How I Make Time to Read
how reading 10+ books at a time works for me
Someone asked recently how many books I read at a time. The short answer is 10 or more, which sounds bonkers, but I think it’s absolutely one of the keys to being able to read as much as I do.
I’m a busy homeschool mom and an artist. Between raising a family, kids activities, my work and running a household, there’s a lot going on around here! I’m able to read 125+ books a year because reading is important to me and I make time for it as often as possible.
Because I try to eliminate decision fatigue I have some pretty solid reading rhythms and routines, and I tend to read certain types of books at certain times of day.
Here are the times I read and the types of books I’m reading basically daily.
Personal Morning Reading:
poetry or book of prayers
non-fiction
Slow But Steady (often a classic or a heavy nonfiction)
Each morning before my kids wake up I read a couple of poems (or more if I feel like it), and about 10 pages of each of my current non-fiction book and my current Slow But Steady book.
Slow But Steady just means that I’m intentionally taking my time but still making progress; often this is a more challenging book. ( This podcast episode gives a great explanation of Slow But Steady reads).
Morning Audiobook:
I listen to a non-fiction audiobook while I'm getting ready + doing my morning home routine. (Or I catch up on Pantsuit Politics podcast episodes)
One of my “silly little bookish rules” is that nonfiction is for mornings and fiction is for afternoons/evenings. I’m not completely rigid on this, but most days that is the rhythm of my reading.
Homeschool Books:
History and/or Science read aloud (I usually alternate these). For example my 16 year old and I are currently working through Soccer in Sun and Shadow, which is a wonderfully written essay collection about important moments in the history of soccer.
Read Alouds (I have one with my younger kids and one with my 16 year old).
Work Time:
Fiction Audiobook (I’m lucky that a lot of the work I do allows me to listen to a book while I’m working. )
In the Car:
Audiobook with the kids or my own current audiobook if I’m driving by myself.
Afternoon D.E.A.R :
One (or two) physical fiction book(s). I try to set aside 30 minutes each afternoon to Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R ) alongside my kids.
Evening:
I might pick up the physical fiction book I’m reading in the afternoons. I always have a fiction book going on my Kindle, which I take on-the-go and also read right before I fall asleep so I don't have to have a light on. (Love the backlight setting!)
I don't make progress in all of these every single day, but on the whole I'm getting to the majority of them daily.
I like to have a few different options/difficulty levels in progress for my personal reading so I have a book to fit whatever mood I'm in. This habit alone makes me more likely to pick up a book when I have a minute or two.
Writing it all down stressed me out a bit, but I promise it doesn't feel as frantic as it looks!
What does your reading time look like?
On YouTube:
In My Art Journal:
This painting exercise is one of my favorite ways to get out of my head when I’m stressed or want to paint but don’t have any ideas. Here’s an explanation of how I create these busy, colorful pages in my art journal:
Around Here
Reading:
Gmorning, Gnight! :Little Pep Talks for Me and You by Lin Manuel Miranda
I purchased this in the height of pandemic worry and then it sat on my shelf until last week. It’s a delightful little book! Sweet messages of encouragement from our beloved Lin Manuel Miranda and illustrations by Jonny Sun. It’s full of light and fun and inspiration.
How to Walk into a Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away by Emily P Freeman
Emily P Freeman is a favorite author of mine; I’ve read and enjoyed all of her books. This came along at exactly the right time for me and our family (actually I actively avoided it until I felt ready to read it). I appreciated the wisdom, encouragement and insights she shares for making tough decisions.
Watching:
Jason and I have been watching the new season of Andor lately. It’s the best of the Star Wars franchise, in my opinion.
Listening:
One evening this week I spent a joyful hour baking a lemon coconut cake (from a cookbook I use almost weekly ) , cleaning the kitchen and singing along to my favorite songs playlist.
In the House/Yard:
Trying to get the weeds in the flower beds under control (they really snuck up on me this year!) and excited to plant some veggies once the weather is consistently warm enough at night.
In the Shop:
Courage, Dear Heart hand embroidery kit
Here’s to making the time for the things we love to do!
—Heidi
I’m so glad I’m not the only with a variety of books going at the same time. I always have one audiobook, a few nonfiction books and 1-2 fictional reads going at the same time. I don’t have a schedule of when but I do have one fiction “rule.” The books can’t be from the same genre or too similar or I get my storylines confused.
I would completely lose the gist of everything if I had that many books going at once! (Not to mention that audiobooks put me to sleep.)