A few weeks
ago, I participated in a craft fair at the high school I graduated from – a long
time ago. I had a table set up where I displayed my four Malone mysteries,
signing and selling them. I very much appreciate those readers who bought them.
But, I got the following responses from several people. Words I, and probably
every other author in the world, has heard many times.
“I
used to love to read but I don’t have time now.”
“I’m
in school and all of my reading is text books.”
“I
have three young children and no time to read.”
“My
job is so demanding. I don’t have time to read.”
Which presented me
with the topic for this week’s post: Taking
Time to Read.
Here’s a plain and
simple fact: We can’t “make” more time. We all have the same twenty-four hours
in each of our days and, I will grant you, how we spend those hours is
largely dictated by our responsibilities. Life is complicated and demanding for
most of us. We need to take care of business first but we also need to take time to do the things we enjoy. All work
and no play. . . . For me and many
others, that includes reading in the genre of our choosing.
So, I’ve presented
the problem: we’re all busy. Since I believe in focusing on solutions, rather
than problems, here are a few suggestions for those of you who want to read but
believe you don’t have the time.
1. Waiting
time can be reading time. All of us occasionally go to the doctor and the
dentist, places where we usually have to wait. Instead of idly thumbing through
a magazine or sitting there tapping your foot, why not bring a book with you?
2. Schedule
time to read into your day. Most of us have a schedule to keep and we somehow
manage to do that. What if we included reading time in our schedules?
3. Soaking
in the tub is relaxing and therapeutic. Why not read while you soak?
4. Turn
off the TV at a designated time every evening – and use that time to read.
5. Another
TV option is turning it off when you find yourself flipping through the
channels with nothing good to watch. Instead of spending your time that way,
you could be reading.
Until next week,
Happy Reading!
