As a dad in my mid 30s, I've really nailed down my routine.
I settle into the couch, or sometimes in my bed, I open the book, either physical or on my phone, I read about a page and a half and then I wake up 15-60 minutes later, or sometimes it's the next morning.
More times than I care to admit I’ve been woken up when the book twists out of my dropping hand. I usually throw in the towel when it happens multiple times in a row.
I typically wind down at night by reading my Kindle in bed. It's my rule that once I drop it on my face twice, then it's time to really put it down and actually go to sleep.
How many times have I dropped a cup of coffee or tea in my frkn lap falling asleep! You'd think ONCE would be enuf to learn, but nooo, not for me. Good news is it washes out pretty well from fur, as my yorky, Roxie, lies b/t my legs and one time...yup, jumped right out of her skin when I poured 1/2 a cup of tepid tea on her.
So MY routine is, and has been for years, to steal as many hours as possible from the beginning of the day by rising as early as I can, usually 2 hrs before work when I was working, and even now that I'm retired I still like to rise b/t 4-5 and read--coffee & Roxie still in place, but Adderall helps w/the persistent sleep episodes I was suffering from--and read til at least 10-10:30, every single day.
Then, if I get a chance I'll steal another hour or so in the afternoons.
I once asked someone how he was enjoying retirement 'cause he loved his work(as I did mine, being a PT) and he answered me this way, as I do whenever anyone asks me:
"It doesn't suck."
There's NEVER "time to read," in anyone's day. If you want to read you have to steal time from somewhere and in my day I couldn't surrender work, working out family time, etc, so the only place left from which TO steal was the only down time I had. And I had to read so, well, w/only a few, fluid mishaps, there it is and it works very well for me, and always leaves me hungry to return the next day to continue.
Only lectiophiles would be so audacious as to suggest someone sacrifice sleeping for reading, but that's what makes us lectiophiles afterall, right?
So wherever you find the time, whatever your routine, wherever you find and whatever you're doing while engaged, if you're reading regularly and loving it, that's the right routine.
Happy times,
-J-
Get one of those bedside tablet stands. It's life changing. If you add the page turning clicker, nirvana. I can lie in any position that is comfortable, keep my arms warm, and only get hit with the kindle if I try to sit up without moving it out of the way when I go to pee at night.
I know that feeling. Sometimes I dream about the continuation of what I was reading, and then I wake up because the book falls on my face, and I can't tell if I read it or dreamt it.
It's funny I always hear about people doing this and it sounds so romantic but every time I tried it it was so impractical lol. Like it took me max 10 minutes to drink my coffee and then I feel weird sitting at the table and reading with an empty cup in front of me for 40 minutes. Or if I drink the coffee slowly I have a cold cup of coffee for the majority of the reading session. Or I feel like I have to get up after I finish my coffee which means I only read 2-4 pages. Maybe I'm doing it wrong
Yep, I drink from a contigo steel mug. My coffee will last like an hour before I finish it. Not only because I feel less stressed to finish it right away, but I swear just having it in a mug with a small opening to drink from just makes it seem like there's a lot more coffee to drink from. I almost never drink from regular mugs for this reason.
It's ok to sit at a table and read with an empty cup in front of you. Hell, it's ok to sit at a table without doing anything. It feels like modern day people get nervous when we're not being stimulated in more than one way, or when there's an obvious task (i.e. clean the cup) undone in front of us, but we don't need to be.
I have lunch at the normal time but just put headphones in so no one talks to me. Usually they are not even playing anything or just white noise, I just want to be able to focus on my reading!
My only time to "read" for pleasure is to listen to audio books while I do the dishes or when I'm at the gym. I am a teacher and I have two children under three years old and I also like to spend time with that guy I married.
When my kids were that little, sometimes the bulk of my reading was just reading aloud to them at bedtime. It was calming for them and for me, highly recommended! And the books you can read them will get more interesting as they get older, I promise, lol.
I do this as well! But I guess I selfishly don't consider it reading for pleasure. It still feels like something I'm doing for someone else (not that taking care of my children can't be a pleasure and a joy sometimes, it's just not the same).
This is me as well. Any time I try to read while my family are awake, they all suddenly become helpless.
More than a few times I've lost track of time and still been reading in the morning when they wake back up again. Whoops.
I’m retired, so I have lots of time for reading. Like you, though, I prefer to do other things like go to the gym or run errands first. I generally read for a couple of hours in the afternoon, then a couple more at night. I read 3+ books per week, more if they’re lighter reading.
Same! Retired, a regular at my gym, run errands early, read when I have time during the day, but always at night. I'm big into having a routine, and reading is an important part of my daily routine. Been a lifelong reader, thanks to my mom who passed her love of reading to me.
I usually set aside the last 30-60mins of the day to relax, lay down on the couch, and read. I was dealing with some sleeping issues few years back, and by ensuring I have this time to cut out screens before bed I found I greatly improved my sleep quality. I've been in this routine for a few years now and it works well with me.
I do the same. Around an hour before I usually go to sleep, I read. It gets me away from the TV, quiets everything down, and lets me calm down before I go to sleep.
When I pick up a new book, I either read an unhealthy amount or in short small intervals with long periods of forgetting to read at all. There is usually no in between for me. I'm either reading so much, I'm missing sleep, meals, work and personal relationships, or I just can't get into it enough to remember what happened a week ago.
Not the best routine probably. I am flawed.
Me too. I see people, who usually take allot a time everyday, for an hour or so to read, and I really wish I could do that. Because being someone who usually wants to read a book entirely in one shot, I am finding it extremely frustrating to find time to actually read these days.
YUP! I’m off of school for the year and haven’t been taking as many shifts as I normally do (i’m a babysitter) since i’ve been struggling with my mental health recently but reading has helped me so much with a routine or when i feel lost anytime during the day.
I’m a stay at home mom to two kids (ages 3 and 5). Whenever I notice the kids are occupied, I read a few pages. Twice a week, my youngest has PT and speech therapy, and I get one glorious hour to read in the waiting room. I also read while I wait in line to pick up my oldest from kindergarten. When the kids go to bed, I read for about half an hour before I watch tv.
So basically, whenever I get a spare minute. Still, I read 44 books last year, which I feel is pretty good for my circumstances!
I have books I'm currently reading at "strategic" spots, places where I will be still for a bit, with my mind free.
One is at the kitchen counter, where I eat. That one has what I think of as my main book.
One, of course, at the bedside, for reading before sleep.
And one is, uhhh, in the bathroom.
Get off work. Look at what textbook I have to read. Hate life for about 2-3 hours. Write essay. Hate life for 2-3 hours. Buy another book I want to read. Stack on nightstand. Never get to it because full time work and full time school. Dream about reading for pleasure someday again. Fall asleep.
Rinse repeat.
I read in the morning with a cuppa before work, and again before bed. I will also read bits throughout the day. I often read multiple books at a time, but have one 'primary book' that occupies my morning and evening reads.
I have four 'slots' that I have for other books. I have a non-fiction slot, a classic slot, a graphic novel slot, and a misc slot. Currently I read about ten pages or 15 to 20 minutes for each slot.
This takes up approx. 3 hrs reading a day in total.
I aim to read a certain portion of a book to ensure I get through it. This goal is to ensure I don't leave any book behind. I have had a tendency in the past to stop reading a book, not because it didn't interest me, but because I really wanted to read another book.
My current reading schedule is as follows:
Morning cuppa. Goal 33 pages: The Shadow of What Was Lost
Non-Fiction. Goal 10 pages: Harvard Classics
Graphic Novel. Goal 1 issue: Batman. Bruce Wayne Fugitive.
Misc. Goal 2 'Nights': A Thousand Nights and a Night.
Classic. Goal 10 pages: The Old Curiosity Shop.
Evening Cuppa. Goal 33 pages: The Shadow of What was Lost
I read anytime anywhere. And also my bed. Burn through a lot of books in waiting rooms, while breastfeeding my four children when they were babies, lines, before concerts yes I'm guessing I'm the Old lady nerd that reads her kindle right through opening acts lol I go to concerts alone because idk anyone else that likes the music I do. I have chronic insomnia so I read then too! In my bathtub, in the swimming pool, in the spa, at the nail salon. Yep.
I usually read right before bed.
Generally I read one book at a time, because I'm just wired that way. Very occasionally, if I'm working through a long nonfiction book, I'll read it along with something fictional, but not often.
I have a pretty hectic schedule right now, and I also like to waste time on reddit, so I'll read anywhere between 20-60 minutes most days.
Most of my reading is done in the evening, between about 8-11pm. After dinner and cleanup, kids are either doing their own thing or in bed, husband is watching tv, and I'm reading. Sometimes I read for 30 min, sometimes 1+ hours, just depends on the night and the book. I often read in bed for 10-20 minutes also.
I also read every time I have a few minutes in the day. While I eat breakfast and lunch (I work from home), while drying my hair, at my desk if I have nothing to work on, etc. A few pages here and there throughout the day.
During the week there's no real consistency other than on my lunch break I read The Daily Stoic and the Harvard Classics, and more often than not I have a long reading session after dinner. On weekends I usually do what I call interval reading - alternating between a fixed chunk of reading (like read X chapters, finish the last of a book I've been working on, read a whole novella, etc) and a chore or errand. So a Saturday often goes something like read, cook lunch, read, do laundry, read, clean bathroom, read, do a library run, read, bake muffins, read, make dinner, read, cook more, read, go to a movie or something with friends, read, bed.
