Finding Time To Read

One of my really big struggles as a reader is finding the time to actually sit down and read. Which really is the biggest problem a reader could come across. But sometimes things get in the way of reading, like school, work and Netflix. I’ve pulled together some helpful tips about finding the time to actually read a book.

Prioritise reading
This doesn’t mean that reading should take a priority over everything else in your life. This means that you should prioritise reading over things like Netflix, scrolling through your phone aimlessly or watching a movie you’ve seen a hundred times before. If you really do want to read a book, you’d ditch the other mediocre activities in your life and prioritise reading. If you are reaching for your phone or your remote, stop yourself and reach for a book instead. I know it’s difficult with the big wide world of social media, but if you want to read, you’d ignore it.

Schedule reading time
If you know during the day you’re going to have a couple of hours free, dedicate that time to reading. For me personally, scheduling my day doesn’t work. I’ll over run working on one project, have lunch late and then the whole thing is messed up. However if you’re someone who can stick to daily schedules, try to put half an hour or an hour in every day to read, you’d be surprised that you actually have the time!

But don’t always set yourself a time limit
This being said, don’t always set yourself a time limit to read. This is especially frustrating for those people who like to read chapter to chapter, but to find time to read that’s a habit you may have to snap out of (I did). Even if you have ten minutes before class or half an hour spare when you would have liked an hour, still pick up a book. You’ll be further in than when you started, even if you have to stop at a really good point.

Take a book with you
Not everyone likes to carry books around with them, and it especially doesn’t work if you’re one for reading hardbacks. But if you’re reading a paperback or even have a kindle, keep it in your bag at all times. You’d be surprised at how many opportunities you get to read in a day, either on a train, waiting for class or appointments, you name it, you’ll get a chance.

Read before bed
Set yourself time before bed to read even a few pages. If you’ve had a busy day and not found the time to read, pick up a book as you get in bed and read as much as you can or want to. I try to stick to this if I’ve not read anything during the day. Reading relaxes a lot of people and can help you drift in to a better nights sleep! However obviously this rule only applies if you’re not really tired, if you are, don’t read!

Those were just some tips on how to find the time to read, some of them have really helped me over the last few years especially while I’ve been at university. I hope they help some of you too! Happy reading!