4 Ways To Finally Carve Out More Time For Reading

You might love reading the news on your commute, but if not, chances are, you’ve hit a rough patch where you’ve had no time to read for fun. Here’s how to finally make time for leisure reading again.

Listen while you work.

Whether you’re in the office or toiling away in a home workspace, you can always pop in some headphones and listen to audiobooks or podcasts.

So if you’re someone who is able to get work done while listening to a great story or discussion, this could be a good way to inject your day with written words or dialogue that inspire you. Also be sure to keep tabs on any books or authors you want to check out so that you’re more motivated to seek out something fun to read or listen to.

But if that doesn’t work for you, you could always do this instead…

Read while on a break from work.

Take your favorite novel along in your bag or backpack when you leave for work, or bring a tablet to read digital books when you have a free moment.

You could always take a little time for a break during the day and read somewhere else other than your desk — whether that’s in a conference room, the cafeteria, a local coffee shop or a nearby park. Just be sure to set a timer in case you get lost in your book!

Enjoy a story during your commute.

There’s no better way to escape other people’s phone calls and conversations than with a book, audiobook or podcast.

This can really help lighten the mood when other people are coughing all over you on the train or bus (and you really don’t want to get sick) or demonstrating other bad commuter etiquette. So instead of focusing on how annoying — or grumpy — other people can be on your commute, pay attention to the book or podcast.

Maybe, just maybe, witnessing rudeness in the morning — like on your commute — doesn’t always have to ruin the rest of your day if you’re engrossed in a good story or conversation.

Read when you get home in the evening.

If you don’t live all by yourself, it might be hard to get some alone time to catch up on your reading. So if this is the case, you could always head to a nearby coffee shop or library to decompress with a good story before heading to sleep for the night.

But if you have no problem carving out time for a page-turner in the quiet comfort of your own home, read away!

This article is by Jane Burnett and originally appeared on The Ladders. It has been adapted and reposted here with permission.