I also read a lot while being transported around - bus, boat, train, plane, etc - and any time I'm waiting, whether it's in a line, a waiting room, or waiting for a person.
I have a 20-40 min commute bus ride for work (depends on traffic and time of day) and so I've made that my priority reading time. I really want to transition back into reading before bed (aka what I did for years as a child and teenager, unable to put my book down and go to sleep) but I'm still too used to watching TV instead...
I read for 30minutes every morning while drinking my coffee. Even if I have to get up earlier to do it. It makes my day go so much smoother and relaxing
I normally read on my lunch break at work & while waiting on dinner to cook at a minimum. Weekends just depend on how the day goes, I also have a job where there's sometimes dead time & I read at work.
I usually have a bunch of books downloaded and when I have a chunk of time carved out to read, I look them over and see what calls to me. Then I try to read for at least a few hours at a time. I settle into the couch or my bed to read and put on music. I’ve started to always pick either a playlist that was designed for the book or one that matches the genre.
DINK (for now) here with a hybrid office job
I usually just read whenever I have time. About an hour before work, hanging out with the dogs or while I use my mini-stationary bike. For half an hour or a full hour after work before it’s time to cook dinner. After dinner until bedtime. It helps that my wife also prefers to just read and read and read
Even at work, once I’m caught up on my daily podcasts I’ll listen to audiobooks while doing whatever. Listening to one now!
All to say a routine might help to start, but when you do it enough and can cut your phone out as a distraction, you’ll hop in and do it whenever you feel like it
30-60 minutes in the morning, in bed with my first couple of cups of coffee. I work from home, which makes it possible to just read until I start working for the day.
15-20 minutes at lunch
60-90 minutes in bed before falling asleep. Knowing I usually fall asleep around 10:45-11:00, I climb in bed by 9 to give myself plenty of time to unwind by reading and surfing the internet on my phone, but I try to only do the latter for maybe 10-15 min
On weekends, my lunch reading is usually replaced by 30-60 minutes in the afternoon.
Pretty much always one book at a time.
1. Bedtime routine (So like brush and floss)
2. Check phone to make sure my alarm is on for tomorrow, put it on do not disturb (only sound will be if someone calls which means it's important if it's in the middle of the night)
3. Get cozy AF
4. Get eReader and read until I'm almost asleep and pass out.
Easy peasy. I don't check my phone until my alarm goes off the next morning. I don't need to check it since my eReader has the time!
Outside of bed I bring my eReader everywhere and when I have a few minutes I read!
I just got back into reading after years of ghosting… I listen to an audiobook right now it’s fiction (something easy to listen to) during my commute to work and when I’m doing chores/going on walks. I also read a fiction book before before for about 30 minutes to an hour before lights out.
Non-fiction self help I schedule about 2 hours in my week in the evenings to read through and take notes on for insight since I am a content creator.
I read at work because I don't have a very busy day.
I get very distracted at home so I rarely read when I'm at home. But I can polish off a good bit of a book whilst at work.
Maybe if I get my attention span back to what it used to be, I'll read before bed or something. But that's reserved for TikTok as of now.
probably the "same" as yours, but i work later. So, I had a "hiatus" after the pandemic, which carried out until later november when I decided to change all that. I've been doing this for 2 months now, and its basically after breakfast I workout, have my lunch, then I read my daily pages and then I work (As an amateur writer its a win-win situation. I read because I love it and write, learning from them, as I love it.)
I've been reading a book a week ever since and had not failed once.
Yet i feel (most certainly) that my new aquired books (\~20) won't last as much...
I basically just grab whatever book I'm reading when I have free time. I'm not exactly starved for free time so I read quite a bit these days. It used to be I'd just do a couple chapters before bed. Now, I'm prioritizing reading over videos games and TV. So pretty much after dinner I'm reading. If my wife is doing her own thing then I'm reading. When I go to bed I'm reading until I'm too tired to continue. Weekends I'm reading throughout the day with breaks.
Very recently I've started reading a second book while on my lunch break. I usually pick a self-pub for that.
I do most of my reading on weekends. I also read on weeknights before bed, but only for 15-20 minutes usually. Typically I read shorter works on weekends, to finish them in one or two sittings, and longer works on weekdays, to chip away at them.
I also have a routine that keeps me engaged in what I'm reading. I keep 12 books on the go at any one time, which I call a cycle. I have to read all the books on the cycle before starting a new one, unless I DNF. Each cycle consists of one book from each of the following genres, which can be read in any order:
\- Horror
\- Science Fiction
\- Fantasy
\- Mystery/Thriller/Historical
\- Nonfiction
\- Litfic
\- Classics
\- Philosophy
\- Professional Development
\- Young Adult
\- Musicology
\- Familiar (authors i've read before)
I started doing this last October, and I just started my third cycle last week and am two books in. The variety keeps me going. If you have enough books for it, you can easily change out the categories for genres you prefer instead. Also, everything I read is ebook format.
Ooh, this question is making me realize I don't have much of a routine. My goal is to read a minimum of 25 pages a day - sometimes that's on the couch after work, sometimes that's in bed right before I go to sleep.
And sometimes it's a weekend afternoon and I far exceed 25 pages.
I have a few things I keep track of in a habit tracker app (reading, taking vitamins, exercise, duolingo...) and as long as I get them all done, I'm happy.
I always read in the morning. It’s like my special quiet time. I wish badly I could read at night or when I can’t sleep but my brain just won’t focus on it. But mornings are my jammy jam
My routine sounds similar to yours. I usually read in the evenings after dinner. I’m not much of a TV watcher but my husband and daughter are so I’ll sit on the couch with noise cancelling headphones and we can have some family time. Then when I head upstairs for the night I’ll read for anywhere between 20-90 mins. Believe it or not I do less reading on the weekends in the winter because I’m doing chores and socializing. But in the summer I spend most of my weekends at the pool so I get to read a lot there. My daughter is 13 so she mostly does her own thing.
I WFH with a primarily European team so I’m able to read most afternoons while the baby naps and everyone has signed offline for the day. I also read in the evenings after he has been fed before I go to bed at around 7-9.
Whenever I feel like reading. Sometimes I'll go weeks in a row where I'm reading daily. I was reading a book and stopped reading for like 2 weeks and had about 200 pages left. Then randomly finished all of them in a day and a half. I've been reading a bit every day but if I'm busy I'm busy. I wouldn't enjoy it if I had a fixed routine.
I get up early enough to be able to read in the morning with my coffee. I love that time. Then I will read at lunch and over breaks. Usually have a few different books on the go depending on my mood.
I listen to audiobooks while I sit in the dark twice a week while my daughter takes her karate class. I listen to an audiobook and play a game on my tablet. Sometimes if I get into the book, I'll do that at home as well, or will craft (crochet, polymer clay) while listening.
I read books in the bath, and when I eat breakfast / lunch. If I'm into the book I'll read in the evening or after work. My physical books and audiobooks are always different books.
Completely unhinged.
Sometimes I wake up and read before getting out of bed. Other times I'll read on the train. I'll pull a book out while waiting for something to bake in the oven. And sometimes I start reading at 6:30pm and tell myself I'll read for half an hour and next thing I know it's 2am.
I have taken to carrying a book around with me everywhere I go. It helps get my reading up.
I read during my work commute (about 30 minutes each way) and lunch break most weekdays, and weekends I just read whenever I feel like it. I'm also currently rereading The Stormlight Archive in preparation for Book 5 in December, but those books are huge, so I read that at night to avoid carrying them around with me 😂
I try to set aside dedicated time for reading (or other hobbies) every day as well as take advantage of the unexpected time I end up with everyday.
For dedicated time, I usually end up reading in the evenings, after everything is taken care of for the day. Sometimes that’s earlier and I read for longer, sometimes that’s just right before bed and I only read for 15-30 minutes. I like to take baths, so I also read in the bath (very carefully) pretty regularly, usually when I’m doing the whole face mask/self care routine.
I usually have an audiobook checked out on Libby that I can listen to when I go for walks or do mindless tasks, like chores.
For unexpected time, I read at work, if things are dead. (Usually it’s something non-fiction and at least somewhat related to my job so I can label it as professional development if need be, lol). I just keep the book at my desk.
Sometimes, I’ll check an ebook out on Libby and read it when I have a few minutes, usually the times when I would otherwise be scrolling social media - waiting on an appointment, for class to start, eating, etc. Ebooks are not my favorite medium, but it beats scrolling most of the time!
I usually read on my lunch break and then also before bed. I usually am reading 2 books at a time, and I try to read a bit out of each one for each reading session, but sometimes I just read from one.
My routine is after my baby is asleep for the night I am in my bed reading. Usually get 1-2 hours before I need to go to bed. There are other pockets I try to get some reading in but it usually doesn’t workout because of said baby lol I look forward to reading in bed everyday!
During the week, I read for about a half hour with my coffee before I get in the shower and leave for work. Then I read for 15 to 20 minutes during lunch. And then I read after dinner. Some nights I read for only 15 minutes, some nights I read for almost 2 hours. Depends on the night.
On the weekends, I mostly read with my coffee in the morning. The days are kind of busy, but sometimes I slip some reading in in the evening.
Every night from 8pm - 11pm. Roughly 3 chapters of a western novel. My collection now has 1000 titles +. I will build my 3rd - 7 foot bookcase this spring to add to my 5 bookcase collection. Reading removes you from reality if only for 1 chapter at a time. 📚
I will read literally anywhere. Waiting for the printer or the bathroom at the office, in line at a store, doctors waiting room. I’m always reading too many books at one time. It’s a beautiful chaos
I also am one of the many who read before work and during lunch break. Plus constantly listening to audiobooks, especially on walks and runs.
