Time is not the issue. Priority is. – Tim Ferriss
People often ask me how I get so much reading done. The simple answer is that it’s because reading is a priority for me.
Honestly, I don’t read near as much as other people I know and know of. I just talk and write more about books and reading than others do because I love it and want to encourage and inspire others to read.
And I often feel like I could/should be reading more.
But when I am not reading as much as I want to, it’s not because I don’t have time, it’s because I don’t make it a priority.
And I think this is true for pretty much everyone.
I’m not here to tell you all the ways you are failing to make reading a priority. You already know and making you feel guilty about it is manipulative, and therefore unloving, and won’t help anyway.
Our priorities are what they are and until we decide to change them and take action on that, they will stay the way they are. We are responsible.
If you would like to make reading books a greater priority in your life, I do have a few ideas that might help.
Be honest about how you’re spending your time.
Take a look at where you are spending time now that could be spent reading. Be brutally honest with yourself. You already know where you are wasting time. It’s just more comfortable to ignore the reality.
Read something you enjoy.
I advocate for starting with books you enjoy and read as many of them as you can. Over time you will start to enjoy reading itself and that will lead you to branch out and try new types of literature. Most of us still see reading as a chore because of school. But we’re grown-ups now. Read what you want and explore things that interest you or that you think would be helpful to you.
Schedule reading time or at least set a page goal.
Set aside some time in your calendar each day for reading. Don’t go crazy if it’s not currently a part of your life. Make it a span of time you KNOW you can handle. If that’s only five minutes to start with, fine. Do it and feel good about it. If time doesn’t work for you, try a page count. Again, set the smallest achievable number. If that’s 2 pages, do it and feel good about it. Over time, it will expand. Probably faster than you think.
Take a book into the bathroom with you.
I know this one is “icky” but as the book says, “everybody poops” so take a book in there with you. Right now, you’re probably scrolling on your phone while you sit. Read instead.
Take a book everywhere you go.
You should always have a book with you because you never know when you’ll have a chance to get some reading done. And no, reading a book on your phone doesn’t count. It needs to be a physical book. That’s because there are too many ways to get distracted when you read on a device. I can almost guarantee you’ll end up watching TikTok (or something of that ilk) instead of reading because it’s easier and our brains like easy things.
Talk about books and reading.
The tribe of readers is large and welcoming. When you talk about books with others who are also excited about books and reading, it’s inspiring to you both. We book people LOVE to talk books. And I have found the passion of bookish sorts infectious. And I have never been judged for what I have not read or what I have read. So, come talk to us. We will happily put down what we’re reading to discuss books with you.
There are more, but this will get your started on the road to making reading as big a priority as you want it to be.
Joseph McBee 