We’re in the final weeks of the year and it’s time to start thinking ahead to next year’s goals. For me, that has always involved setting a reading goal for the coming year. I have always loved to read and even though life has gotten busy and reading slumps have come and gone, I push myself to keep reading. I know from experience that my creativity and intellectual curiosity hits a wall when I go too long without it. Now, I make finding time to read, even as a busy mom, a high priority.
Depending on how you count books, I consistently read an average of 50 books a year. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my off years, but even when I look back at my low reading count, I remember that I completed quite a few large books (1000+ pages) or studied several textbooks that didn’t get counted. With two young kids, homeschooling 9-3 and working as a a tutor in the evenings and on weekends, reading this much takes effort and strategy. Here are my top tips if you’re also a busy working mom and want to prioritise your reading life.
Daily Productivity
When it comes to making time for the things you want to do, I believe it all comes down to productivity. If you can’t get your work done in an efficient manner, you’ll never have the time to go beyond the day-to-day to-dos and focus on your personal goals. So half the battle of finding time to read as a busy working mom is going to be getting your other tasks and responsibilities done as productively as possible. I have a whole blog post on my top productivity tips here.
Set a Measurable Goal
I’m not here to argue why reading a book is better than vegging out to Netflix. I’m going to assume you already believe that if you’re reading this. But sometimes, if you don’t have systems and strategies in place, reaching for a remote is a lot easier than reaching for a book.
Setting a reading goal isn’t for everybody. I know not everyone likes to turn their reading life into a numbers game. But for those of us who are constantly busy and still crave the intellectual stimulation that comes with consistently reading, we MUST be strategic. It’s the only way it’s going to get done.
Part of that strategy can be to gamify your reading. If this idea is new to you, it’s basically taking your goal and turning it into a game by spacing out rewards or dopamine hits. For me, just finishing a book and getting one step closer to reaching my yearly reading goal is a dopamine hit. However you decide to do this, keep in mind the importance of building incentive into your system so you stay motivated to keep reaching for a book instead of something else.
Set an Interesting Goal
Instead of just setting a reading goal of a certain number of books, some people, including myself, like to set more interesting challenges. Over the years, this has included a certain number of classics, a certain number of books in a different language. I also like to try to read fiction written by authors from all over the world. I’ve even tried to read the entire cannon of some of my favourite authors. Get as creative as you want. Anything to keep you motivated to reach your goals.
Strategies for Reading More as a Busy Mom
Set up Systems: Have consistent times you reach for a book so that it becomes a habit. You never want to be in a position to have to choose between reading and something else you really don’t want to do. Especially when you’re tired. This can be listening to an audiobook while washing dishes or getting makeup on. When my son was born, I always had a library book on my phone that I was able to pull out when I was nursing him.
Strategic Placement: Have the physical books you’re reading out and about. Sometimes I’ll leave current reads on the kitchen table so I’ll pick up my book while I drink my morning coffee instead of opening up my laptop first thing. If a piece of lighter fiction is actually physically light, I’ll keep it in my purse so I’m never without reading material. Keep those books always within reach for when you have a few extra moments. Leave them by your go-to chairs, the side of the bed, etc. It’s the opposite of “out of sight, out of mind”.
BONUS: I also use this strategy to keep my kids always dipping into books. I keep a basket in the bathroom, like most people probably do. There is a container full of books in the backseat of my truck for the kids to look at when we’re out and about. I keep a basket in the living room usually stocked with recent finds from the library. Basically, our apartment resembles a cute used bookshop. And I’m not complaining.
Variety of Formats: By now, I’m sure everyone has tried audiobooks. They are a game changer for those of us who are constantly on the go. My favourite app is Audible because of driving mode – I can easily stop or rewind if I miss something. But of course, free is always awesome, so I like to use a library app like Hoopla whenever I can. Everyone has their own preference, but I prefer to listen to non-fiction on audio. I usually listen to non-fiction at least 2x normal speed. It takes time to work up to this speed, but it’s worth it. As for the debate about whether or not audiobooks count as books… if you’re actually listening to the book and it’s not just background noise, then yes. It absolutely counts as a book!
Sometimes you can’t have earbuds in. In addition to an audiobook, I also keep an e-book going on my phone. Again, a library app like Hoopla or the Kindle app are great for this. I’ve heard some people say they don’t like to read on their phone because it doesn’t look like they’re reading. When you’re conscious of your role-model status as a mother, I totally get this. But I rarely just sit and scroll on my phone in front of my kids. So when they do see me just sitting looking at my phone, they’ll come over and peep. It’s very clearly a book and I tell them I’m reading my book. Even my two-year-old understands this. He’ll peak at my phone and see a whole bunch of words on the screen and say “Mummy is reading her book?”
And of course, I have multiple physical books going simultaneously as well. Different situations call for different formats. If you’re prepared, you’ll have no excuse to not be reading when that’s what you really want to be doing.
Variety of Genres: One of the best ways to keep from hitting a reading slump is to keep multiple genres going at the same time. I like to always have at least three genres going: a nonfiction book, a fiction book that is somewhat challenging and then a lighter piece of fiction for when I’m tired and my brain doesn’t want to focus.
Remembering What You Read
I’m sure that reading for the sake of reading has its benefits. But if you’re a busy working mom who wants to read more, I highly doubt you’re interested in reading for the sake of reading. You want to educate yourself, you want to familiarise yourself with the classics, you want to be transported and entertained. Whatever your reasons for picking up a book, I don’t think you’d be content to read 50 books next year and then forget everything a year later. That doesn’t seem like a particularly good use of your valuable time. If you want to remember what you read, I highly recommend writing about it. Here are a few suggestions:
- Keep a reading journal to jot down thoughts from a book that you want to remember. This can be a physical journal or something digital like a Notion page.
- Summarise your thoughts about the book you finished on a site like GoodReads
- Start a book blog
- Start a BookTube channel
Final Thoughts on Staying Motivated
Finding time to read as a busy working mom is a challenge, but a worthy pursuit. It just takes being flexible and strategic. My final suggestion for staying motivated to read more is to surround yourself with other people who prioritise literary pursuits. If you’re the competitive type, you can find a bookish friend to help hold you accountable and maybe even read some of the same books with. Bookclubs of two are my favourite. You have control over what you read and how often you get together to discuss. Another way to surround yourself with bookish people is with podcasts. It will depend on what genres you’re into, but my favourite this past year has been The Literary Life podcast.
What are YOUR go-to strategies for finding time to read as a busy mom? Let me know in the comments below!
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