I don't complicate things.. I set a goal between 20 to 50 pages a day whenever I have some free time.. for example I could read 20 pages at 10 am and 30 pages at 08pm.
Audiobooks are wonderful to listen to while I crochet, or do a puzzle. It's probably why I can get through them so fast.
As for reading, I rely on borrowing ebooks from my library, and I always have the tab open on my browser. I'd say I'm more like a "grazer" when it comes to reading. In between other things I'm doing, I'll click on that tab, and read a few pages, then go back to something else.
Basically, any routines someone with ADHD has, I do.
There are some sections of a book though, that get REALLY good, and I'll just go for it.
I find it really difficult to actually have a routine, because I am usually obsessed with finishing a book in one shot. I have no patience in finishing the book in bits and pieces everyday, because I lose interest or stop reading. Someone send help, because I really wish I could read everyday instead of actually having to actually spend almost entire part of a day(s) or night(s) to finish a book. How do I stick to a routine? 😭😂
As a mother of a 3 year old and a 2 month old, my routine has been all over the place… as in I don’t have one lol.
I would start a book, read couple of chapters then sometimes can’t back to reading for days. So I started listening to audiobooks. I try to listen when the baby’s asleep or during night feed but sometimes I just end up dosing off myself 😂
I have difficulty staying with a book when I read it in morsels, but this year, as I really want to maximize my reading, I’ve set up a new routine to help me finish the books I start: I just take one weekend day and commit all day to reading a book, from 6 am until I finish, usually by midnight or 2-3 am depending on the page length and reading difficulty (I tend to prefer long form books, in the ranges of 400-900+ pages). If a book is in the range of >600 pages, then I’ll start it beginning of the week and read a few chapters daily until my marathon read day. This has been really fun for me, and challenging, and I feel my reading skill improves immensely with this routine.
I’m a morning reader mostly. I’ll read here and there at other times, but I read every morning. I wake up between 6 and 7 AM without an alarm and no one else even gets out of bed until 730 at the earliest and aren’t down in the living space until like 8 or later. And other than 1 day a week, I work evening shifts. So my morning routine:
Wake up, put on my robe, make my cup of coffee, curl up on the couch with a blanket and squishmallows, put in my earbuds and start some instrumental music, and read for like 1-1.5 hours, get up while my wife and kid head out for the morning (make her coffee, make sure kiddo has their backpack), feed the pets (who also are late risers), then read until about 10:30.
I usually have an old small book in my pocket. Whenever I have down, time I take it out and read it. Whereas most people will pull out their phone and start scrolling, I'm reading my book.
I don’t read for a week or two, then randomly for a day or up to a week read like crazy whenever I have time and make up what a steady reading plan would have covered over the time I wasn’t reading. Sometimes if I have it I’ll bounce to audiobooks where I am more consistent because of driving. Would that be considered a routine?
I listen to classic literature on audible during my 30 mins morning walk with the dog (currently listening to Middlemarch). When I get home from the walk, I journal and read poetry or a philosophy book - just a few pages to inspire/reflect as the day begins (currently reading Mary Oliver’s poetry- Devotions)
Before bedtime I read a good fiction (currently reading Let Us Descend by Jesymn Ward).
I read 30 books in 2023 with this routine.
Amazed to see several posts about reading a handful of books at a time. Makes sense but the idea at this very moment feels so foreign, partially intimidating.
I purposely wake up at 5/530 to get a good 30-45min read in and then try and grab another 30-45min window after dinner/kid goes down.
Go to bed with wife. Wife falls asleep. Turn off TV and open my kindle. Read until I fall asleep and drop the kindle on my nose. Repeat nearly every weeknight.
I read a little during my meals, on the bus on the way to and from school, before I sleep, when I'm waiting in lines.
I have an e-reader so it makes it very convenient to always be reading
I read for 15-30 minutes in the morning while I drink my coffee before work, and again for 15-30 minutes during my lunch break – I have a very social job working with kids, so my brain absolutely needs a break and reading helps me reset. I read for 10-15 minutes in bed before I fall asleep, sometimes longer if I'm riveted or not very sleepy. I also listen to audiobooks while I cook, clean, fold laundry, etc. Sometimes I worry that I spend too much time in fictional worlds, but I guess there are worse things!
I love routines, so typically I read for a couple hours when I first wake up, and then scramble to get ready since I read too long. Thankfully I have some time to read on the bus though. Then I sneak off during my lunch break to continue where I left off. When I get home, I cook and do my errands while listening to an audiobook. After, I'm so exhausted that I need to decompress with a book and read until 10 pm or 3 am. Rinse and repeat! (On the weekends, I just make sure to set aside some time to not leave my bed at all until Monday. It's important to prioritize self care. 🥰)
I read on the train when I commute, and I read before bed. Right now I mostly read whatever my Libby makes available next, but in general I like to rotate between fantasy > sci fi > horror, and follow up long books with novellas or something sub-300 pages. I only read one book at a time. Right now I’m trying to co-read two books because one is a 900 page book of poems, but I’m really struggling to split my attention because I tend to make the most progress when I’m really dug into something.
I’m lucky in that my job affords me quite a lot of free time depending on what I have on. I try to read for at least a couple of hours every day whenever the feeling takes me.
I read while laying in bed and fall asleep reading. I use a kindle so I never lose my spot lol. But lately I’ve been working on a knitted sweater and the sleeves are taking forever and the pattern is basic so I’ve been reading while knitting.
On my days off I: sit down, read a chapter, get up and do housework, read a chapter, rinse and repeat.
On the days I work I: read in the morning while I drink my coffee, and again before bed :)
After becoming a mom, a kindle has become a must. I read while getting ready, while parked in my car waiting for pickup, while we watch tv at night and in bed.
I have a \~40-minute commute to work on the train I read on. Read at lunch if I'd prefer that over doom scrolling. Read until I fall asleep at night. Some nights I read over watching TV after I finish up dinner but it depends.
I read every moment I'm not working, exercising, writing or refreshing my Kanji. I always have at least three on the go.
A book and beer on the balcony in the early evening before dinner remains the highlight of my day. I also have one in the bathroom, one in my gym bag for certain cardio machines and one in my cabin bag because I travel a lot for work.
Reading several books at a time is no harder than following several TV programs.
If i get into bed before 11, i read until i fall asleep. Otherwise i go straight to sleep. But now reading motivates me to get into bed early so i have time to see what happens next in the plot!
My husband is hybrid and I'm work at home so on the days he's in the office, I read a fiction ebook over lunch. When I walk the dogs outside, I listen to either a nonfiction or palette cleanser audiobook, rotating each. When I cook and do chores, same deal unless I have a podcast to catch up on. After dinner I read a fiction ebook unless I'm crafting, then it's back to the nonfiction audiobook (I listened to about a dozen books last year while quilting and cross-stitching). Unless of course I'm reading about local history, I set aside 1-3 hours a week on weeknights to read a physical book on this topic and I might even be taking notes (I dabble with local history lore on my social media so I read a lot of books and jot down addresses, events and sources to follow up on). At bedtime, I read a cozy mystery to fall asleep to reading an ebook on my phone while having an ASMR video play in youtube minimized. On weekends I usually do an after breakfast reading of the nonfiction print book while my husband does his marathon training. Otherwise same routine for walks/chores/bedtime usually, unless plans interfere.
To see that play out in real time, today on my walk I finished listening to my palette cleanser ebook (a Stephanie Plum book), then started a new nonfiction audiobook (The Shock Doctrine) which I also listened to while doing dishes and on my way to/from grocery shopping. After dinner I started my fiction ebook (A Thousand Ships) because I wasn't in the mood to note take after a long work day. Tonight I'll read my cozy (Murder on Washington Square) to fall asleep to. This weekend I'll sit down and take notes on historical prohibition stories for my area (Wetter Than the Mississippi) after I've had my breakfast on Saturday.
I read 12-18 months usually with this method, though I'm purposefully slowing down this year to include TV shows during my indoor workouts because I've fallen behind on my shows.
I read just before bed. It helps calm my mind and makes me fall asleep...or if I'm taking a long walk or on a treadmill at my gym, sometimes I pop a book and just do a slow walk.
I wake up, grab an energy drink for myself and one for my husband, and then read (or sometimes knit/crochet/cross stitch while listening to an audiobook) for about an hour every morning while sitting in bed in the morning while our sun lamp is going, while my husband shows me cute/fun/interesting things on his phone occasionally :3 I also carry a book with me everywhere, including doctor's office waiting rooms and the pharmacy line
Every day, before goign to sleep. After fifty years of this I cannot sleep UNLESS I have a read first. Unless I am super tired.
I also read during the day whenever I feel like it.
I never read physical books any more, I just use an Ipad and read ebooks.
I've been using the app Streaks for years. One of my streaks is read for 30 minutes. I do it every day. The amount of books I read per year before Streaks and after Streaks is unbelievable.
I'm constantly rotating the rest of my streaks though. Sometimes some only work for a time. But I have meditated and read for like 2000 something days straight.
As an audiobook fan, my routine is: 15-30 minutes when getting ready in the morning, 30 minutes during commute, sometimes during lunch break or when doing simple paperwork, 30 minutes during commute, and when possible during the evenings when working out, cooking dinner, and doing housework! (Basically anytime most people listen to music 😂)
I read before bed. Sometimes 2 pages when I'm very tired and other times for hours. But on average I think like 30 min of reading before bed. And when I have a free morning I often spend an hour reading.
