If your life feels like a juggling act- between work, errands, and trying to squeeze in some downtime- reading books often ends up at the bottom of the priority list.
You’re not alone. Many people want to read more, but the idea of finding a spare hour to sit quietly with a book feels impossible.
The good news? You can enjoy more books without carving extra time out of your day- and without sacrificing sleep, productivity, or your sanity. Here’s how.
Step 1: Rethink What “Reading” Means
When most people think of reading, they imagine flipping through a physical book or scrolling through an e-reader. But the essence of reading is consuming and absorbing stories or information- and that doesn’t have to mean sitting still with a book in your lap.
Audiobooks have changed the game. You can “read” while walking the dog, commuting, cooking, cleaning, or working out. If you haven’t explored audiobooks yet, Audible offers a free trial that lets you listen to a huge selection of books across every genre. It’s like carrying an entire library in your headphones.
Step 2: Identify “Hidden Time Pockets”
Chances are, your day is full of dead time- small pockets where your hands are busy but your mind is free.
- The commute
- Folding laundry
- Grocery shopping
- Waiting in lines
Instead of filling these moments with mindless scrolling, you can turn them into mini reading sessions with audiobooks.
Step 3: Make It a Habit Trigger
Habits stick better when tied to something you already do. For example:
- Morning routine: Listen to 15 minutes of your book while making breakfast.
- Workout: Press play during your warm-up.
- Evening wind-down: Swap TV for 20 minutes of listening before bed.
Step 4: Choose the Right Genres
To keep your interest high, match the type of audiobook to the activity.
- Commuting: Light fiction, biographies, or self-help to start the day with energy.
- Cooking or cleaning: Fun, engaging novels or thrillers.
- Exercise: Motivational or fast-paced stories to keep you moving.
Step 5: Use the Speed Feature
Audiobook apps let you adjust playback speed. If the narration is slow, bump it up to 1.25x or 1.5x. Over time, you’ll process information faster and get through more books.
Step 6: Create a Listening Queue
The biggest time-waster is figuring out what to read next. Keep a list of upcoming books so you can jump right in without hesitation. Audible makes this easy with its wishlist feature.
I personally keep 2–3 audiobooks queued up in my Audible library so I can switch based on mood. One non-fiction for learning, one light novel for relaxation, and one motivational book for workouts.
Step 7: Give Yourself Permission to Quit
If you’re 2 hours in and not enjoying the book, stop. Life’s too short to finish something that’s not holding your interest. Audible even lets you exchange books you don’t love during your membership.
Step 8: Combine Reading & Listening
Many books offer Whispersync — letting you read on Kindle, then pick up where you left off on Audible. Perfect for switching between reading at home and listening on the go.
Step 9: Track Your Progress
Seeing your progress builds momentum.
- Use Goodreads to log completed books.
- Set a yearly book goal.
- Celebrate milestones — like finishing your first 10 books without adding extra reading hours to your day.
Step 10: Make It Your “Default” Entertainment
When you have a choice between aimless scrolling and pressing play on a great story, choose the story. Once audiobooks become your go-to downtime activity, you’ll find you’re “reading” far more than you ever imagined possible.
You don’t need more hours in the day to read more books. You just need to use the hours you already have differently.
And if you’ve never tried it, now’s a good time- Audible’s free trial gives you access to thousands of titles you can listen to anytime, anywhere. The best part? You can keep the books you download, even if you cancel.
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