm…. drop everything and doo-whop. Or something. Like. That.
Love it…..I have books all around my bed, the bathroom, car, living room, etc. Love to read and my kids do the same thing. I think is not too many good things in TV to watch anyway. Plus reading can take you to places far, far away!!!!
Interestingly enough, I have done some of the reading tips you gave. I always laugh because I was an avid reader in my early teenage years, only problem was mom would send me upstairs to clean and about an hour later she would come to check on me, but where would she find me? On my bed reading, nothing had been started as to cleaning, thus, I had to lay the book down and get my work done, so I could get back to my book. I’m not ashamed, as to the year it was, it was in the 50′s. Anyone not having lived in that lifetime, truly missed out on the best years. I also have a book with me, when ever I’m in the car, going with my husband to the park, to give our dog”Abby” a run, I know, I should probably go walk with them, but I would rather be reading. I try to read when going somewhere with my husband, but I may get a few pages read, then I have to stop, because being a pastor’s wife, I might have to listen to something that my husband wants to share about things at church, then I may get a few more pages read, before he thinks of something else to share. I have other ways, that I get some reading in, as a young housewife, I would read while preparing dinner. One thing I won’t do is take my book into a resturant to read, unless I’m alone. Since we are in the golden years of our lives, there isn’t much cooking done anymore, if you get my drift.
God Bless each of you at “She Reads”
Rita
This is really something I have been thinking about lately.
When I was little, I would check adult (meaning not always children’s lit) books out of the library. I would read about five per week.
Now these many years later, I so miss the reading! And the feel of a brand new book. I don’t even really like fiction, but when I got into Christian fiction I decided I missed that kind of reading.
I believe in this day and age, the skills of handwriting, writing in general and reading….are all being lost. Not to mention, as you age it keeps your spelling in check! Reading helps you remember how words are spelled. Believe me, when you are fifty something, you will appreciate that aspect of it all.
I do hope I can work this back into my life one day very soon.
It truly is so much better than the TV.