Ep. 65 How to Fit Reading Into Your Life
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Today’s episode is all about reading! We both love getting lost in a novel and learning through really great nonfiction books so we had a chat about the reading life and how to find more time to fit it into our lives.
We chatted about:
Figuring out what kind of books you like
Knowing how you like to read and different ways to fit it in
How to get excited about reading if you’re in a slump or haven’t read for a while
How to find great book recommendations
Making time for reading
Recap of Episode
How to get excited about reading again (or for the first time!).
1. Find the right books!
Read what you like
Don’t be afraid to abandon a book
Recognize specifically what you like and dislike about a book so you can find more like it
2. Reading is the best way to get education for FREE or very cheap.
The library or free kindle books can be your new best friend!
3. Learn HOW you like to read
Kindle, physical books, audiobooks? What works best for you!
You don’t have to stick to one way, try out a few and see what works for ya right now.
4. Find a good resource for book recommendations
A friend with similar taste (Here’s Kristin’s Goodreads page)
An Instagrammer or book blogger - Modernmrsdarcy.com has great reading guides
How To Make time For Reading
Part of making time is being excited about what you’re reading. If you’re loving the book you’re in, it’s hard to stay away and you’ll FIND the time.
Use a variety of methods to read (like having a Kindle book and an audiobook going at the same time)
Try using small pockets of time in your day
Use reading to transition between activities in your day
Read instead of scrolling social media to fill those little breaks in the day
Read while nursing or rocking a baby
While kids are playing
Use longer stretches of free time on the weekends to get a lot of reading in
Just make it a priority! But also give yourself grace for when it doesn’t fit in so easily.
A Few Of Our Favorite Books Of all Time
Kristin’s favorites:
Fiction:
Anything by Kate Morton, my favorite is The Forgotten Garden
Non-fiction:
If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland (This is Laura and Kristin’s FAVORITE!!!)
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (A great book if you’re wanting to be creative, but are fearful)
Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (A sweet, thoughtful and very short read)
Laura’s favorites:
Fiction:
Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer (Keeps you intrigued the entire time!)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (A classic I don’t get tired of!)
George’s Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl (an Elementary read)
Nonfiction:
How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (You could seriously study a chapter of this every week of your life and continue to become a better person. It’s so good!)
Art & Fear by David Bayles (A fabulous one for any aspiring creative)
Understanding The Book of Mormon by Grant Hardy (Really helpful insights about the authors)
Our favorite children’s books:
Bunny Roo, I Love You by Melissa Marr & Teagan White
Dream Animals by Emily Winfield Martin
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
The Littlest Family’s Big Day by Emily Winfield Martin (Kristin gave Laura this one and it is the cutest!!)
Any of Susan Boynton’s board books!!
The Color Monster by Anna Llenas (such a creative, fun & cute picture book all about emotions)
Seeds and Trees by Brandon Walden (All about how words can hurt or heal! So good!)
The Good Egg by Jory John (This one made me laugh! He also has one called The Bad Seed, also hilarious.)
Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina (Kiddos seem to love this simple, older one)
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey (A classic from my childhood)
What’s Are Your Favorites?
We’d really love to hear what your favorite books are!!! Feel free to comment below or message us on instagram @jointheprogressproject.
Thanks to Whitney Henrie, Lorren Lemmons, and Cindy Steel for their contributions and advice about the reading life!
Links Mentioned in this episode:
A great Summer Reading Guide by modernmrsdarcy.com
Goodreads: A fabulous way to find new books, read helpful reviews and see what others are reading.
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Like the episode? We’d love to hear!
Have you found ways to trust yourself and follow through on things?
Just comment below or catch us on instagram @jointheprogessproject