Ever wonder how some moms are able to read plenty of books even with everything they have going on? If time for reading is something you’re missing, check out these tips to fit it into your routine.
When I was expecting my first child a lot of people told me that I wouldn’t be able to read as much as I was used to and that my favourite hobby would severely suffer. This was so disappointing to hear. I mean nothing compares to the joy of having a child but was I having to let go of something that made me feel like me ?
Well here I am three kids later and I can certainly say that my reading isn’t the same as it was but it hasn’t suffered to the detriment that others were setting me up to expect.
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In this series of posts I’ll touch on four ways to keep the joy of reading in your life while taking care of your new bundles of joy / managing a busy lifestyle.
1) eBooks
These things are a lifesaver. I read all the time with them. You have a million books at your disposal, it’s fantastic. Now you don’t need to have an e-Reader to enjoy eBooks. All you really need is your phone. I actually use my phone the most out of all formats right now because I have a baby who is under 6 months and awake at random hours of the night.
Tip: For eReading at night on your phone make sure you put your app into Night mode, your phone itself into Night Light (it yellows the screen) and decrease the brightness of your screen all the way so you aren’t blinded by the light.
The great thing about reading on your phone is that you have access to a bunch of apps. You aren’t restricted to just one platform. On my phone alone I have a Kindle app, a Kobo app, Google Play Books and I even link to the library using Libby.
I want to really highlight Libby / Overdrive here. So maybe you’re on a tighter budget and you don’t want to purchase books? You can access your library for free. The perfect solution.
2) Audio books
Now I should probably be using this method more than I do. In fact I hardly use them but I’ve heard countless times from so many people that audiobooks are one of the most convenient ways to get your reading in. You can have it playing in the car while you’re driving somewhere, you can have it while you’re doing your chores, anytime really. Heck, you can even be like your kids and have someone read you to sleep. Doesn’t that sound nice?.
What I’ve heard about audiobooks is that the narrator can really make or break the experience for you. Which is something that really sets it a part from traditional and ebooks where the only voice is the one on your head. You can make some tweaks though, increasing or decreasing the speed for one.
3) Prioritize it
Now this may seem like a given; you want to read, you’ve got to think about reading. For myself I get most of my pages in while I’m lying in bed after I’ve put the kids to sleep. It’s maybe an hour before I want to go to sleep and has always been how I choose to unwind. I think a lot of people probably watch TV before bed or play on their phone, so it’s just a matter of replacing one media for the other.
As well, the great thing with the other two options that I mentioned previously (eBooks and audiobooks) is that you’ll now have your books at your disposal no matter what. So say you’re waiting at the doctor’s office or for a friend to show up to a coffee date, you can just pull out your book and read instead of scrolling through the ‘gram. Simple as that. So long as you can think to. Which in all honesty can be the trickiest part.
Having trouble remembering? Set a daily reminder on your phone. It can be as basic as “read my book” or more goal oriented by including how many pages or chapters you want to strive for. Sometimes gamification can motivate us. I’m particularly competitive (maybe a little too much 😅) so this works well for me.
When we were shopping for a new house one of the first indicators to me that this house was for us was the built in bookshelves in each bedroom. Be still my bookish heart! It was totally a sign! Which brings me to the last tip…
4) Get your family reading.
Now this is my favorite because not only are you getting to share your love of reading with your family but you also get to enjoy your books while you’re at it. With younger kids you’ll have to read to them, so you won’t be able to get into that spicy new novel that you’ve picked up (or you can, no judgement here lol) however with older kids it’s a different ball game. Try to schedule a group reading time where you all sit around, maybe get some cozy blankets together, some snacks and you can read your own books. Peace, quiet, and books. You’re welcome!
If you’ve got any helpful tips or would like to add on to any of the ones I’ve mentioned, let us know in the comments below!
-S
She Gets Literary 