I love to read, but I don’t always get the chance. For a long time, I didn’t read at all. A growing family didn’t lend itself to finding quiet moments to read. Reading one book a year felt like a great accomplishment.
That didn’t stop me from buying new books, though. I’d often buy books while perusing the local bookstore or check out books at the library. In the school library where I taught, I found myself checking out books I always wanted to read as a child. I kept accumulating books but had no time to read them.
You can never have enough books. I can never have enough books. There is always a stack on my nightstand that I plan to read. I’d say I’m a bit envious of people who seem to speed-read their way through a book. Week after week they read book after book. I wish I were a fast reader. Then my stack of books just might have a chance.
A while back I created a 40 book challenge tracker. You may have downloaded it. The hope was to get me reading more. Instead, I continued to collect more books. I was still reading only one book a year if I was lucky. The fact is, I probably wasn’t ready to take on any more reading than that one book. It wasn’t where I could give my time and energy.
Getting Back in the Habit
Now times have changed and I’m back in the saddle. I’m ready to make reading a habit again. It helps that at the time of writing this, I work in a library. It is definitely a motivator to read more. I get to browse the many books that go in and out each day. It’s like I have my own personal book recommendation service. Most people who come into the library are always willing to have a chat about a book they’ve just finished or want to request.
Are you in the habit of reading? It can be hard to get back into it. If it has never been a habit, you may find it difficult to start. I know working as a librarian is a plus but that doesn’t mean I will actually pick up a book and read it. Here are a few ways that I have found helpful to get me get back into the habit of reading.
A Few Habits to Help You Start Reading Again:
Start A Book Club
As soon as I started working in the library, I started a book club. That was the easiest way to get back into the habit of reading. We picked a page-turner for our first book. That way we were bound to be successful the first time around. I still found a way to procrastinate. I waited until the last minute to read the book. Thank goodness it was a quick read for me which doesn’t happen too often. I finished it in three days!
I wasn’t the only one in the club who was proud of themselves for taking on the task of reading again. Many of us in the group craved to read again, but for one reason or another, it had been a long time since we picked up a book or finished one.
The good thing is that you can start a book club anywhere with anyone. The last book club I was in was years ago. We had a lot of fun. It was with a bunch of teacher friends. In that group, we spent about 10 minutes talking about the book. The rest of the time we were solving problems and telling stories about our classrooms.
A piece of advice: Don’t feel obligated to read every single book that your book club reads. If it’s not for you, put it down. Otherwise, it feels like a chore.
Pay Attention to Your Reading Habits
Pay attention to your reading habits and understand what kind of reader you are. It can tell you a lot about what you like to read and what you’re willing to read. When I was teaching, I used to teach my students how to find “just right” books. What books are right for you? Are there any books you want to challenge yourself with? If you pay attention, you’ll find reading more enjoyable than another box to tick.
I’ve learned a little bit about my reading habits that have helped me accept who I am as a reader.
????If it hasn’t grabbed my attention by the first 100 pages, it won’t ever really grab my attention. Either that or it’s going to be a really long read!
????I used to feel like I had to finish a book. Like I mentioned earlier, if it isn’t for you, put it down. It isn’t an assignment. I’m talking about reading for pleasure in this blog post. Forcing yourself to read a book you don’t like doesn’t sound pleasurable to me.
????I can’t help but read more than one back at a time. I like to pick up whichever book I’m in the mood for that day.
????I love a good self-help book on audio. If it’s not on audio, I’m probably switching between that book and another I’ve started.
Start with an audiobook
Usually, I don’t want to read anything other than a book with real pages to turn. But I do love an audiobook when I’m driving alone. In the past when I didn’t have much time in the car alone, my kids enjoyed listening along with me although that means you’ll probably want to keep it to kid-friendly topics or stories.
Sneaky Reading
Sometimes, the only way I’ll get through a book is by “sneaky reading.” There really isn’t anything too sneaky about it. I bring my book just about everywhere I go and if I have a few minutes to spare, I read. Most of the time that means while I’m waiting for an appointment, waiting for the kids at their activities, school pick-ups, lunch breaks, wherever! If you only have time to read one page, you’re reading and it beats scrolling through your phone!
Follow People and Talk to People
That heading might sound kind of strange, but by “follow” I mean on social media. I’ve joined a few Facebook groups and pages where people give recommendations and ask for recommendations to read. There are millions of books out there so it’s a good way to find your next book. You can also pick up one of Oprah’s Book Club or Reese’s Book Club recommendations. Reese’s Book Club Instagram page always does a lead up to each new recommended book.
Talk to people about what they’re reading. Find out what your friends, family, and coworkers are reading.
Reading Benefits
Reading has its benefits. I was ready to end this post, but I thought it was important to mention one more thing before I hit publish. I got to the categories section where you tick the boxes that help readers search the information on your site. It got me thinking about who I wrote this post for. Well, I wrote it for you fellow moms! Anyone else may benefit, but I wrote this with busy, tired moms like myself in mind. While this post is about getting back into reading, its important to consider the benefits of reading. We always talk about the benefits of getting your kids to read, but how does it help us? Here are a few things I thought about.
????It can be a way to self-care. A time you can forget about all of the chaos and get lost in your book!
????It keeps your mind active instead of the alternative many of us turn to. The mindless scrolling.
????It keeps you learning. I’ve often kept a mini dictionary by my bed (my phone these days) to look up new words I come across when I read.
????Your kids might be more likely to read if they see you putting down your phone or turning off the TV to get caught up in a book.
Final Thoughts
If you like to read and you like the book, believe me, you’ll make time for it. You may eventually find time during your busy day. Many of my friends who are avid readers like to wake up before the house begins to stir, or at night in bed. But if those times don’t work for you, find what does. I’m not an early riser and nighttime just doesn’t work for me. That’s why sneaky reading works well for me. And if it’s a good book I find time.
If I have any other ideas for keeping up that reading habit, I’ll be sure to update this blog post. In the meantime, I’ve updated that 40 Book Reading Challenge and I’ve included a copy here for you to download. Happy Reading!
As always, thank you for visiting my blog! I hope to see you back again for more of “The Adaptable Mom.”Want more Adaptable Mom blog posts? Sign up here to be alerted about new posts or check out past posts on the blog.