I must confess I don’t have an especially busy life, yet reading consistently is so difficult. It’s not that I don't want to read because I do but when it comes time to choose how to spend my time, reading rarely feels like the most “responsible” choice.
Part of the problem is that I’m a perfectionist about books. I don’t casually grab something off the shelf; I research heavily, I mean reading is a significant investment of time and energy. I Have to do research to make sure I pick the right book. IN theory, that should make reading easier, because I’ve already decided the book is worth it and I just need to find the time but in practice, even after I’ve chosen a book I'm likely going to enjoy, still can't find the time to read
The mental comparison sort of looks like this: do the laundry or read? Clean or read? Make dinner or read? Work on a work project or read? Take a nap or read? And so on. Reading almost always comes last, because it doesn't feel essential though I value it highly (or I think I do).
What really confuses me is that I know plenty of people with far fuller schedules who read a lot. Bill Gates is a famous example, but he’s hardly unique. Many people with demanding jobs or big families or really full calendars still manage to read consistently. How?
I’ve considered audiobooks to make things easier so I can "read" while doing other things, but they don’t fully satisfy me. I tried it. I want more control and that requires physically reading text: the ability to pause, reflect, reread a paragraph, slow down if a section is very interesting or packed with info, skim when appropriate, and so on. Audiobooks feels too passive of an experience, probably not for me.
So I’m curious how others handle this. WHEN do you read? Where? Do you schedule it and commit to it no matter what or more like try to do it whenever you have "free" time? And how do you stop reading from being pushed to the back of the list when you there are more "productive" ways to spend the time?
by scalda-banco
34 Comments
Imagine how much time you could have read instead of typing an essay asking about how to find time to read.
I do most of my reading just before I go to sleep and each time I wake up during the night. I have a ereader with backlight so if I wake up, I will continue reading until I feel drowsy again.
I try and read for an hour everyday. I finish work at 4:30pm and work at home 4 days a week so I do it from then until 5:30-6pm ish. Most weekends I’m busy but if not I might grab an hour or so on a Saturday or Sunday too but I like having that as a consistent part of my daily routine. Also I try and keep my phone in a different room when doing this to avoid distraction
If you actually like reading, and not just the idea of reading, you will make time for it. As for you OP it sounds like you don’t actually like to read because it’s never a priority. You will find any excuse you can to NOT read.
Replace your smartphone with a dumb phone and see how much more time you have
I’m not reading all that, but just do it. Christ. You don’t need to brainstorm ideas. Just pick up a book and read it.
>The mental comparison sort of looks like this: do the laundry or read? Clean or read? Make dinner or read? Work on a work project or read? Take a nap or read?
You say your life isn’t especially busy, so why are these the choices? What about your free time?
Firstly, spending 15 minutes reading before going to sleep and after waking up seems reasonable. You have 30 minutes every day, doing it each day, and you are likely to finish a book with 400 pages in about two weeks (the average reading time is 8 hours).
Secondly, don’t overthink whether the book is worth it or not. If it was published, at least it was good to two people, the writer and the publisher. If you hate it, you are among 8 billion people (lol), if not, the book has one more fan (imagine being the third one to like anything, isn’t it amazing)
I read when I eat, in the bath, before bed, and I’ll sometimes wake up a bit earlier to rot and read
Lunch breaks, evenings, weekends. I only research what to read before adding to my wishlist so if I have a book I want to read it. I dont have to think that much about it.
Lunch breaks are a good one because you aren’t as tired as you are in the evening and you aren’t catching up on chores like you are at the weekend. You’ll be surprised how fast you get through books even if it’s just one chapter a day.
I also take whatever book I’m reading when I go out in the evening and get reading done while waiting for the train but that doesn’t work if you drive home.
Train commute works wonders for me.
You don’t FORCE yourself to have a hobby. You do it because you like it, because it matters to you, because you think about it even when you’re not doing it. If you have a long list of priorities before you devote even a second to it then you’re just not a bookworm and that’s fine?
It’s not like reading takes a lot of time. Back in the day, as a kid, I’d find a good book in the store, read half a chapter right there before picking it out, read some on the bus home, and go to my room and finish it in 2-3 hours (because I hated being interrupted in the middle). Then I’d re-read the good parts 1-2 times after dinner and during the next days to fully savor it.
Is doing the laundry more fun than this for you?
I read 15 books this year just on the bus. That ‘wasted’ time added up to something productive for me.
Match your Reddit + social media time with reading time.
For every 30 minutes on Reddit + other social media, do 30 minutes of reading. And so on.
You may think it’s crazy, but over the course of a few years, you will be cerebrally more resilient when it comes to have better focus, increased concentration, etc.
Two biggest things imo, look at your phone use. Most people spend an insane amount of time mindlessly screwing around on their phone. Get rid of social media. It’s not giving you what you think it is.
Read in the cracks. If I’m waiting in a line, I’m reading. Waiting room, reading. You mentioned cooking dinner or reading….read while things are cooking. Find the loose minutes and use those for reading that book instead of looking at pictures of the family of someone you barely interact with.
Really look at the time you spend consuming things that don’t provide value. Looking at you Twitter, tiktok, and YouTube. Not that you can’t do those things ever, you just probably aren’t aware how much time you give for so little in return.
If you like reading you just simply do it? I read in the morning after my workouts and before my kids get up. I read while I’m eating lunch and then again before bed time.
On the weekend if the kids are watching TV I’m on the couch with them reading.
