Kathy Hamilton It might seem strange coming from a book blogger but sometimes I find it hard to make time for reading. You know how it is, after a long day it’s easier to sit on the sofa and watch endless re-runs of CSI or I Found The Gown than it is to work up the inclination to read. Does this scenario sound familiar?
Apparently we’re not alone. Less and less of us make time to read for pleasure regularly. In a recent study 42% people said they had stopped reading for pleasure because of ‘a lack of time’ despite knowing the benefits of reading.
It made me think, with so many other claims on our attention these days, maybe we need to actively reclaim reading! So, since I love lists, here’s 5 ways to make time for reading:
1.Make a Space Just for Reading:
I’m talking about reading nooks! Pinterest is all about this option! And whilst most of us haven’t got the budget (or the beautiful sash windows) to build a Pinterest worthy reading space I think the sentiment is still a good one. I recently decided to make a dedicated space in my bedroom for reading. So I dragged an armchair into my room, put up some £4 bookshelves and stole a pretty lamp from my sister and bingo! My very own reading nook was created! Even if you don’t want to go that far, creating a dedicated space for reading will make you so much more inclined to read.
2. Set Time Aside for Reading:
According to a recent study even 30 minutes of reading resulted in people being less likely to feel low moods. I think we can all think of times in the day when we could squeeze in half an hour of reading. Maybe your morning commute, or your lunch break, or maybe just decide not to watch that re-run of CSI Miami on Thursdays (who am I kidding?! I’m addicted!) Actively make time to read, pencil it into you calendar if you need to, you’ll be glad you did!
3. Join a Book Club:
Whether it’s in real life or online, there’s so many ways to join a book club these days. A quick google search should show you where local clubs meet and twitter is a fab place to find an online version. Don’t forget, your nearest library is probably a great place to look too! Book Clubs are a great way to set reading goals, and challenge yourself to read. They are also a great way to meet new people who share your interests!
4. Don’t Feel Guilty for Not Reading:
This is an important one! With the best will in the world there will still be times when you haven’t got time to read. You’re busy, I’m busy, and we’ve all got commitments that mean sometimes there’ll be days we don’t read. Besides, reading should be fun, so don’t feel guilty for not doing it! Just think how nice it will be when you’ve got the time to sink down into your reading nook when things calm down again!
5. Just Keep Going!
This sort of leads on from the last point, but remember to keep reading. Unless you’re the fastest reader in the world, you’re not going to finish a book in one sitting. It’s all about delayed gratification! We’ve got so used to having information readily available at our fingertips that it’s a little strange to get used to spending days, weeks or even months working our way through a book. Yes it’s tempting to watch another YouTube video of singing cats, but stick with the book, it’ll teach you more in the long run! Still make a little time for the singing cats though!
So there you have it, 5 ways to make time for reading! I hope they help you feel the love for reading again, and if you have any other suggestions I’d love to hear them! I’m always looking for good tips and tricks.
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