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I love books.  I love learning. I love hearing the viewpoint of others or being transported to another place or time.  I love growing. I love being challenged. I love words.

But I have to admit it’s a little bit of a sickness.

I have WAY more books than I probably should.  And while I feel that it is a wonderful thing to have a home library.  I probably should place an embargo on the number of books I will buy until I read more of the books that I have!

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But gone are the days where I have hours and hours to read like I did when I was a girl.  From the minute I had my first child, I also had to say goodbye to large blocks of discretionary time where I could curl up with a good book and a cup of tea or hot chocolate (with lots of whipped cream).  But since I still love to read, I’ve had to figure out other ways to get the job done.

Here are my tips for fitting reading in to your busy life.

1)     Read in bite-sized chunks.

Although, it is not my preference to read this way, I’ve learned to appreciate getting through a book, even if that means bit by bit, one page at a time. Something is better than nothing right?

2)     Plan time to read!

There are so many good things that can crowd out time to do the important. While, I can no longer read for a whole day (which I would love by the way). What I can do is put my children to bed, and make time to read at bedtime. While I may not be able to avoid being away from home on a Saturday for kiddos sports event,  I can read for a few minutes during time outs, half-times, or in between races. I certainly would have never thought reading on a recumbant bike at the gym made sense, but that little spot has become my most regular reading appointment. Plan a time and place that works for you!

3)     Make reading materials accessible!

Make sure that you have books available to read WHERE YOU ARE.  These days, an eReader is one way to make ready easy. I do have Kindle (older model) and I also occasionally read on my phone or computer.  But I have to tell you, I still love a good book and the feel of its pages in my hands! So I keep lots of real-life books everywhere! In past days, I would have never thought to read multiple books at the same time but I’ve grown into that ability and have actually come to like it!  I always have at least one book in my purse just in case I get a surprise of a few extra minutes in my day. I also have found some other fun places to stash books in case I can find unexpected moments to share.  I’ve shared some pictures below to show you what I mean.


In the car…

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Near the royal throne…

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And, of course, on the nightstand…

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So there you have it – three things that help me keep my head in a book. I’d love to know if you have any tips to share!  How do you make reading fit into your life?