You just make the time to do it.
Audiobooks my friend. Read WHILE doing the laundry.
Schedule a time out for it lets say 15-20 mins after lunch. I absolutely relate to this because I would stall it almost like this until I regret losing so much time to just thinking about doing it rather than simply doing it. But the good news is once you dont make a mountain out of it, you’ll casually find yourself picking up a book whenever you find time. Low effort. But start with microdosing it at specific times.
Put the laundry in the washer, read until it is done. Put the laundry in the dryer, read until it is done.
I read whenever I have time. I read mostly ebooks since it’s easier with a toddler to read on the app on my phone than to grab an actual book and worry she may destroy it on accident. But in general, reading is a priority so I make time. You should also look into audiobooks that way you can read while making dinner and cleaning etc.
What does your daily schedule look like?
Do it in all the between-time.
And if you have a choice “I could read or clean”, why not both? Set a 10-20 minute timer and read, then you can go clean.
Stop putting so much pressure on reading, it’s supposed to be fun 😊
I have the kindle app on my phone and pull it up instead of scrolling even if I only have like a 5 minute window to read.
Listening to audiobooks might help you! I get a good 15-30 minutes’ listening each morning when I’m doing my makeup and getting dressed. Also when I go on walks or if I’m waiting for someone. Then before bed I can listen for another 30-45 minutes. All of the minutes add up pretty quickly!
I think you’re a bit in your head. Reading any time you have a spare second is normal and pretty much what everyone does. I read on my lunch break. I read while I wait for the train. I read before bed. Sometimes I don’t at all because I’m tired. That’s everybody lol. You shouldn’t have to choose between a chore and reading. If you genuinely love to read then when you have down time just read a chapter or 2.
You spend way too much time researching books. Wtf is the perfect book? Just pick something up and read it.
Take public transit to work.
The most I ever read post-college was the year I had an hourlong commute each day.
i would first stop thinking about hobby time as “productive”, you’re not a machine, sometimes you can just lay down and look at the ceiling for half an hour and thats ok. Now, if you dont have time for that, then you ARE really busy and Im sorry for you. If you want to read, then do it when you feel like it, if you dont really want to read thats fine, you can do other stuff
Also, like 10-20 mins before bed is usually the easiest way for me
And Bill Gates is NOT specially busy. he’s rich, like insanely so. Rich people want you to think they’re busy, and that work hard, but the truth is that when you’re rich, life is just so much easier
I don’t watch TV.
I read all the time. I don’t program or schedule my reading time, I just leave or carry books around to read when I can.
I listen to audiobooks (nonfiction only) while doing household chores, I read while commuting, when waiting for an appointment, before sleep, in the bathroom, when relaxing at home, to my kids, etc. I try to incorporate reading into my daily life. I also tend to read a couple of books at the same time: one nonfiction (usually audio), one main book, and another smaller, niche, or divided into different stories/chapters that I can easily pause.
I don’t usually watch tv, infinitely scroll on social media, or browse online stores. I also have other hobbies like playing the guitar, reddit and videogames. I often have to prioritize between them.
I also think there is a false dichotomy between being productive and wasting time. I would bet your reading time is not thwarted by your serious tasks but by other similar activities… and that is perfectly fine.
I think you like the concept of reading more than actually reading. There is no “finding time”.
If you’re finding it hard to find the time to read, you’re either not reading the right books or reading is not something you enjoy enough.
If I’m reading a book that I find incredibly compelling, I’ll read any chance I get. Otherwise, I’ll just postpone it and drag it out for months.
I would cut out the research. Go to the library, a book shop, charity/thrift shop and browse the books. Pick up any that catch your eye, read the blurb. If you think it sounds good or interesting, borrow or buy it. That’s all the research you need to do. No amount of extra research will tell you whether _you_ will enjoy a book, only reading it can do that.
As for making time to read, I agree with others about making use of time in between tasks. Also, try and get into a habit so it becomes routine, eg. read a page or two before bed. 5-10 mins is all you need to get started.
I know you said you don’t enjoy audiobooks, but I would suggest giving them another go for while you are busy with tasks and try and let go of the need to be in control or in any way actively involved in the book. Being a passive reader/listener is fine. Let the story wash over you. Our brains _love_ stories, and maybe in time your thoughts will quieten and you will be able to just listen and enjoy. Good luck!
What else do you do for fun? Do you deprioritize those for chores too?
It sounds like you like the idea of reading but you put too much value on work (chores or your job) and also too much pressure on the perfect book. Researching a book ahead of time is fine – obsessively researching it only to never pick it up a sad waste of time (versus reading which is NOT a waste of time).
I’d actually recommend unpacking (solo, with a friend casually, or a therapist intensively) why your tasks and work are so much more important and valued than rest and hobbies like reading. That seems to be the crux of the issue.
For me, I work an 830-430 job with minimal commute. I tend to read in the evenings for 1-3 hours. I’ll also cook and clean up dinner, tackle any other chores that need attention, workout if it’s a specific day, play with my cat, and often also watch tv and/or cross stitch before a 1030 bedtime. Weekends I find a lot more time for reading and a hobby or it gets slotted in between weekly chores and social activities. Reading is one of my favourite hobbies so I prioritize picking up my books (and I put down my phone – which is hard sometimes admittedly). Some days I read like 2 pages other days it’s 55 (and rarely audiobooks for me as I prefer physically reading too).
Good luck!