How to find more time to read books…
Reading books allow you to escape your world and enter a new one, which is addictive and I can be known to read continuously throughout the whole day with nothing else done. And then kicks in the hangover of all hangovers, the ‘but what if’ questions about the book’s plot and the pining after the characters from the book.
Making myself read books was a chore at the beginning, I watched friends read and read but I wanted to be doing anything but, and then I set myself a challenge to see if I could read a book in less than 48 hours. I did.
And here starteth the addiction.
Reading is a muscle
You have to practice, you have to feed and work it. Feed it by giving yourself 30 mins to read a day, be that 10 minute slots at the beginning, middle and end of the day. Or find yourself a slot in the day where you can read for 30 mins. Slow or fast reader, it is not a race to see who can read the most, it is the act of reading that is the task!
Reading from a screen
I know, the back light, the constant ‘get off your screens, be more present‘ quotes that fly around social media. Think deeper than that, it’s the quality of what you’re viewing on your screen that you need to be aware of. It is if you’re spending your time avoiding doing jobs on social media or not talking to your other half with all your attention that you need to come off it… reading – you’re naturally entering a different world, it just happens to be with the ‘god forbidden’ screen.
If you don’t own a kindle, but would like to read on your phone or tablet – you can download the Kindle App, it is free, but it does require you to buy from Amazon.
IF reading from a screen is not your jam, then REMEMBER your book everywhere you go, leaving the house – take your book. It is surprising how much reading you can do whilst you’re waiting in the Post Office queue, or patiently waiting to pay for your shopping at the supermarket.
A chapter a day
There is nothing worse than starting a book, getting 30% of the way through and then unable to commit or leave. You put the book down never to read again, ever. There is such a thing as the ‘Did Not Finish’ pile – add to the pile. If the book is not your thing, then move on. There are hundreds of books out there and you don’t have to love every one of them. Read my favourites from 2020.
Join a book club
This will give you purpose for the month, however, there may be books that you cannot get into, or genres. So I recommend an online book club, where there are no zoom chats where you have to admit that you didn’t read it! Instead, you can simply potter along with your favourite genres when they come out!
Beth’s Book Club is a great online hub
Follow what I am reading on Goodreads
Let me know what is on your list to read this year. Could it be a new genre? Being honest with you, my heart will always be with the thriller genre – there is nothing more wonderful in my opinion!
Until we meet again, happy reading x