The question I get asked most is “Why are Jamaicans so amazing?” second to that is “Where do you find the time to read over 100 books in a year?” Ill start by saying, you make time for what is important, but I do realize we all live different lives and a lot of persons have things that fill their day, so they hardly get a moment to sit quietly and read a book. I can speak only for myself and how I find the time to read books.
Let me say, I LOVE reading. Since I was a child I could be found with my head in a book. As soon as I could understand a few words I was clawing for my Mother’s Danielle Steels and Sidney Sheldons. As time progressed, I devoured every book I could get a hold of. A love of reading is engraved in me. It is part of who I am. Reading keeps me alive- wow… that sounds so poetic and eye-roll invoking! It is true though I cannot remember a time in my life where I was not reading a book.
So, where do I find time to read so many books?
First, I always do a thorough research on a book before I actually start reading it. I like loving the book I am reading so I consult Goodreads before I start a book, I read the reviews and check out the rating. Once I do my research, I generally end up loving the book, which means I am happy to spend a lot of time reading said book. There are times where a book will take me one day to finish and other times a book that is short in pages takes me a whole week and that is generally because I am not feeling the book. Researching the book you are going to read helps in the reading process. It helps to know the kind of reader you are as well but that is an entirely different blog post. 🙂
I make sure to set aside time to read, just like I actively make time to work out, spend time with friends and family, all of these things are important to me so I make time for them. I recommend setting aside time to read, you can start small with 15-30mins daily and go from there. Experiment with what time works best for you and your lifestyle. If you are less busy in the evenings, read then. If you have time in the mornings, read then. If you only have your lunch break to read, then use that time.
I always find small pockets of time to read. I am an earlier riser so by 7am would have already completed my daily devotions, ran 4miles, worked out for 60mins and am on my way to work. I usually read for 30mins before work, if I take a full lunch break I read during that break, in the evenings before I head to bed I read for another 90mins, if the book is good, I usually stay up the entire night to finish it.
I always walk with a book or my Kindle, even if I am just heading to the supermarket, sometimes even to dinner. I find that we spend a lot of time waiting, specifically waiting in lines or during your commute. Having a book on hand during these ‘downtimes’ even if it is just 10mins it all adds up.
The weekend is a great time to not only catch up on errands but also to set aside time to read. I find the weekend is a great time to set aside a block of time to just read.
I hope this helps in answer your question of where do I find the time to read. Essentially, I read every chance I get so I am able to read a lot of books in a year. If you are just getting your reading mojo back, I recommend setting aside time to read daily and making sure you walk with a book or Kindle everywhere you go.
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