No Time To Read?
Sir/Madam: you have time to read! When completing my 112 Books reading challenge, I was often asked by busy professionals, parents (single and married), students, and people from all walks of life the same question: How do you have time to read? The answer is simple. I make time to read. Don't worry, I'm not going to be completely snide. I have tips I will share here in a moment. Fundamentally however, I have time to read because I make it priority. We all have time to do things that are important to us. I am appalled when I learn that grown, literate men and women walk around in this world and haven't read a book in years, sometimes decades. That extra income you seek, edge in your professional life, or obstacle you've been trying to overcome could all be lying in the next thing you read. When I read 112 books in 1 year, I consumed books from all genres. I gained a little more insight about myself and life from each and every one of them. Now, I'm not saying you need to read 112 books in a year. In fact, I'm not sure I'd do that again. You should however have a reading goal to complete multiple reads in a year. At least a book a month in my opinion. Here are a few things that helped me read 112 books in a year:
1. Always have something to read. I have books with me all the time (physical books and digital books on my iPad). There are so many moments in a day that can be under utilized if you allow it. Standing in line, pumping gas, waiting for an appointment, cooking dinner, commuting to work (if you take public transit), kicking it by the pool, during commercials of football games are all times I've picked up a book and gone through a few pages.
2. Switch up your content. I often read 2 books at the same time. Sounds weird but I do. I'll have a business book and then a lighter read. I alternate books by chapter. I'll start with the business read and when I reach a point that the content is starting to lose me a bit, I switch to the novel. When the story line in the novel is at a low, I switch back to the business book to keep both books fresh for me.
3. Commit to a reading block each day. The reading block can be as long an hour or as short as 15 mins. Treat that dedicated block like an appointment, put it on your calendar and commit to keeping it just as you would any other appointment (hair, gym, doctor, professional meeting).
Trust me, I am busy. We all are. If you are looking for ways to create time to read, I hope these helped. Please share with me your tips to make reading a priority.