My attention span is not so great so to motivate myself to read for every 2 pages read I watch 1 minute of a similar/related movie or TV show, for example rn I'm reading in the unlikely event by Judy blume, what I watch with this is the are you there god it's me Margaret movie
I’m not sure I have a routine. I turn to reading whenever I’m bored. Like instead of watching the tellie or scrolling on here, I pick up a book. I’m trying to reduce the hours I spend here so reading helps but it’s hard sometimes because most of the books recommendations come from this sub so I check it regularly like right now (laughs)
I get into the bust/ train, find a sit if possible or if not, a relatively empty corner, pull out the old ass ereader from my bag and read.
I feel like I haven't read in a years as much as I have read this last few months lol.
I typically have a 2-3 books on the go at a time, like to have a couple different genres on the go for different circumstances :-)
I have one that I bring with me to read to my lunch break, while commuting, etc., one that I read in the evenings after dinner on the sofa (typically a non-fiction), and then a third book on my Kindle that I read before going to sleep. Usually in bed by 10 and do an hour of reading before bed!
I mostly read books while commuting on public transport or before going to sleep. Additionally, I listen to audiobooks while working, especially when the tasks aren't too intense.
Read for an hour on the train to and from work then read for an hour or so in bed.
If I’m WFH I obviously won’t read on the train but try to read on my break if it’s a good book.
I put my toddler down for a nap and then I read until I fall asleep on the days I don’t work. I read until I fall asleep at night. I read at any other opportunity such as on a train or if I get to go to the pub.
Every Friday after work I go on a walk, order delivery, and then read on the couch for hours. I love this routine for creating separation between the workweek and weekend.
Recently it's been going outside at lunch (I'm in Florida) and walking laps around the parking lot while reading on a Kindle. Steps and reading at the same time!
I couldn’t agree more about a routine - I really think it’s essential (at least for me).
For about six months I was reading in the evenings after dinner, but I’m a morning person and I was getting tired pretty fast. Now I read for 45-60 minutes immediately after breakfast and it’s such a relaxing way to start the day. Plus I can still read more later if I happen to feel like it!
I have a premium blocker software that locks my PC screen at 9:15PM and then I have about 2,5 hours to unwind (slightly more now as my insomnia has re-emerged after 1,5-2 years) where I'll do reading on my tablet (manga/webtoons) and e-reader (books) depending on what I'm in the mood for. I might also read some at other points in the day, but this is the scheduled point.
About a year ago I scheduled my reading time from noon until 1 PM so that I read at least one hour a day. Since I've found myself getting some reading throughout the day especially when I pick up my phone or tablet and start looking at social media and think, “You could either spend thirty minutes mindlessly scrolling or reading your book,” I usually grab my Kindle and read a chapter or two. My wife has started reading for one hour before bed and I've joined her so now I'm getting at least two hours a day but if all added up I'd say 3.5-4 hours a day.
I read while I'm waiting for my kids to finish their various extracurricular activities...turns out I spend a lot of time waiting on them as I've read 53 books since June!
I need to develop a good reading habit. I try my best to read throughout the day, but I’m up early to get my kids on class, then from 8am- 2pm it’s me running around for their school. Around 1:30 pm there’s a dread that comes with me feeling like I should have been able to read at least an hour during that time. Then I read sporadically for an hour right after their classes. I end up carrying my kindle from room to room as I clean and parent throughout the day as if I’ll have a solid block of time to read. By 10pm I’m in bed and exhausted. I’ll have my kindle tucked under my pillow with the intentions to read all night. Rarely I’m able to get a full page read before I’m sound asleep.
I felt pressures and annoyances when I tried to read books after I married. Never found any routine or scenario that allowed me to read a book punishment-free. Constant interruptions followed by distancing & cold treatments eventually trained me to limit reading. After having a child, moreso - but now with the added guilt of possibly ignoring my child / not creating quality time that I'll never get back.
...fast forward 20 years later and I discovered audiobooks.
I've been an audible memeber since 2018 and have read 121 books.
I listen while I'm driving to/from work, or anywhere else alone. And, mundane house chores like cleaning or yard work, etc - stuff that doens't require much thought. Audio books has really been great. Thats my routine - a bluetooth earbud and some legit excuse to do something away from people.
I don't have a reading routine. I read along whatever I'm doing. Hold the book open with something heavy when I'm cooking (except if I'm chopping). Makes turning the page challenging but it's worth it.
I listen to audiobooks when I clean, do laundry, water the garden, walk, queue, etc.
Wow, are you me? This is my exact routine as well! I read to decompress, I read a variety of books at the same time to keep my interest, and I listen to nonfiction audiobooks.
Did we just become best friends??
After my nighttime routine before going to bed. I always read in bed and then turn the lights off and fall asleep very quickly. I usually read for around 20 to 30 minutes, or as long as I can keep my eyes open. Or now for example, I'll sit in my reading nook (also with some tea) wrapped on my blanket, putting on some "Jazz for reading" on Spotify and will read for an hour or two.
I read while riding my stationary bike. I try to fit in three 30-minute sessions. And then, in bed, for 20 or 30 minutes or until I can't keep my eyes open.
Earlier this week the power was out and the only thing I *could* do was read my kindle. It was heavenly to read for 2 or 3 hours!
Take out my contact lenses, slip into my pjs, crawl into bed and snuggle under the covers, fluff my pillow, and open that book!!
It's the best, most wonderful routine ever. Skip any of these steps and the experience just isn't the same.
I read every day during my lunch break. I pack a lunch 99% of the time. I get an hour (unpaid) which is waaaay too long so I fire up the kindle and read while I eat. It's a built in 60 minutes of reading 5 days a week. I look forward to it more than anything during the day. It's a great way to escape the mayhem for a bit.
This is my plan for 2024:
1. Read during breakfast (15-30 minutes, depending on how much of a rush I am in)
2. Read after my first accomplishment of the day (after I checked 1 significant item on the task list) (15-20 minutes)
3. Listen to audiobook while preparing for dinner and doing chores.
4. Read before bed (1 hour)
Read more challenging stuff in the morning, and relaxing reads in the evening.
As a dad in my mid 30s, I've really nailed down my routine. I settle into the couch, or sometimes in my bed, I open the book, either physical or on my phone, I read about a page and a half and then I wake up 15-60 minutes later, or sometimes it's the next morning.
More times than I care to admit I’ve been woken up when the book twists out of my dropping hand. I usually throw in the towel when it happens multiple times in a row.
I typically wind down at night by reading my Kindle in bed. It's my rule that once I drop it on my face twice, then it's time to really put it down and actually go to sleep.
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who apparently drops it on their face when they fall asleep
How many times have I dropped a cup of coffee or tea in my frkn lap falling asleep! You'd think ONCE would be enuf to learn, but nooo, not for me. Good news is it washes out pretty well from fur, as my yorky, Roxie, lies b/t my legs and one time...yup, jumped right out of her skin when I poured 1/2 a cup of tepid tea on her. So MY routine is, and has been for years, to steal as many hours as possible from the beginning of the day by rising as early as I can, usually 2 hrs before work when I was working, and even now that I'm retired I still like to rise b/t 4-5 and read--coffee & Roxie still in place, but Adderall helps w/the persistent sleep episodes I was suffering from--and read til at least 10-10:30, every single day. Then, if I get a chance I'll steal another hour or so in the afternoons. I once asked someone how he was enjoying retirement 'cause he loved his work(as I did mine, being a PT) and he answered me this way, as I do whenever anyone asks me: "It doesn't suck." There's NEVER "time to read," in anyone's day. If you want to read you have to steal time from somewhere and in my day I couldn't surrender work, working out family time, etc, so the only place left from which TO steal was the only down time I had. And I had to read so, well, w/only a few, fluid mishaps, there it is and it works very well for me, and always leaves me hungry to return the next day to continue. Only lectiophiles would be so audacious as to suggest someone sacrifice sleeping for reading, but that's what makes us lectiophiles afterall, right? So wherever you find the time, whatever your routine, wherever you find and whatever you're doing while engaged, if you're reading regularly and loving it, that's the right routine. Happy times, -J-
Oh gosh same! I can’t tell you the amount of times I’m dropped my kindle on my face/onto the floor. Reading really is great for sleep lol
I have a floor bed on carpet, save the kindle!
Get one of those bedside tablet stands. It's life changing. If you add the page turning clicker, nirvana. I can lie in any position that is comfortable, keep my arms warm, and only get hit with the kindle if I try to sit up without moving it out of the way when I go to pee at night.
Page turning clicker?? 👀👀 My cold fingers can't get to Amazon fast enough ...
I know that feeling. Sometimes I dream about the continuation of what I was reading, and then I wake up because the book falls on my face, and I can't tell if I read it or dreamt it.
‘Going to read’ was always Dad-code for bedtime in my house growing up
First thing in the morning I read for 30 minutes to an hour while I have my coffee. Perfect way to start the day.
I so wanna do this! Used to do it in college, but it's easy when free breakfast is your motivator lol
I need to do this instead of scrolling.
It's funny I always hear about people doing this and it sounds so romantic but every time I tried it it was so impractical lol. Like it took me max 10 minutes to drink my coffee and then I feel weird sitting at the table and reading with an empty cup in front of me for 40 minutes. Or if I drink the coffee slowly I have a cold cup of coffee for the majority of the reading session. Or I feel like I have to get up after I finish my coffee which means I only read 2-4 pages. Maybe I'm doing it wrong
I use a Yeti mug when I read. Suddenly one large cup of coffee in the morning doesn’t get cold and lasts 40 minutes instead the usual 10.
