From attending to business meetings to accomplishing your day’s work and taking care of home matters, it can be difficult to make time to read and learn. Moreover, it can be harder for people who work part-time and attend classes. The good news is that with a few practical strategies, you can make time to read and learn.
Generally, reading helps to improve your focus, increase your vocabulary, and exposes you to new experiences that you might not have come across in real-life situations. But with filled up schedules, how can you make time to read and learn? In this article, you’re going to learn practical tips to help you find time to read no matter how busy or boring the day is.
1. Have Reading Goals
The first thing to do to make sure you don’t skip a day without reading is to set reading goals. For instance, you could start a new year with a list of books to read and make sure you stick to your goal.
Also, you may join reading challenges so that everytime you feel like not reading, your friends in the challenge remind you about it. This will keep you on toes to not abscond any goal you set. Another best thing to do to make sure you don’t miss time to read and learn is to set a daily page limit.
For instance, when you wake up in the morning, you could set a goal to read 30 pages before the end of the day or you could set a goal to read two or three books a week. Just make sure you push yourself hard so that you don’t miss your set goals. Mental and emotional health are important. But there are many dimensions to wellness. For example, you may set healthy goals that require you to read intellectual wellness articles. Or, you might work on your physical or spiritual wellness. Just make sure you set achievable goals.
The good thing about setting reading goals is that you’re always reminded that you have something to achieve within a specified time.
2. Incorporate Reading Into Your Daily Routine
Make reading part of your routine.When you get used to doing it, there will be no day that will pass without reading. You could decide to make it a habit that every morning before you go to work, you read at least 30 minutes or even before you go to sleep.
Adding reading to your daily routine is as simple as making it a must-do thing no matter what happens.
3. Have Books Closeby
The internet has made information readily available at our fingertips. These days, you don’t need to carry a bunch of books on your hands. The availability of digital books has made reading and learning convenient. For instance, you could load your Kindle with books you’re interested to read so that when traveling or even when relaxing you can still read.
Of course, you can also make use of your local library or have books near your shelf.
4. Minimize Screen Time
Sometimes the TV can snatch many opportunities from us without our knowledge. Of course, it’s important to catch up with the latest programs on the TV, but when it comes to making time for reading and learning, you need to know how to limit your screen time.
And if you can’t limit your screen time, better switch it off when it’s time to read.
5. Limit Social Media
Social media is also another time snatcher. The average person spends over 2 hours per day on social media. In 2021, it’s expected that people will spend 37 minutes on Facebook, 29 minutes on Instagram, and 26 minutes per day on Snapchat. This doesn’t even include platforms like Youtube, Tik Tok, Twitter, or others. If you thought that’s just a study, think about the time you get sucked into your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram account.
It’s good to catch up with friends and share ideas but it’s also important to make time to read other things like books or useful articles and blog posts. So, cut back social media time or stay away from it completely to get time to read and learn.
6. Set a Reading Spot for Leisure
The truth is that you’re going to struggle to find time to read for leisure if you spend a lot of time reading in school or for work. The best thing to do to make time to read and learn is to designate separate spots for reading.
For instance, you could set a desk for school or work reading. Then, use another desk for fun reading where you can put a few things to keep you interested even when you’re tired.
7. Take Advantage of Audiobooks
The internet, mobile devices accessibility, and apps have simplified the way people grasp information. If you cannot make time to read written text why not try aural information?
The best thing about audiobooks is that you can listen to your favorite audiobook at your convenience.
8. Find Books That Interest You
It’s much easier to make time to read and learn if you find books that interest you. Well, of course, some books are not interesting but are worth reading because of the information they contain; however, try as much as possible to find interesting books to read. This will keep your motivation to read alive.
Final Word
If you wait for the perfect time to come so that you can read, it will never come. You have to make time to read even when you don’t feel like doing it. If you follow the tips shared in this article, you will never lack the time to read.
Good luck!
