As a busy mom who has her kids full-time and homeschools, it is really hard to get a whole lot of reading done. But reading is something that I have always identified with. Becoming a mom, I kind of lost that. I kind of lost a lot about myself since I’m so focused on being a good mother and being involved. It didn’t take long for me to realize that, yes, I should be an involved parent, but I definitely need to take time out for myself as well. So, how to read more as a busy mom?

How to read more as a busy mom, and why should you make time to read?

I know you’re probably wondering why exactly you should make time to read. You’re busy, and it’s already hard to carve out time for yourself. After the past six years (almost seven now), I have realized that I need to take time out for myself. If I don’t, I go a bit crazy because I need that time.

I know right now you probably don’t think you need that time (or maybe you do), but after a while, if you don’t take that time, then you’ll more than likely go crazy. Depression has a way of catching up with you before you even realize it. So, if reading is your thing (which I’m not sure why you would be here if you weren’t), then you should take the time out for yourself.

Rethink what reading looks like

Rethinking what reading looks like is a great tip on how to read more as a busy mom, and I’m going to explain why. Reading doesn’t always have to look the same. You don’t always have to sit down and read for uninterrupted hours. You can read for five to ten minutes at a time, and that will help you make progress. It may not seem like much, but it’s better than not reading anything at all. Plus, reading just five to ten minutes randomly (or maybe not so randomly, since we have to work around the kids) throughout the day will help you get closer to finishing the book, rather than trying to work in hours at a time when you can read.

How to read more as a busy mom by utilizing audiobooks

I’m going to be honest. Audiobooks were kind of hard for me to get into when I first started them. It took me a lot of concentration to comprehend what the books were saying. I kept reading that so many people say that audiobooks are good for when you are doing chores around the house. But it seemed like no matter what I did, it took a lot of me to comprehend them.

It took a lot of work to finally be able to do things and still be able to comprehend the book. If you’re the same way, then I promise that it gets better, and if you keep at it, I promise things will change.

Create a daily reading routine

Routine, routine, routine. When you become a parent, a lot of the things you hear about are routine. Have a difficult child? Put them on a routine. Have a child who refuses to sleep? Put them on a routine. There’s a reason why routines work, at least for the most part. I know that isn’t always helpful, but in this case, I think it is.

It’s a good idea to think about the times that you aren’t all that busy or when your kids are asleep. Sometimes waking up early before they get up helps. That is, unless they are early risers, but hopefully, if they are, then they go to bed for the night early.

Make reading a part of your self-care

Now, now, I don’t need you rolling your eyes at me. What is self-care in the middle of motherhood? Trust me, I get it. The first few years of my firstborn’s life, I didn’t really take a whole lot of time for myself. It’s not that I didn’t have the opportunity to do so, because when my husband was home (he deployed a lot at this time), he never minded if I went off on my own. Plus, my stepmom was always willing to watch him if I wanted to go off on my own. So, it’s not that I didn’t have the people there to help me.

My anxiety at this time was just so bad that I felt like I couldn’t leave him with anyone. It sucked, and I know if I had just gone off on my own, then I probably would have felt better.

Reading with your kids

Now, if you’re reading smut or adult horror, then obviously don’t do this, but if you were a reader as a kid, then maybe you can start reading some of your old favorites. If you weren’t much of a reader, then maybe you can go and find books that both of you will like. You can start by finding books that you may like in hopes that they will like them too. But this is a good way to get in some quality reading time!

Always bring a book with you

I know this probably seems silly. Either you are questioning why you would bring a book everywhere with you, or you’re probably thinking that you won’t get any reading done even if you did. BUT! How do you know? If you’re at a doctor’s appointment, you could read while you’re waiting. If you take your kids to the park, you could potentially read for a few minutes while you take a break.

What I’m saying is that you don’t know if you’ll have time or not, so what’s the harm in at least bringing one with you?

Join a mom-friendly book club

This is a good way to make friends and get to read at the same time. Is there not one near you? Then create one. There are probably so many moms out there near you who want some mom friends. We’re in a day and age where so many people feel lonely. Everyone is always on their phone, and even though we have so many people surrounding us, we still feel as if we aren’t connecting.

So, either joining a mom-friendly book club or creating one of your own might be a great way for you and your children to actually make some friends.

Choose the right book

I know that this may seem obvious. I mean, choose the right book, who doesn’t try doing that? A lot of people actually. I am guilty of trying to read books that are popular that I know I wouldn’t like very well. I mostly read them out of curiosity.

If you don’t know the right type of books for you, then please utilize the library. I feel like in this day and age, a lot of people don’t think about the library anymore. You don’t even have to go up there to get the books. The library now has apps where you can check out audiobooks or Kindle books from your phone. At this point, checking out from the library is easy.

Say no to book guilt

This is where you stop feeling guilty when it comes to books. If you’re not liking the book, then it’s okay to just not finish it. You aren’t being held accountable to read the entire book if you aren’t liking it. This is where a reading rut can begin. If you push yourself to read a book that you don’t like, then what’s the point of having this as a hobby?

There’s no reason to feel guilty for not finishing a book and just chunking it out. Okay, maybe don’t chunk it out, but you can always just come back to it if you think you aren’t in the right headspace for it. If it’s not the headspace and the book is just bad, then just donate or sell it, so you don’t have to worry about the pressure of finishing it later down the road.

How to read more as a busy mom by using reading trackers or challenges

You can either create reading trackers or challenges for yourself, or you can just Google them and print off a free printable for them. You can find quite a few of them on Pinterest, too, if you still use that. The whole point of reading trackers and challenges is to help motivate you. I feel like this one is a bit tricky, though, because this can very well put you in a rut. If you decide to do this, then make it fun and don’t compare yourself to others.

If you want physical journals to help you keep track, then you can find them here.

Make sure to join our newsletter because I will be sending reading trackers and challenges soon!

Conclusion on how to read more as a busy mom

There are a multitude of ways you can start incorporating reading into your daily life. It’s going to take some time to do this and figure out what works for you. I also meant to say earlier that you don’t have to have a Kindle in order to read Kindle books. You can just download the Kindle app on your phone, and you should be able to access all of the ebooks.

If this is something that you’re wanting to make time for, then I hope you are able to find the opportunity to do so. If you’re ever needing a buddy read or any motivation, then join our newsletter, and I’ll help as much as I can!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might like my post on summer thriller books!