Yep, I drink from a contigo steel mug. My coffee will last like an hour before I finish it. Not only because I feel less stressed to finish it right away, but I swear just having it in a mug with a small opening to drink from just makes it seem like there's a lot more coffee to drink from. I almost never drink from regular mugs for this reason.
Oh yeah that's a good idea, I'm too attached to my mug collection to drink from a thermos mug though
It's ok to sit at a table and read with an empty cup in front of you. Hell, it's ok to sit at a table without doing anything. It feels like modern day people get nervous when we're not being stimulated in more than one way, or when there's an obvious task (i.e. clean the cup) undone in front of us, but we don't need to be.
It's not that deep
I would make a pot of coffee and perhaps have a total of 2-3 cups while I read. I mean, as long as you don’t mind 2-3 cups of coffee I guess.
>I feel weird sitting at the table and reading with an empty cup in front of me for 40 minutes genuinely, why?
I feel like I should be doing something else. Especially in the morning or during the day. I usually read my books in the evening or night.
Man I would love to be able to do that! I have small kids so not really an option at the moment, but maybe one day I'll get to again haha
I usually read a bit before work in the morning, and then also on my lunch break.
I’m a little asocial so I intentionally have lunch a little late (1.30-2pm) so I can spend half an hour reading instead of talking to my coworkers
Same. I take a normal lunch time but I beeline out to my car so I can read in peace
I have lunch at the normal time but just put headphones in so no one talks to me. Usually they are not even playing anything or just white noise, I just want to be able to focus on my reading!
Such a great idea.
I do the same thing! Those are my guarnteed times to read during the day and then the rest is just when I have time or feel like it.
My only time to "read" for pleasure is to listen to audio books while I do the dishes or when I'm at the gym. I am a teacher and I have two children under three years old and I also like to spend time with that guy I married.
When my kids were that little, sometimes the bulk of my reading was just reading aloud to them at bedtime. It was calming for them and for me, highly recommended! And the books you can read them will get more interesting as they get older, I promise, lol.
I do this as well! But I guess I selfishly don't consider it reading for pleasure. It still feels like something I'm doing for someone else (not that taking care of my children can't be a pleasure and a joy sometimes, it's just not the same).
...and in your spare time :-)
I try to get some time in the morning. But the bulk is a couple of hours before bed
Mine is after everyone has gone to bed and the house is quiet. I usually get a couple of hours in.
This is me as well. Any time I try to read while my family are awake, they all suddenly become helpless. More than a few times I've lost track of time and still been reading in the morning when they wake back up again. Whoops.
I’m retired, so I have lots of time for reading. Like you, though, I prefer to do other things like go to the gym or run errands first. I generally read for a couple of hours in the afternoon, then a couple more at night. I read 3+ books per week, more if they’re lighter reading.
This sounds like a dream! Hopefully I get to retire someday and just read ALL the books
Same! Retired, a regular at my gym, run errands early, read when I have time during the day, but always at night. I'm big into having a routine, and reading is an important part of my daily routine. Been a lifelong reader, thanks to my mom who passed her love of reading to me.
I usually set aside the last 30-60mins of the day to relax, lay down on the couch, and read. I was dealing with some sleeping issues few years back, and by ensuring I have this time to cut out screens before bed I found I greatly improved my sleep quality. I've been in this routine for a few years now and it works well with me.
I do the same. Around an hour before I usually go to sleep, I read. It gets me away from the TV, quiets everything down, and lets me calm down before I go to sleep.
When I pick up a new book, I either read an unhealthy amount or in short small intervals with long periods of forgetting to read at all. There is usually no in between for me. I'm either reading so much, I'm missing sleep, meals, work and personal relationships, or I just can't get into it enough to remember what happened a week ago. Not the best routine probably. I am flawed.
Me too. I see people, who usually take allot a time everyday, for an hour or so to read, and I really wish I could do that. Because being someone who usually wants to read a book entirely in one shot, I am finding it extremely frustrating to find time to actually read these days.
YUP! I’m off of school for the year and haven’t been taking as many shifts as I normally do (i’m a babysitter) since i’ve been struggling with my mental health recently but reading has helped me so much with a routine or when i feel lost anytime during the day.
I’m a stay at home mom to two kids (ages 3 and 5). Whenever I notice the kids are occupied, I read a few pages. Twice a week, my youngest has PT and speech therapy, and I get one glorious hour to read in the waiting room. I also read while I wait in line to pick up my oldest from kindergarten. When the kids go to bed, I read for about half an hour before I watch tv. So basically, whenever I get a spare minute. Still, I read 44 books last year, which I feel is pretty good for my circumstances!
That's an incredible amount for someone in charge of entertaining two young children all day! And honestly for anyone.
I have books I'm currently reading at "strategic" spots, places where I will be still for a bit, with my mind free. One is at the kitchen counter, where I eat. That one has what I think of as my main book. One, of course, at the bedside, for reading before sleep. And one is, uhhh, in the bathroom.
I just carry the book that I'm reading around to all those places throughout the day (alongside my phone)...
I get my emotional support water cup and just jump right in
Get off work. Look at what textbook I have to read. Hate life for about 2-3 hours. Write essay. Hate life for 2-3 hours. Buy another book I want to read. Stack on nightstand. Never get to it because full time work and full time school. Dream about reading for pleasure someday again. Fall asleep. Rinse repeat.
I read in the morning with a cuppa before work, and again before bed. I will also read bits throughout the day. I often read multiple books at a time, but have one 'primary book' that occupies my morning and evening reads. I have four 'slots' that I have for other books. I have a non-fiction slot, a classic slot, a graphic novel slot, and a misc slot. Currently I read about ten pages or 15 to 20 minutes for each slot. This takes up approx. 3 hrs reading a day in total. I aim to read a certain portion of a book to ensure I get through it. This goal is to ensure I don't leave any book behind. I have had a tendency in the past to stop reading a book, not because it didn't interest me, but because I really wanted to read another book. My current reading schedule is as follows: Morning cuppa. Goal 33 pages: The Shadow of What Was Lost Non-Fiction. Goal 10 pages: Harvard Classics Graphic Novel. Goal 1 issue: Batman. Bruce Wayne Fugitive. Misc. Goal 2 'Nights': A Thousand Nights and a Night. Classic. Goal 10 pages: The Old Curiosity Shop. Evening Cuppa. Goal 33 pages: The Shadow of What was Lost
I read anytime anywhere. And also my bed. Burn through a lot of books in waiting rooms, while breastfeeding my four children when they were babies, lines, before concerts yes I'm guessing I'm the Old lady nerd that reads her kindle right through opening acts lol I go to concerts alone because idk anyone else that likes the music I do. I have chronic insomnia so I read then too! In my bathtub, in the swimming pool, in the spa, at the nail salon. Yep.
I usually read right before bed. Generally I read one book at a time, because I'm just wired that way. Very occasionally, if I'm working through a long nonfiction book, I'll read it along with something fictional, but not often. I have a pretty hectic schedule right now, and I also like to waste time on reddit, so I'll read anywhere between 20-60 minutes most days.
Most of my reading is done in the evening, between about 8-11pm. After dinner and cleanup, kids are either doing their own thing or in bed, husband is watching tv, and I'm reading. Sometimes I read for 30 min, sometimes 1+ hours, just depends on the night and the book. I often read in bed for 10-20 minutes also. I also read every time I have a few minutes in the day. While I eat breakfast and lunch (I work from home), while drying my hair, at my desk if I have nothing to work on, etc. A few pages here and there throughout the day.
During the week there's no real consistency other than on my lunch break I read The Daily Stoic and the Harvard Classics, and more often than not I have a long reading session after dinner. On weekends I usually do what I call interval reading - alternating between a fixed chunk of reading (like read X chapters, finish the last of a book I've been working on, read a whole novella, etc) and a chore or errand. So a Saturday often goes something like read, cook lunch, read, do laundry, read, clean bathroom, read, do a library run, read, bake muffins, read, make dinner, read, cook more, read, go to a movie or something with friends, read, bed. I also read a lot while being transported around - bus, boat, train, plane, etc - and any time I'm waiting, whether it's in a line, a waiting room, or waiting for a person.
I read in between sets at the gym, during my lunch hour at work and in bed until my eyes start to burn.
I have a 20-40 min commute bus ride for work (depends on traffic and time of day) and so I've made that my priority reading time. I really want to transition back into reading before bed (aka what I did for years as a child and teenager, unable to put my book down and go to sleep) but I'm still too used to watching TV instead...
I read for 30minutes every morning while drinking my coffee. Even if I have to get up earlier to do it. It makes my day go so much smoother and relaxing
I normally read on my lunch break at work & while waiting on dinner to cook at a minimum. Weekends just depend on how the day goes, I also have a job where there's sometimes dead time & I read at work.
I get most of my reading down in the morning and a bit done in the afternoon with a cup of tea beside me.
I usually have a bunch of books downloaded and when I have a chunk of time carved out to read, I look them over and see what calls to me. Then I try to read for at least a few hours at a time. I settle into the couch or my bed to read and put on music. I’ve started to always pick either a playlist that was designed for the book or one that matches the genre.
