"How Do You Have Time to Read So Much?" (The Answer!)

So the number one question I always get when I talk to other people about reading is:

"How do you have time to read so much?"

(or one of 128473662 different variations of this question)

And the short answer that I normally give people is that I don't necessarily have all this time to read whenever I want and never go to work or to school or do homework or any of that. Although that really isn't a short answer. It's not easy (at least for me) to study for all these tests and write all these essays and still have time to read and take pictures and write reviews. So, I decided I would compile the long version of my answer to my most frequently received question.

How I Read So Much:

1. I multitask. And by "multitask" I mean I walk into a lot of walls (hang on, I'll get there). I read when I'm eating, I read when I'm brushing my teeth, I read while I'm watching TV, and I read while walking up and down the stairs (don't do this, seriously. I've almost killed myself a couple times because a) I've missed a step or b) my puppy decided that HE wanted the step and then I have 60+ pounds of I'M-NOT-MOVING that I have to sneak around). Some people like to aimlessly stare at the ceiling while in the waiting room, I have my book. If there is ever a break, I'm reading. There are tons of minutes wasted throughout the day that could be spent reading, they are just so small that you don't think about them.
2. I weave it into my schedule. I have a running to-do list that, like my TBR, will never be quite completed or conquered. I try to get in at least half a book to a book per day (depends on the size of the book) and so I make that a box that I need to check off. I HATE leaving boxes unchecked, and so that nasty little voice living inside my head that flips out when boxes are unchecked will remind me throughout the day that I need to keep reading.
3. eBooks. For some reason bringing your phone to an information session is normal but books? Now people are looking at you funny. So I have a tendency to download eBooks from my TBR and keep them on hand just in case I need to go somewhere where it would be weird to have a book but perfectly acceptable to be on my phone. Plus they are much more convenient so that's another plus (but not nearly as fun to read...)
4. I use it as a reward system. Wrote an essay? Have 5 chapters! Studied for that test? Another 5 chapters! By using reading as a reward for completing specific tasks, not only do I get a break in-between mind-numbing boredom and headaches, but I also get to read! The only downside to this tactic is that sometimes I'll get to a super good part and it will have been 8 chapters before everything dies down and at that point I gotta go to 10 chapters because multiples of 10 are important and oh look it's exciting again and this cycle just goes on and on forever...
5. I've learned to be efficient(ish). I have a tendency to work on essays and do to homework at the weirdest times and in the weirdest places so that I can read when I get home. I try and set goals like "I will be done with this essay by 6 pm" so that I don't dawdle on certain tasks and get my stuff done so that I can read. Basically I make reading a priority like writing essays or studying for tests.
6. I put stuff off. 😅 Let's not talk about this one it's embarrassing.
7. I read fast. I've always been a naturally fast reader, but when I get super into something the pages just fly by. This really helps because it takes me a day to read the same book that would take someone else a week, and so I can squish more books in (I'm giving my parents credit for this one for starting me on books before kindergarten.)
8. I can read anywhere. Except maybe the car because motion sickness is a thing. I don't have problems reading in large crowds or in noisy areas because I just tune everybody out... which is great when you want to get reading done but bad when you miss your bus stop or someone has to yell your name 5000 times to get your attention. Also, I miss a lot of conversations because people will have like full-on discussions with me but not get my attention first and then they'll be like "what do you think?" and that's the first clue I've gotten that they were talking to me.

I think a huge part of my reading so much is that I make it a priority. It's something that is important to me, something that I love, and I try and juggle it as best I can with everything else in life. Do I get to read every day, or as much as I would like to? No, but I do my best.

How do you guys fit reading into your schedules?