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So far, according to my Goodreads app, I have read 50 books this year, putting me at only 15 books away from my goal for 2020. If you divide that up between the eight months of 2020, that means that I’m averaging about six books a month! Now to some, that’s pretty small potatoes, but for a mom of four with a busy schedule (homeschooling, running a business out of my home, kids activities, aggressively learning a foreign language because I WILL HAVE A HOUSE IN FRANCE SOMEDAY etc) that number feels like a big accomplishment. One of the most common questions I get asked is, how to do I find time to read? Or on the flip side I hear from people “I don’t have any time to read.” All of us only have 24 hours in our day, and it’s amazing how fast those hours fill up. So really, when or how do we find the time to read a book?

I’ll give you a brief synopsis of how I squeeze in an extra chapter or two (or five) here and there and maybe you can use a couple of these to gain some traction as well in your own reading life.

1. Choose where you want to spend your time. Put reading higher than Netflix.

We’ll just start big and call it like it is: I don’t disparage anyone’s Netflix, Hulu, Real Houswive’s binges, but I don’t watch a ton of TV and so I get more reading done than a lot of people I know because it’s how I actively choose to spend my time. I could probably get even more done if I wasn’t constantly checking my Instagram, but I digress. Spend ten to twenty minutes each day that you’d otherwise be watching a movie or TV and commit to reading instead. They don’t have to be long increments at all but you’re slowly building a habit of making reading the priority and you might surprise yourself how much reading you get done over the course of a month, especially if it’s a really good book you don’t want to put down!

2. Prioritize reading either right when you get up, or at night before going to bed.

For all you early birds, set an alarm to wake up half an hour earlier than you normally do and instead of scrolling through social media, pick up a book and read before beginning your day. Or, if you’re like me, unwind at night by reading before you go to bed. Unfortunately this has led to a couple of very late nights for me as I tried to finish just one more chapter of my book and suddenly it’s 2AM and I’m wondering how I even got to this moment. But most of the time, I read a chapter or two and then turn off my light and go to bed. It’s amazing how far you can get when you build a steady habit of small chunks of reading time.

3. Bring reading material with you. Everywhere.

This seems like a no-brainer but I don’t really ever see people with reading material out and about anymore. With phones, ipads and different kindle options, bringing reading material with you is so easy! You can even buy little pocket versions of some of the classics which fit easily into the most dainty of purses. I recently discovered booksleeves which help protect my paperbacks so they’re not being ruined by the tussle inside my bag as I go about my day! They’re great and so many shops make such cute ones. I’m completely hooked. So download a new book on your kindle or go shove a book into your purse and now you’re ready to get some reading done the next time you’re out and about and bored.

4. Set (reasonable) goals.

If you don’t have a good reading habit established, your first goal probably shouldn’t be 100 books for 2020. But set a daily page or chapter goal. Maybe make a goal to read one book this month or to spend an hour of your day off with a cuppa and the latest recommendation from your favorite bookstagrammer. Follow along with an online bookclub to help with motivation. Setting goals gives you something to work toward and offers tangible markers of progress. And reward yourself when you complete your goal!

5. Audiobooks

Audiobooks are the best way to quickly ramp up your reading repertoire because you can listen while you’re working, driving, working out, knitting, painting, whatever! I’d say at least half of the books I’ve “read” are audiobooks. Audiobooks are also great if you want to read a heavier genre but are worried about not understanding it or not being able to stick with it because of it being too dense.

If you’re looking for a great way to listen to Audiobooks and support local bookstores, checkout libro.fm ! You can get your favorite audiobooks on a monthly subscription just like Audible, but instead of your purchase going to Amazon, you’re helping support the bookstores in your area. Click here to check it out!