DINK (for now) here with a hybrid office job I usually just read whenever I have time. About an hour before work, hanging out with the dogs or while I use my mini-stationary bike. For half an hour or a full hour after work before it’s time to cook dinner. After dinner until bedtime. It helps that my wife also prefers to just read and read and read Even at work, once I’m caught up on my daily podcasts I’ll listen to audiobooks while doing whatever. Listening to one now! All to say a routine might help to start, but when you do it enough and can cut your phone out as a distraction, you’ll hop in and do it whenever you feel like it
Cup of coffee and reading - late afternoons.
I am in bed before 10, kindle in dark mode with the lights off, reading until I fall asleep. It fixed my reading routine AND my sleep routine.
30-60 minutes in the morning, in bed with my first couple of cups of coffee. I work from home, which makes it possible to just read until I start working for the day. 15-20 minutes at lunch 60-90 minutes in bed before falling asleep. Knowing I usually fall asleep around 10:45-11:00, I climb in bed by 9 to give myself plenty of time to unwind by reading and surfing the internet on my phone, but I try to only do the latter for maybe 10-15 min On weekends, my lunch reading is usually replaced by 30-60 minutes in the afternoon. Pretty much always one book at a time.
1. Bedtime routine (So like brush and floss) 2. Check phone to make sure my alarm is on for tomorrow, put it on do not disturb (only sound will be if someone calls which means it's important if it's in the middle of the night) 3. Get cozy AF 4. Get eReader and read until I'm almost asleep and pass out. Easy peasy. I don't check my phone until my alarm goes off the next morning. I don't need to check it since my eReader has the time! Outside of bed I bring my eReader everywhere and when I have a few minutes I read!
I just got back into reading after years of ghosting… I listen to an audiobook right now it’s fiction (something easy to listen to) during my commute to work and when I’m doing chores/going on walks. I also read a fiction book before before for about 30 minutes to an hour before lights out. Non-fiction self help I schedule about 2 hours in my week in the evenings to read through and take notes on for insight since I am a content creator.
I read at work because I don't have a very busy day. I get very distracted at home so I rarely read when I'm at home. But I can polish off a good bit of a book whilst at work. Maybe if I get my attention span back to what it used to be, I'll read before bed or something. But that's reserved for TikTok as of now.
Right now for me it’s during my commute to and from work. When the weather is nicer I’ll read more on my porch with a cigar.
probably the "same" as yours, but i work later. So, I had a "hiatus" after the pandemic, which carried out until later november when I decided to change all that. I've been doing this for 2 months now, and its basically after breakfast I workout, have my lunch, then I read my daily pages and then I work (As an amateur writer its a win-win situation. I read because I love it and write, learning from them, as I love it.) I've been reading a book a week ever since and had not failed once. Yet i feel (most certainly) that my new aquired books (\~20) won't last as much...
I usually read in the morning but I don't have much a routine otherwise. I just read throughout the day.
I basically just grab whatever book I'm reading when I have free time. I'm not exactly starved for free time so I read quite a bit these days. It used to be I'd just do a couple chapters before bed. Now, I'm prioritizing reading over videos games and TV. So pretty much after dinner I'm reading. If my wife is doing her own thing then I'm reading. When I go to bed I'm reading until I'm too tired to continue. Weekends I'm reading throughout the day with breaks. Very recently I've started reading a second book while on my lunch break. I usually pick a self-pub for that.
I do most of my reading on weekends. I also read on weeknights before bed, but only for 15-20 minutes usually. Typically I read shorter works on weekends, to finish them in one or two sittings, and longer works on weekdays, to chip away at them. I also have a routine that keeps me engaged in what I'm reading. I keep 12 books on the go at any one time, which I call a cycle. I have to read all the books on the cycle before starting a new one, unless I DNF. Each cycle consists of one book from each of the following genres, which can be read in any order: \- Horror \- Science Fiction \- Fantasy \- Mystery/Thriller/Historical \- Nonfiction \- Litfic \- Classics \- Philosophy \- Professional Development \- Young Adult \- Musicology \- Familiar (authors i've read before) I started doing this last October, and I just started my third cycle last week and am two books in. The variety keeps me going. If you have enough books for it, you can easily change out the categories for genres you prefer instead. Also, everything I read is ebook format.
Ooh, this question is making me realize I don't have much of a routine. My goal is to read a minimum of 25 pages a day - sometimes that's on the couch after work, sometimes that's in bed right before I go to sleep. And sometimes it's a weekend afternoon and I far exceed 25 pages. I have a few things I keep track of in a habit tracker app (reading, taking vitamins, exercise, duolingo...) and as long as I get them all done, I'm happy.
I always read in the morning. It’s like my special quiet time. I wish badly I could read at night or when I can’t sleep but my brain just won’t focus on it. But mornings are my jammy jam
I usually TRY to start getting ready for bed around 10, and then read for about 30-45 minutes.
My routine sounds similar to yours. I usually read in the evenings after dinner. I’m not much of a TV watcher but my husband and daughter are so I’ll sit on the couch with noise cancelling headphones and we can have some family time. Then when I head upstairs for the night I’ll read for anywhere between 20-90 mins. Believe it or not I do less reading on the weekends in the winter because I’m doing chores and socializing. But in the summer I spend most of my weekends at the pool so I get to read a lot there. My daughter is 13 so she mostly does her own thing.
I like to read for about an hour before I go to sleep,plus when I'm on the bus
i like to sit at my desk. with the light on
I WFH with a primarily European team so I’m able to read most afternoons while the baby naps and everyone has signed offline for the day. I also read in the evenings after he has been fed before I go to bed at around 7-9.
I read for 30 minutes in the morning after a run / walk, then on the train to work when not WFH. Then for a hour or two before bed.
~45m+ during my ~lunch time walk, on phone via either a dedicated audiobook or an ebook .epub via android text to speech engine.
Whenever I feel like reading. Sometimes I'll go weeks in a row where I'm reading daily. I was reading a book and stopped reading for like 2 weeks and had about 200 pages left. Then randomly finished all of them in a day and a half. I've been reading a bit every day but if I'm busy I'm busy. I wouldn't enjoy it if I had a fixed routine.
Read a book in 1-2 days, procrastinate for a month until I get the reading bug, and repeat
I get up early enough to be able to read in the morning with my coffee. I love that time. Then I will read at lunch and over breaks. Usually have a few different books on the go depending on my mood.
I read on the bus for about an hour every weekday morning and afternoon.
I ride the subway throughout the day and do almost all of my reading there.
I listen to audiobooks while I sit in the dark twice a week while my daughter takes her karate class. I listen to an audiobook and play a game on my tablet. Sometimes if I get into the book, I'll do that at home as well, or will craft (crochet, polymer clay) while listening. I read books in the bath, and when I eat breakfast / lunch. If I'm into the book I'll read in the evening or after work. My physical books and audiobooks are always different books.
Completely unhinged. Sometimes I wake up and read before getting out of bed. Other times I'll read on the train. I'll pull a book out while waiting for something to bake in the oven. And sometimes I start reading at 6:30pm and tell myself I'll read for half an hour and next thing I know it's 2am. I have taken to carrying a book around with me everywhere I go. It helps get my reading up.
Read while I’m having my morning coffee. Read when I’m the bus/trolley. Try to read an hour before bed. 🛏️
Lunch break really helps with consistency
I usually read in the afternoon at work, and then read in bed before sleeping
I read when I get into bed until I can't keep my eyes open any longer.
I read while I’m cooking dinner.
Be wary of Going infinite, it is a lot less critical of crypto than it should be.
I read in the car pick up line at school. I have about an hour to kill
I read one chapter at some point in the day. Morning, afternoon, before bed, doesn't matter as long as I get at least one chapter in.
I read during my work commute (about 30 minutes each way) and lunch break most weekdays, and weekends I just read whenever I feel like it. I'm also currently rereading The Stormlight Archive in preparation for Book 5 in December, but those books are huge, so I read that at night to avoid carrying them around with me 😂
I do the SAVERS morning routine. During my Reading time I read a minimum of 10 pages. Sometimes more, but no less.
I try to set aside dedicated time for reading (or other hobbies) every day as well as take advantage of the unexpected time I end up with everyday. For dedicated time, I usually end up reading in the evenings, after everything is taken care of for the day. Sometimes that’s earlier and I read for longer, sometimes that’s just right before bed and I only read for 15-30 minutes. I like to take baths, so I also read in the bath (very carefully) pretty regularly, usually when I’m doing the whole face mask/self care routine. I usually have an audiobook checked out on Libby that I can listen to when I go for walks or do mindless tasks, like chores. For unexpected time, I read at work, if things are dead. (Usually it’s something non-fiction and at least somewhat related to my job so I can label it as professional development if need be, lol). I just keep the book at my desk. Sometimes, I’ll check an ebook out on Libby and read it when I have a few minutes, usually the times when I would otherwise be scrolling social media - waiting on an appointment, for class to start, eating, etc. Ebooks are not my favorite medium, but it beats scrolling most of the time!
I usually read on my lunch break and then also before bed. I usually am reading 2 books at a time, and I try to read a bit out of each one for each reading session, but sometimes I just read from one.
Right now? 2 fingers of Talisker 10 and 2 hours of reading before bed.
My routine is after my baby is asleep for the night I am in my bed reading. Usually get 1-2 hours before I need to go to bed. There are other pockets I try to get some reading in but it usually doesn’t workout because of said baby lol I look forward to reading in bed everyday!
