12 Book Bloggers Share How They Find Time to Read

55 Shares

If you want the very best advice on how to read more, ask a book blogger. It makes sense, right? Book bloggers read a ton. We have to, to keep our blogs going. But–and this is important–most book bloggers don’t read for a living. We’ve got other responsibilities: day jobs to show up for, families to care for, homes to tend.

So what does this mean for you? It means you can learn from a group of people who have mastered the art of meshing a hobby with an already-full life.

Recently, I reached out to twelve book bloggers I follow and admire, and asked them how they personally find time to read. I love how varied their answers are! If you wish you had more time for books, I encourage you to read their responses and then picture what it would be like to implement these habits and mindsets in your own life, too.

Stack of books with eyeglasses on top.

How Book Bloggers Find Time to Read

Megan from The Hungry Bookworm:

“I always read before bed, minimally 15 minutes (if I’m super tired) but I aim for an hour. I’ve also recently been taking ‘reading day’ vacations, where I take a day off of work — usually a Friday or a Monday — and just spend the day reading as much as I can”

Rachel from Never Enough Novels:

“My favorite tip is reading multiple books at once. When I have books from at least two different genres in progress I’m more willing to read no matter what mood I’m in. Anytime I have a spare moment, I can read and choose whichever book sounds more appealing at the moment.

Sheree from Keeping Up with the Penguins:

“You know how physical exercise is essential to keeping your body healthy? The trick to find time to read is to think of it as mental exercise, essential to keeping your mind healthy. Just like we make a habit of going for a walk, playing sport, or lifting weights, we can (or should) make a habit of reading regularly. Personally, I treat it as a priority, on par with anything else I do to take care of myself. I have a daily to-do list and ‘reading’ is always on it. Of course, some days I don’t get to it (life is like that, sometimes!), but I usually do and that mindset makes a big difference to how much time I can find to read.”

Christine from The Uncorked Librarian:

“To find time to read, I *try* to turn off Netflix and dedicate a few hours each evening before bed to my TBR pile. Unfortunately, a husband and Lucifer are very distracting, which means that I also set aside time to read on quiet weekend mornings or Sunday afternoons in the hammock. If I know that I have a long drive coming up, I’ll also find the perfect length audiobook to enjoy.”

Allison from Mind Joggle:

I always have an audiobook going or ready on my phone, so I can listen whenever I’m doing chores, walking or running, or driving for even a few minutes. I tend to listen at 1.25-1.5 speed, so I end up getting through a lot of audiobooks this way! I also always, always read before bed for at least 15 minutes, no matter how late it is. I don’t feel like I sleep well without that wind-down time.”

Rachael from Booklist Queen:

“I’ve found that I can always find time to read when I have a book I can’t put down. If I’m enthralled in a story, I will find myself sneaking reading time in any spare minute. Dishes seem so much less important than finding out whodunit. My advice: the word ‘should’ does not belong in your reading life. Forget what you ‘should’ read and read whatever brings you the most joy.”

Hayley from An Enchanted Life:

“Depending on the chapter of life I’m in, it can be quite easy to find time to read and other times it’s incredibly challenging! When life gets super busy, I commit to a reading schedule that’s realistic and doable. Even if that means only one night per week for a designated amount of time. Also, if you are on the go, it can be helpful to bring your current read with you. You never know when an opportunity could arise to get a few pages in. Finally, a great way to prioritize reading is by joining a book club. There are countless online book clubs that set a schedule for you and make it extra fun to get lost in stories alongside other book lovers!”

Krysta from Pages Unbound:

“I find time to read by choosing to read! Instead of watching movies or TV shows, or scrolling through social media, I read a book instead. I have a limited amount of free time, just like everyone else, but I tend to use that time to read. Sometimes I can get some reading in during a commute or a lunch break, but I get the bulk of my reading done during times when I might have chosen another hobby instead.”

Reading chair in front of a full bookcase.

Forrest from Hooked to Books

“Reading is almost entirely about putting myself in a good mood. It’s prioritizing my self, and therefore, all those around me. My energy levels skyrocket when digesting books (especially novels or biographies). In order for me to be the best version of myself, as a business owner, lover, friend, father, I remind myself of this.

“AND it helps to be well equipped! Having the right book-lover gear (book lights, blue-blockers, reading glasses, e-readers) is crucial. That’s one of the main reasons we focus on our in-depth reviews of book gadgets each year at HookedToBooks.com, to help improve the lives of other book readers, and all those around them.”

Rachel A. Greco:

I read at lunch and (try to) stick to a strict time in the evenings when I turn social media off so I can grab some much-needed reading time. I also read while jogging on the treadmill, which hasn’t yet resulted in a fall, though it does sometimes leave me dizzy! :)”

Kirsten from Beyond the Bookends:

“I always have an audiobook on while I’m driving or doing household tasks. If I get really into a story, I might just sit and listen while having a cup of tea. I also always keep my kindle in my purse. 15 minutes in carline, at the doctor’s office, or hanging on the playground really does add up. I also like to balance multiple books at once all in a different genre. That way if I’m not in the mood for historical fiction, I can read a fantasy, or thriller instead.”

Rikki and Michaela from The Ardent Biblio:

“As active women, creatives, mothers, and wives, we learned years ago how important it was to make time for ourselves and the things we enjoyed. After being friends for years without prioritizing reading, we discovered that we had that passion in common, but had neglected it for longer than we cared to admit. With young children in tow, we collaborated on how we wanted to spend our time together, library visits and buddy reading quickly became a weekly routine.

“Fast forward many years later and we’ve truly made reading an active and engaging part of our collective lives. We joined #Bookstagram to share our love of books, have regular dinners together, and now host the ever popular Literary Book Club Dinners via The Ardent Biblio. Making time for things like this includes our families, and is simply something we carve time out for each and every day. Whether one of us gets up early to read before our kids wake or spend our final hour before bed reading, reading is very much a part of who we are as individuals and our greatest common thread in our friendship.”


And finally, my own advice for building reading time into your life can be found in these posts:

12 Book Bloggers Share How They Find Time to Read
55 Shares

Join Our Society!
Reawaken your passion for reading by discovering books you love and connecting with like-minded readers.

7 Comments

  1. The only New Year’s resolution I’ve ever kept is to read something new every day. For me, it’s usually a book chapter (or 2, or 3) but it might be a magazine article or something I’ve wanted to learn about for a while. Even if it’s only 5 minutes, I find that will turn into much longer.

  2. I really enjoyed reading this post, Elsie. My relationship with audiobooks hasn’t been a smooth journey but I can’t imagine my life without them now. 💚

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *