The Secret to Reading - Even When You Don't Have the Time

A friend asked me a question the other day: "Jedde, you're well-focused on your work.
How do you still find the time to read?".

Many of us desire to pick up the habit of reading. When we were younger, I fondly recall a memory of me and my sister choosing to stay at a book shop inside the mall. While our mom does the grocery shopping, she and I would be deeply engrossed in books that kindled our interest. We would be thoroughly immersed in what we were reading, which were mostly books on display meant for preview, and somehow time passed by so quickly. The moment our mom came to pick us up, we would already have read a handful of literature! What a delightful memory to reminisce.

Reading then was fun. We weren't forced to memorize anything nor take down notes in order to prepare for an examination. Instead, we read because we liked and enjoyed it; not to mention my love for books that added to the beautiful concoction - their nostalgic and sweet scent, the feel of their pages, and the stories they hold - all when combined can bewitch any old souls, such as myself. If there's any scented candle with the tender scent of a book, I'd be one of the first few people to queue for it.

However, time passed as it has always been and always will - ever so subtly; that each ticking of the clock brought inevitable changes in our lives. Our responsibilities increased, our roles became more demanding, and our priorities weighed heavier as we stepped on each of our respective life stages. Let's call these whirlwinds. These whirlwinds, among others, have demanded most of our time - too much of it, at the expense of our hobbies, especially reading. To many people, reading is merely a routine or a past time. But for some of us, reading is a driver for learning; a key to unlock life's greatest mysteries and a portal to different worlds far beyond what we can imagine.

Is it possible to be able to enjoy reading, despite not having the luxury of time to do so? Can we still make it work - discover new things, tickle our imagination, and broaden our horizons by reading - even in the middle of the whirlwinds in our lives? How can we pick up this habit and give it one more chance? Allow me to share with you my answers to these questions. In a moment, I will share a little secret, a tiny trick - just between you and I - so we can slot in this beautiful habit of reading in our schedules.

1. Do you really want to do it? Why?

The first question pertains to our awareness about our affect towards reading. If your answer is a yes but merely to develop the habit, that would be insufficient to sustain you in the long run. However, if you respond to it by heart with a firm YES! and that you understand that reading will have a positive impact on you - or on a broader perspective - to the people around you, then you would have enough fuel to keep the love of reading ablaze inside you.

The second question is about understanding why we want to start reading. If you have affirmed that reading is important to you, you now need to give yourself an answer to the question "why?". This will help determine what your anchor is, what your motivation is for reading. If you say you want to read to relax, then you would find time within the day to do so because it is important to you. It supports your "why?".

Another example, I'm starting to consistently read again now because I deeply believe that through reading, I can personally become a better communicator, a more empathic person, and a more creative writer. By becoming so, I can provide better content to my readers.

In other words, if you do not create a commitment around reading, you would almost always pick up a book only to have it covered in dust somewhere on your bookshelf - unread. Psychology Today shared,

"Sometimes, we don't have the will; sometimes, we lose our way. What should we do then?"

Understand why you want to read. Grow a commitment around it. Sustain it. Only by having a solid foundation and a simple yet profound commitment to this will we be able to braze through life's demands and still be able to read leisurely.

"Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. If so always give, you will always have." -Adapted 

2. Realize that you have pockets of time!

I read when I ride on the train. Every morning, it would take me 45 minutes to reach my office. Within that time, I would have read at least two chapters of the book. Each time I take the train back home, I would have finished another two chapters. In the middle of the day, I would take five-minute breaks sometime in the morning and another in the afternoon to read a few sentences.

If you're following, you would have realized now that I make sure to identify pockets of time within my day when I can read. Instead of aimlessly scrolling through my newsfeed on social media, I take out my book and read.

A classic favorite: Jane Eyre

This concept that we call "pockets" is inspired by one of my favorite content creators, Elise Blaha Cripe. She wrote a book called "Big Dreams, Daily Joys" which truly made me ponder. She wrote it in such a way that reflected her actual daily life so it doesn't sound pushy. Each chapter of that book was a gentle nudge, reminding me that creating content is impactful so we need to be mindful of what we create and the impact we exude. I admire her sense of intentionality and focus. In that book, she shared about doing what energizes you the most in pockets of time. Here, let's put reading as an example.

Supposed, you have understood the why behind your wanting to read and supposed, it makes you feel happy and energized - when do you find yourself having pockets of time throughout the day? Is it in the morning - right after waking up? while eating breakfast? or while queueing for the transport? Is it in the afternoon - while drinking coffee? taking a break? Or is it in the evening - before going to bed? After brushing your teeth? 

Some of my favorite books.

You will have tons of these pockets. However, we very often miss the opportunity because the moment we have it in our grasp, it eludes us so quickly by deciding to reach for our mobile phones! Instead of checking notifications on social media when you find pockets of time within your day, think instead: "Will this help strengthen my commitment to reading?" If the answer is no, keep your phone away and read. If the answer is yes, still, tuck your phone away and read! 

If you ask me if I still ever use social media, my answer is a huge yes. However, it's not really about cutting it off, but rather, being more mindful and masterful in using your pockets of time for more productive activities. Remember - it is you - who wanted to read, and therefore, it is also only you who can make that happen. As Robert Frost said: 

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference."

 Choosing to be mindful is the road less traveled and as the quote implies - it will make all the biggest difference!

I use a Kindle Paperwhite device to read when I'm traveling. It's convenient and accessible. 

While I use my Kindle device often these days, I still prefer to hold a physical book on my hands.
This book called Milk and Honey by Rupi Kapur was gifted to me by Diane.

One of my cozy nooks inside the room. I have a relaxing view of the trees outside which I love.

When I'm not reading, I like to scribble and write letters in calligraphy.

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

Be emotionally connected with your commitment. Be mindful of your pockets of time and use them to read. These are the simple secrets that can help us read again - even when we think we don't have the time.

Have fun exploring and may you truly find what makes you feel alive!

Love,
Mary Jedde

Sources:

https://www.elisejoy.com/book

https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/the-search-meaning/201309/really-where-there-s-will-there-s-way