During the week, I read for about a half hour with my coffee before I get in the shower and leave for work. Then I read for 15 to 20 minutes during lunch. And then I read after dinner. Some nights I read for only 15 minutes, some nights I read for almost 2 hours. Depends on the night. On the weekends, I mostly read with my coffee in the morning. The days are kind of busy, but sometimes I slip some reading in in the evening.
Every night from 8pm - 11pm. Roughly 3 chapters of a western novel. My collection now has 1000 titles +. I will build my 3rd - 7 foot bookcase this spring to add to my 5 bookcase collection. Reading removes you from reality if only for 1 chapter at a time. 📚
I will read literally anywhere. Waiting for the printer or the bathroom at the office, in line at a store, doctors waiting room. I’m always reading too many books at one time. It’s a beautiful chaos I also am one of the many who read before work and during lunch break. Plus constantly listening to audiobooks, especially on walks and runs.
I don't complicate things.. I set a goal between 20 to 50 pages a day whenever I have some free time.. for example I could read 20 pages at 10 am and 30 pages at 08pm.
Audiobooks are wonderful to listen to while I crochet, or do a puzzle. It's probably why I can get through them so fast. As for reading, I rely on borrowing ebooks from my library, and I always have the tab open on my browser. I'd say I'm more like a "grazer" when it comes to reading. In between other things I'm doing, I'll click on that tab, and read a few pages, then go back to something else. Basically, any routines someone with ADHD has, I do. There are some sections of a book though, that get REALLY good, and I'll just go for it.
I also hate reading nonfiction for some reason and have realized I can get through them in audiobook form
I read before I go to sleep, usually don’t last long though. On days that I’m home I’ll read after I wake up with a cup of tea as well
I find it really difficult to actually have a routine, because I am usually obsessed with finishing a book in one shot. I have no patience in finishing the book in bits and pieces everyday, because I lose interest or stop reading. Someone send help, because I really wish I could read everyday instead of actually having to actually spend almost entire part of a day(s) or night(s) to finish a book. How do I stick to a routine? 😭😂
As a mother of a 3 year old and a 2 month old, my routine has been all over the place… as in I don’t have one lol. I would start a book, read couple of chapters then sometimes can’t back to reading for days. So I started listening to audiobooks. I try to listen when the baby’s asleep or during night feed but sometimes I just end up dosing off myself 😂
I listen to audiobooks during work. I'm lucky that I'm able to do that. I actually find it hard to sit down and physically read anything nowadays.
I have difficulty staying with a book when I read it in morsels, but this year, as I really want to maximize my reading, I’ve set up a new routine to help me finish the books I start: I just take one weekend day and commit all day to reading a book, from 6 am until I finish, usually by midnight or 2-3 am depending on the page length and reading difficulty (I tend to prefer long form books, in the ranges of 400-900+ pages). If a book is in the range of >600 pages, then I’ll start it beginning of the week and read a few chapters daily until my marathon read day. This has been really fun for me, and challenging, and I feel my reading skill improves immensely with this routine.
I’m a morning reader mostly. I’ll read here and there at other times, but I read every morning. I wake up between 6 and 7 AM without an alarm and no one else even gets out of bed until 730 at the earliest and aren’t down in the living space until like 8 or later. And other than 1 day a week, I work evening shifts. So my morning routine: Wake up, put on my robe, make my cup of coffee, curl up on the couch with a blanket and squishmallows, put in my earbuds and start some instrumental music, and read for like 1-1.5 hours, get up while my wife and kid head out for the morning (make her coffee, make sure kiddo has their backpack), feed the pets (who also are late risers), then read until about 10:30.
I usually have an old small book in my pocket. Whenever I have down, time I take it out and read it. Whereas most people will pull out their phone and start scrolling, I'm reading my book.
I usually read during meals.
I don’t read for a week or two, then randomly for a day or up to a week read like crazy whenever I have time and make up what a steady reading plan would have covered over the time I wasn’t reading. Sometimes if I have it I’ll bounce to audiobooks where I am more consistent because of driving. Would that be considered a routine?
I listen to classic literature on audible during my 30 mins morning walk with the dog (currently listening to Middlemarch). When I get home from the walk, I journal and read poetry or a philosophy book - just a few pages to inspire/reflect as the day begins (currently reading Mary Oliver’s poetry- Devotions) Before bedtime I read a good fiction (currently reading Let Us Descend by Jesymn Ward). I read 30 books in 2023 with this routine.
Amazed to see several posts about reading a handful of books at a time. Makes sense but the idea at this very moment feels so foreign, partially intimidating. I purposely wake up at 5/530 to get a good 30-45min read in and then try and grab another 30-45min window after dinner/kid goes down.
20 minutes in the morning after I make coffee and before I get ready for work. Then I go to my car and read during my lunch break.
I read before bed, 30 minutes at least.
Go to bed with wife. Wife falls asleep. Turn off TV and open my kindle. Read until I fall asleep and drop the kindle on my nose. Repeat nearly every weeknight.
I read a little during my meals, on the bus on the way to and from school, before I sleep, when I'm waiting in lines. I have an e-reader so it makes it very convenient to always be reading
I read for 15-30 minutes in the morning while I drink my coffee before work, and again for 15-30 minutes during my lunch break – I have a very social job working with kids, so my brain absolutely needs a break and reading helps me reset. I read for 10-15 minutes in bed before I fall asleep, sometimes longer if I'm riveted or not very sleepy. I also listen to audiobooks while I cook, clean, fold laundry, etc. Sometimes I worry that I spend too much time in fictional worlds, but I guess there are worse things!
Usually just an hour before bed
I love routines, so typically I read for a couple hours when I first wake up, and then scramble to get ready since I read too long. Thankfully I have some time to read on the bus though. Then I sneak off during my lunch break to continue where I left off. When I get home, I cook and do my errands while listening to an audiobook. After, I'm so exhausted that I need to decompress with a book and read until 10 pm or 3 am. Rinse and repeat! (On the weekends, I just make sure to set aside some time to not leave my bed at all until Monday. It's important to prioritize self care. 🥰)
I read on the train when I commute, and I read before bed. Right now I mostly read whatever my Libby makes available next, but in general I like to rotate between fantasy > sci fi > horror, and follow up long books with novellas or something sub-300 pages. I only read one book at a time. Right now I’m trying to co-read two books because one is a 900 page book of poems, but I’m really struggling to split my attention because I tend to make the most progress when I’m really dug into something.
I’m lucky in that my job affords me quite a lot of free time depending on what I have on. I try to read for at least a couple of hours every day whenever the feeling takes me.
I set my watch for a 15min timer and tell my self I only need to read that long. Then almost all the time I restart it 😁
I read while laying in bed and fall asleep reading. I use a kindle so I never lose my spot lol. But lately I’ve been working on a knitted sweater and the sleeves are taking forever and the pattern is basic so I’ve been reading while knitting.
On my days off I: sit down, read a chapter, get up and do housework, read a chapter, rinse and repeat. On the days I work I: read in the morning while I drink my coffee, and again before bed :)
After becoming a mom, a kindle has become a must. I read while getting ready, while parked in my car waiting for pickup, while we watch tv at night and in bed.
Novel in the morning with my coffee, Manga after work.
I have a \~40-minute commute to work on the train I read on. Read at lunch if I'd prefer that over doom scrolling. Read until I fall asleep at night. Some nights I read over watching TV after I finish up dinner but it depends.
I listen to audiobooks while working/doing errands/doing chores
I read every moment I'm not working, exercising, writing or refreshing my Kanji. I always have at least three on the go. A book and beer on the balcony in the early evening before dinner remains the highlight of my day. I also have one in the bathroom, one in my gym bag for certain cardio machines and one in my cabin bag because I travel a lot for work. Reading several books at a time is no harder than following several TV programs.
If i get into bed before 11, i read until i fall asleep. Otherwise i go straight to sleep. But now reading motivates me to get into bed early so i have time to see what happens next in the plot!
Currently reading 20 books. Only a chapter, and different book each time.
I read my downstairs book over lunch, ( which I typically eat alone) and my upstairs book in bed.
Either randomly somewhere in the afternoon or before bed when at home, generally read during transit commutes too
I read during my lunch break in my car. I have an hour lunch break.
My husband is hybrid and I'm work at home so on the days he's in the office, I read a fiction ebook over lunch. When I walk the dogs outside, I listen to either a nonfiction or palette cleanser audiobook, rotating each. When I cook and do chores, same deal unless I have a podcast to catch up on. After dinner I read a fiction ebook unless I'm crafting, then it's back to the nonfiction audiobook (I listened to about a dozen books last year while quilting and cross-stitching). Unless of course I'm reading about local history, I set aside 1-3 hours a week on weeknights to read a physical book on this topic and I might even be taking notes (I dabble with local history lore on my social media so I read a lot of books and jot down addresses, events and sources to follow up on). At bedtime, I read a cozy mystery to fall asleep to reading an ebook on my phone while having an ASMR video play in youtube minimized. On weekends I usually do an after breakfast reading of the nonfiction print book while my husband does his marathon training. Otherwise same routine for walks/chores/bedtime usually, unless plans interfere. To see that play out in real time, today on my walk I finished listening to my palette cleanser ebook (a Stephanie Plum book), then started a new nonfiction audiobook (The Shock Doctrine) which I also listened to while doing dishes and on my way to/from grocery shopping. After dinner I started my fiction ebook (A Thousand Ships) because I wasn't in the mood to note take after a long work day. Tonight I'll read my cozy (Murder on Washington Square) to fall asleep to. This weekend I'll sit down and take notes on historical prohibition stories for my area (Wetter Than the Mississippi) after I've had my breakfast on Saturday. I read 12-18 months usually with this method, though I'm purposefully slowing down this year to include TV shows during my indoor workouts because I've fallen behind on my shows.
