Finding Time to Read as an Adult

Let's get real here. I am a 23 year old student who also works a part time job- I don't exactly have time to sit around and read all day. Not to mention, I am a dog mom in a loving relationship with my future husband, which makes my free time even more limited. Finding the time to read as an adult is not easy to do sometimes. I have struggled with this a lot since beginning post secondary, and I am by no means an expert, but I am doing the best I can. So today I want to talk about how I manage to read at least 1 book a week with a busy schedule.

I know this topic can be a little overdone, so I will try not to be too repetitive in my tips. But the truth is... a lot of those tips are true. Making reading a priority and setting aside a designated time to read each day are common tips to hear on this topic, but they are ultimately true. That being said, here is my two cents on the topic.

Be Kind to Yourself

I know that when I am in semester, I am not going to read nearly as much as I do when I am not in school. This is a simple fact that I have come to accept. So, keeping this in mind, I try to be kind to myself about the amount of reading I can get done during this time. Maybe I will only have 1 solid hour to sit down and read in an entire week or maybe I will spend an entire weekend immersed in a book. Either way, the fact that I am continuing to read and doing a hobby that I love is what is important. So, as long as you are still reading, even if it is just one chapter a day, be kind to yourself. You're doing the best that you can.

Make Reading an Activity

This sounds dumb, I know, but hear me out. I did not read at all when Andrew and I first started dating. 2 years later, I have finally figured out the secret- making reading into an activity, just as much as watching a movie or playing a board game is. There is nothing wrong with sitting with your friends or your loved ones and reading together. It does not even have to be the same book! I have been able to sit in complete silence with some of my friends while we each read our own books, and still consider it time well spent with my friends.

Go Out and Read

This is going to sound a lot like setting aside a designated time to read, and it is. But, dare I say, that I am taking this one step further. Purposely go out of the house or the school or the library just for the simple purpose of reading your book. Getting away from all distractions and responsibilities for just a little bit of time is how I get some of my best reading done. If I am able to sit in a Starbucks with my coffee and my book for an hour, I will probably get more reading done than at home where I have that constant nagging college feeling of "oh no, why am I relaxing, I should be working, where is my textbook, did I forget an assignment?".

Read Around Your Schedule

I don't mean this in the way of reading between classes or after work, although that is good advice. I mean base the content you are reading on your current schedule. If I know I have a particularly heavy week or month of assignments and job responsibilities, I will probably not be picking up Kingdom of Ash. However, if I am on a two week holiday from work, that may be the time. The fact is, I try to read shorter books during semester and busier times of the year, and save longer more intense books for the holidays and off semesters.

So there you have it. Short and sweet, but hopefully still helpful. These are the tips and tricks as to how I get reading done as an extremely busy 23 year old. Hopefully these tips can help someone else out there! Keep reading fellow bookworms.

-Dev