On the side whiteboard in my classroom, I keep a running tally of how many books I have completed this calendar year, along with the title and author of the book I am currently reading. So far this year, I have read (or listened to) 24 books (and, in case you were wondering, I am currently reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty- a bit of chick lit with a dark twist, it’s consistently been on book lists this whole year). Inevitably, at least once a week, a student comments on my count in exasperation and disbelief that I have completed so many books (so far, about six per month).
Like many other teachers and for that matter, human beings, I am a pretty busy person. My husband will tell you that I’m the busiest person on the planet. If you’re like me (and you probably are), here are a few suggestions I have for you if you are trying to squeeze a little bit more time to read into your hectic lives. I should probably take a few of these into consideration myself, considering I’m halfway through about four books right now and can’t seem to finish any of them.
- Find an excellent book.
If you like reading and you are not a member of the site Goodreads, you should probably join now. Goodreads is the social media site of book lovers. You can find books, read reviews, see what your friends are reading or want to read, and set goals for yourself. I love checking in to see what books are trending each week and I always read a few Goodreads reviews before starting a book; it either a) makes me super excited to read it or b) helps me to not waste my time on books that might not be great. I also love looking at what my friends are reading- I have found so many books to read by looking at others' recommendations and ratings!
- Don’t be afraid to abandon a book.
The fact is, some books aren’t as good as others. My aunt will tell you to employ the fifty page rule, which works if you don’t want to waste any time before abandoning a book: read fifty pages, and if you’re not hooked, move on. Although I’m more reluctant to abandon a book, if it’s been awhile since I’ve thought to pick it up, or if it takes me more than two weeks to read, that’s a sign to me that it’s time to move on. On my Goodreads page, I have a list of books I’ve abandoned, and perhaps some day I will come back to them; then again, perhaps not. As the quote on the right says, with over 129 million books in the world, don’t waste any more time on a book that doesn’t interest you.
- Read more than one book at a time.
For whatever reason, most people groan at the idea of reading more than one book at once. I prefer to read more than one book just because what I like to read so often depends on what mood I’m in. Another reason I read so many books is my use of Overdrive (see point 4); whenever a book comes in on my iPad, I have fourteen days to finish it, so I usually dive in regardless of whether or not I’m already reading a book. I usually read one book that my students are reading, one fiction book, and one nonfiction book at once. While some people may find this confusing, I find that I am in the mood for reading more just because I have more variety to choose from. When you’re watching House of Cards on Netflix, don’t you sometimes want to mix it up with an episode of The Office or Friends just to lighten it up? Same with books.
- Make reading convenient.
While I feel like I own a ton of books, only a small percentage of books I read each month are ones I own myself. I read books from school, borrowed from friends, or checked out at the public library. My biggest recommendation is to get Overdrive. Anyone with a public library card can download Overdrive on their phone for free and check out audiobooks to listen to on your phone or ebooks to read in your browser through your library. This helps me because it’s convenient, and I can read anywhere- in the car, while in line, waiting for someone, and so forth, all without carrying around a hulky book. The most convenient (but also most stressful?) part of Overdrive is putting items on hold- every month or so I request to put the top books on my “to read” list on hold. When they come in, I get an email and I can then upload the book for a two week check out time. The two week deadline in some ways motivates me to read it faster, but I mostly like the convenience of having books on any device without having to go anywhere to check it out or pay for it. Don’t get me wrong, I love physical books, but Overdrive has changed my reading life for good. I would seriously seriously recommend Overdrive to anyone and everyone- audiobooks are great too since you don’t have to deal with CDs and you can listen to it in the car, while making dinner, or while working out. Have I convinced you to get Overdrive yet?
Reading should not a be a chore. It shouldn’t be something you feel you should “do more” of. Everyone has the same amount of time in their week, and how you chose to use your 168 hours is your choice! Reading should be fun, and I hope these tips inspire you find time to book it. Do you have any other tips? If so, put them in the comments below. Good luck!