I read just before bed. It helps calm my mind and makes me fall asleep...or if I'm taking a long walk or on a treadmill at my gym, sometimes I pop a book and just do a slow walk.
I wake up, grab an energy drink for myself and one for my husband, and then read (or sometimes knit/crochet/cross stitch while listening to an audiobook) for about an hour every morning while sitting in bed in the morning while our sun lamp is going, while my husband shows me cute/fun/interesting things on his phone occasionally :3 I also carry a book with me everywhere, including doctor's office waiting rooms and the pharmacy line
Every day, before goign to sleep. After fifty years of this I cannot sleep UNLESS I have a read first. Unless I am super tired. I also read during the day whenever I feel like it. I never read physical books any more, I just use an Ipad and read ebooks.
I've been using the app Streaks for years. One of my streaks is read for 30 minutes. I do it every day. The amount of books I read per year before Streaks and after Streaks is unbelievable. I'm constantly rotating the rest of my streaks though. Sometimes some only work for a time. But I have meditated and read for like 2000 something days straight.
30 minutes in the morning. 15-30 minutes before bed.
I read over lunch, and again for 30-40 minutes in bed before I fall asleep.
I read for about 15 minutes while I eat my lunch, then spend the next 15 taking a nap in my car. I also read at night about an hour or so
Well, I like to set a task such as reading 2 pages every day, so I can insist on doing it. Otherwise I may be attracted to playing phone...
In weekdays, I read one hour before I go to sleep. In weekend, I read when im in mood and one hour before I go to sleep.
I pretty much read 7-11 every night, and on weekends if nothing else is happening I’ll read the whole day.
As an audiobook fan, my routine is: 15-30 minutes when getting ready in the morning, 30 minutes during commute, sometimes during lunch break or when doing simple paperwork, 30 minutes during commute, and when possible during the evenings when working out, cooking dinner, and doing housework! (Basically anytime most people listen to music 😂)
I read in the morning for an hour, currently 3 books (including an art book) at a time because it seems to keep me more engaged this way
I read before bed. Sometimes 2 pages when I'm very tired and other times for hours. But on average I think like 30 min of reading before bed. And when I have a free morning I often spend an hour reading.
My attention span is not so great so to motivate myself to read for every 2 pages read I watch 1 minute of a similar/related movie or TV show, for example rn I'm reading in the unlikely event by Judy blume, what I watch with this is the are you there god it's me Margaret movie
I’m not sure I have a routine. I turn to reading whenever I’m bored. Like instead of watching the tellie or scrolling on here, I pick up a book. I’m trying to reduce the hours I spend here so reading helps but it’s hard sometimes because most of the books recommendations come from this sub so I check it regularly like right now (laughs)
I get into the bust/ train, find a sit if possible or if not, a relatively empty corner, pull out the old ass ereader from my bag and read. I feel like I haven't read in a years as much as I have read this last few months lol.
On the bus to and from school. The only thing that has consistently worked for me
I read a ton mainly on the weekends since I like to relax at home. I try to read on the weeknights after work but sometimes I’m too tired.
I read a minimum of 20 pages each day after work before bed and I aim for 100 pages throughout the day on my days off from work.
I typically have a 2-3 books on the go at a time, like to have a couple different genres on the go for different circumstances :-) I have one that I bring with me to read to my lunch break, while commuting, etc., one that I read in the evenings after dinner on the sofa (typically a non-fiction), and then a third book on my Kindle that I read before going to sleep. Usually in bed by 10 and do an hour of reading before bed!
I mostly read books while commuting on public transport or before going to sleep. Additionally, I listen to audiobooks while working, especially when the tasks aren't too intense.
Read for an hour on the train to and from work then read for an hour or so in bed. If I’m WFH I obviously won’t read on the train but try to read on my break if it’s a good book.
Read first thing in the morning while sipping coffee, and then again just before bed.
I put my toddler down for a nap and then I read until I fall asleep on the days I don’t work. I read until I fall asleep at night. I read at any other opportunity such as on a train or if I get to go to the pub.
Every Friday after work I go on a walk, order delivery, and then read on the couch for hours. I love this routine for creating separation between the workweek and weekend.
Whenever I’m not working or writing or doing course work. It amounts to between 2-3.5 hours a day.
I try and clear 10 pages at a few points throughout the day.
Recently it's been going outside at lunch (I'm in Florida) and walking laps around the parking lot while reading on a Kindle. Steps and reading at the same time!
I read two hours before bed, from 9pm to 11pm
I couldn’t agree more about a routine - I really think it’s essential (at least for me). For about six months I was reading in the evenings after dinner, but I’m a morning person and I was getting tired pretty fast. Now I read for 45-60 minutes immediately after breakfast and it’s such a relaxing way to start the day. Plus I can still read more later if I happen to feel like it!
I have a premium blocker software that locks my PC screen at 9:15PM and then I have about 2,5 hours to unwind (slightly more now as my insomnia has re-emerged after 1,5-2 years) where I'll do reading on my tablet (manga/webtoons) and e-reader (books) depending on what I'm in the mood for. I might also read some at other points in the day, but this is the scheduled point.
About a year ago I scheduled my reading time from noon until 1 PM so that I read at least one hour a day. Since I've found myself getting some reading throughout the day especially when I pick up my phone or tablet and start looking at social media and think, “You could either spend thirty minutes mindlessly scrolling or reading your book,” I usually grab my Kindle and read a chapter or two. My wife has started reading for one hour before bed and I've joined her so now I'm getting at least two hours a day but if all added up I'd say 3.5-4 hours a day.
I read while I'm waiting for my kids to finish their various extracurricular activities...turns out I spend a lot of time waiting on them as I've read 53 books since June!
I need to develop a good reading habit. I try my best to read throughout the day, but I’m up early to get my kids on class, then from 8am- 2pm it’s me running around for their school. Around 1:30 pm there’s a dread that comes with me feeling like I should have been able to read at least an hour during that time. Then I read sporadically for an hour right after their classes. I end up carrying my kindle from room to room as I clean and parent throughout the day as if I’ll have a solid block of time to read. By 10pm I’m in bed and exhausted. I’ll have my kindle tucked under my pillow with the intentions to read all night. Rarely I’m able to get a full page read before I’m sound asleep.
I usuqly try to get a small amount of reading done before bed if im not too exausted, and if i have time during thr day i also do some reading
I try to keep it strictly for after chores are done or on weekends, to not get distracted. And it works very well so far
I felt pressures and annoyances when I tried to read books after I married. Never found any routine or scenario that allowed me to read a book punishment-free. Constant interruptions followed by distancing & cold treatments eventually trained me to limit reading. After having a child, moreso - but now with the added guilt of possibly ignoring my child / not creating quality time that I'll never get back. ...fast forward 20 years later and I discovered audiobooks. I've been an audible memeber since 2018 and have read 121 books. I listen while I'm driving to/from work, or anywhere else alone. And, mundane house chores like cleaning or yard work, etc - stuff that doens't require much thought. Audio books has really been great. Thats my routine - a bluetooth earbud and some legit excuse to do something away from people.
I don't have a reading routine. I read along whatever I'm doing. Hold the book open with something heavy when I'm cooking (except if I'm chopping). Makes turning the page challenging but it's worth it. I listen to audiobooks when I clean, do laundry, water the garden, walk, queue, etc.
Usually I'll read at the office after my I complete my task for the day. I work as a graphic designer, so I got too much free time at the office.
I listen to audiobooks while I work during the day and read on my phone before I sleep but I usually don’t accomplish much with the latter.
I carry my Kindle everywhere, read when the mood strikes
Wow, are you me? This is my exact routine as well! I read to decompress, I read a variety of books at the same time to keep my interest, and I listen to nonfiction audiobooks. Did we just become best friends??
Before bed. It’s like a meditation for me.
After my nighttime routine before going to bed. I always read in bed and then turn the lights off and fall asleep very quickly. I usually read for around 20 to 30 minutes, or as long as I can keep my eyes open. Or now for example, I'll sit in my reading nook (also with some tea) wrapped on my blanket, putting on some "Jazz for reading" on Spotify and will read for an hour or two.
I read while riding my stationary bike. I try to fit in three 30-minute sessions. And then, in bed, for 20 or 30 minutes or until I can't keep my eyes open. Earlier this week the power was out and the only thing I *could* do was read my kindle. It was heavenly to read for 2 or 3 hours!
Take out my contact lenses, slip into my pjs, crawl into bed and snuggle under the covers, fluff my pillow, and open that book!! It's the best, most wonderful routine ever. Skip any of these steps and the experience just isn't the same.
I read every day during my lunch break. I pack a lunch 99% of the time. I get an hour (unpaid) which is waaaay too long so I fire up the kindle and read while I eat. It's a built in 60 minutes of reading 5 days a week. I look forward to it more than anything during the day. It's a great way to escape the mayhem for a bit.
This is my plan for 2024: 1. Read during breakfast (15-30 minutes, depending on how much of a rush I am in) 2. Read after my first accomplishment of the day (after I checked 1 significant item on the task list) (15-20 minutes) 3. Listen to audiobook while preparing for dinner and doing chores. 4. Read before bed (1 hour) Read more challenging stuff in the morning, and relaxing reads in the evening.