Reading within a Busy Life

Last week I wrote about why it matters that adults, especially mothers with young children, read. Really read. Physical in-your-hand books with meaningful deep reading. When I talk to other moms about reading I commonly hear that they would love to read but just don't see how they could find the time. How can you when your life doesn't seem to have a spare minute?

It's not truly difficult.

This kind of reading is not just for those with a talent for academia, but something that can only happen with slow and steady commitment - little steps along a road. Here's some of the ways that have worked well for me and some of my fellow deep reading moms.

Block off consistent time

This is probably what sounds so impossible about reading, finding the time! But as much as I love to recoup time and get things done in spare moments, deep reading just doesn't work that way. At least some of your reading really does need to be done in a dedicated time.
It is going to be very hard at first! Reading, especially deep reading, is a skill that takes time to flex and grow. At first you will probably feel the itch to check your phone, find something else to do, or just give up.

I like to dedicate 15-30 minutes before bed for reading. The first half of nap time is always dedicated to prayer and study for me, but it's not a reliable time right now with a young baby. So before bed it is! Find when you can have a reliable time to read and make it happen.

Bring a book everywhere

Think of all the times throughout the day when you find yourself with unexpected time: waiting for an appointment, waiting for a kid to finish a class, waiting for dinner to finish cooking. I noticed that this is when I would spend (too) much time checking Facebook, email, and scrolling, scrolling, scrolling! All the scrolling left me convinced I had no time for anything. But when I started taking a book with me everywhere, I started using that time to make progress on a book.

I will say this works better for some books than others. I like it a lot for nonfiction, books with lots of little sections, and fiction that sucks you in quickly.

Get a good book list

You want to read, but what to read? Everyone will eventually create a system of reading that balances genres and styles, but finding a good book list can jump start the process.
I'm a fan of The Well Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer. It's a large annotated bibliography that gives you a crash course in how to read that particular genre. I've been working through the Poetry and Autobiography lists for a long time now.

Find a reading buddy

I joined a Well Read Mom group and it has been one of my better life choices. The program forces me to read fiction, good fiction, and has a demanding schedule. I'm far more likely to plow through a hefty book when I have a date on the calendar when I'm supposed to show up having read the book.

It is worth being picky about your reading buddies. If no one in the group even tries to make a dent in the book, it's not a book club it's a social club. That's fine, but if you want to get reading you might need to look elsewhere for that help.

Love on your library

Periodically I go through the recently acquired lists at the library and search for particular authors or topics I like to stay current on reading. Often these are very popular in my library system so the wait can be lengthy on requests. When a book does arrive, it's like Christmas! I know that because the book is popular I probably can't renew it, or check it out again, anytime soon. So I make sure to finish it, and lo and behold I manage to make it through more books than I thought I could!

Fight the genre rut

We all have those genres that we gravitate toward reading, but it's very easy to fall into the trap of only reading historical fiction, sci-fi, etc. I challenge myself to alternate reading: fiction, poetry, drama, biography/autobiography, and historical non-fiction. I use the lists in the Well Educated Mind to request books worth trying, and browse the library recommended lists for more current options.

Use audio books and e-books sparingly

It's sooooo tempting to rely on audio books and e-books when you're busy! They do have their place, but I would strongly encourage you to use them sparingly.

From what neuroscience is showing, we do not activate the same places in our brain when using an e-reader or listening to an audio book. If what we're after is that deep reading that interacts and builds our knowledge base, than in-the-hand physical books need to make up the bulk of your reading material.
I know it's hard! But what's the point of trying to get all this reading in if your recall and brain impact isn't there? Read smart to make the most of your reading.

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Here's My Sunday Best from this morning with A Blog For My Mom!

I have John (5) in the choir with me every Sunday now. This morning he had a case of the wiggles.

Pro-tip: telling an antsy kid that "if you participate, mass goes faster" they can suddenly stand up!

 At least for 5 minutes, but 5 minutes can buy me a lot.

I tried hard to get a shot with my abalone shell earrings, but bad rainy day light + 5 year old photographer means this is the best option we got.