How I Find Time To Read {Day in the Life}

I’m always fascinated by how people spend their time and how they prioritize it. Prioritizing reading time is really important to me. I thought it might be fun to show you how I manage to fit reading into a busy day…For reference, I’m currently a work at home mom with a three year old and one on the way. I’m also a grad school student in my final semester- working on my culminating portfolio to present to my advisor for graduation approval.

So I’m definitely not as busy as some people and I do have a decent amount of flexibility in my days- but I’m for sure, really tired all the time and having a kiddo constantly around means that I get sidetracked and interrupted frequently.

So here’s what last Monday looked like reading wise…

Reading Vibes

2:00 am – Thanks to pregnancy, I’m wide awake. I put my ear buds in and listen to my audio book until I’m tired again. Lately, this has been a ‘thing’ although I’d much prefer to be asleep in the middle of the night *sigh (The Chemist, Stephanie Meyer – 40 min listening time)

6:45 am – Hubs is up and getting ready to leave for work. I’m a light sleeper so I’m awake too. I pick up my night stand book and read until my son wakes up (Leviathan Wakes, James Corey – 10 minutes reading time)

10:00 am – We are at the Dr. office and my son is playing in the kids area. I bring my book everywhere so I pick it up and read while we wait. Turns out my Dr. had a birth this morning so she’s behind on appointments. I wait nearly two hours to see her but don’t read this entire time. I use some of my time to do some planning on my phone and return calls (Leviathan Wakes,  30 minutes reading time)

12:45 pm – My son fell asleep on the way home from the Dr. office so I take advantage of the rare nap. I pop my earbuds in and listen to my audio book while I do a quick wipe down of the bathrooms, rotate the laundry, make lunch, and prep dinner (30 minutes listening time)

  • I don’t get any book time during the afternoon as we have groceries to pick up, Target returns to make, and I spent a good chunk of time playing with my son- puzzles, bikes, sand box, etc.

5:00 pm – Hubs is home and having one on one time with our son while I sit down at the computer and do school work. I read, but it’s a textbook so I don’t count it.

6:30 pm –  I finish up dinner. Sometimes we turn music on for all of us and sometimes I listen to my audio book while I cook. This time it’s a bit of both. I log (10 minutes listening time)

  • Hubs and I rotate evening duties. Tonight he cleans up dinner while I manage bath time and the start of the bedtime routine. If I’m doing clean up I’ll listen to my audio book. By 8 pm the little guy is down and I’ve settled in bed. Hubs and I watch an episode of Grimm (! anyone else watching?)
  • After Grimm I work on more school for about an hour and then my brain starts to shut down.

10:00 pm – I’m so tired but it’s my goal to read every night, even if just one page. Hubs reads on his kindle while I pick up Leviathan Wakes again (20 minutes reading time)

  • At this point I’m smashed and give up on reading. So I logged a total of 1 hr 20 minutes of audiobook listening time and 1 hour of reading time. Honestly, that’s really good. I typically don’t get that much in on an average day! I blame being up in the middle of the night and the ridiculously long wait at the Dr. office for the added reading time. I can’t complain!
  • I should also note that I’m a super slow reader and often read passages again to make sure I caught all the details. I also get interrupted a lot by my toddler so these are just time estimates.
  • I pretty much never leave the house without my Ipod and my paperback so I sneak little pockets of reading time at random times and in random places.

    How do you make time for reading? How much reading time do you think you get every day?

 

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// Comments //

  1. Resh Susan

    Mar 24

    Interesting post. I get asked this question ALOT. For me reading is a priority so I would always find a few minutes to indulge in a book even if I have to cut down on something else, like TV etc etc

    • Kim

      Mar 25

      Same here. I hardly watch TV. Small snippets of reading time really add up.

  2. I always hate it when people ask how I find time for reading! Just like you and most other people who love books, I make reading a priority. So, when I have an extra few minutes, my kindle is always nearby and I read! I love it when I can get bigger chunks of time, but that usually only happens for me on weekends and even that can be iffy. I’ve started listening to audio books more, especially when driving and am loving that.
    Great post!

    • Kim

      Mar 25

      Thanks Susie! My reading time went way up after I embraced audio books. I also always choose reading over browsing my phone, which I think people waste a lot of time doing.

  3. This is such a good example of how you can fit in a fair amount of reading in little chunks throughout the day! I think people assume you need these huge blocks of quiet time to have reading be a part of your life and you don’t!
    PS – I read like you do – in little snippets generally with kids and/or chaos going on around me 🙂

    • Kim

      Mar 25

      Lol. Yes! Embrace the chaos is my current motto.

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