5 Tips to Make Time for Reading!

I love to read. For me, reading is a way of escaping real life and getting lost in a whole different world for a little while. But with a full-time job, maintaining a home and now blogging I have been finding it a little difficult to actually find time to read!

So I put together a little list of helpful tips to make time for reading.

1) Choose books you actually WANT to read
          This is probably the most important tip. I find that when you are in a reading slump and you pick up a really good book that you are very interested in, it is hard to put down. You are more likely to make time for reading if you can't wait to find out what happens next!

2) ALWAYS carry a book with you
           I'm one of those people who always carries a fairly large handbag so I can lug my book(s) around with me. If you don't want to carry a heavy book around try an e-reader, or a book app (I use ibooks) on your cell phone. You never know when you will have a few minutes to pull it out and read. I take public transit to and from work so for me that is when I get most of my reading done. I also read a lot when I'm waiting for appointments.

3) Set a daily reading goal and keep track
          Sometimes it is easier to get through a book if you break it up into smaller sections. Set a goal for yourself to finish one chapter a day or 30 pages a day. You can use sticky notes to section these off so you don't feel like it's such a daunting task. It also really helps me when I keep track of how much I'm reading each day. I use the Goodreads app to track my progress.

4) Set a time for reading
          Schedule a time for reading each day, and treat it like an appointment you cannot miss! This doesn't have to be the exact same time each day. But if you know you have a break in your schedule use that break to read. Or read for 30 mins before bed every night.

5)Try an Audiobook
          If you are super strapped for time, are always on the go and have absolutely no time at all to sit down and read a book then try listening to one instead. I listened to my first Audiobook on Audible this year, and found I quite enjoyed it. I did miss actually holding a book in my hands but it is so convenient to be able to listen to it when you are cleaning, walking, driving or doing anything else that your busy life entails.

Thanks for reading and I hope you found these tips helpful!
How do you make time for reading? Let me know down below.

-J