If you’re like me, you love to read but struggle to make time for it. (Yes, even as an author I have this issue!) Maybe reading simply doesn’t seem important compared to your responsibilities as a wife and mother. Or maybe your schedule’s super packed and you have no clue how to squeeze even one more thing in.

Don’t worry! You’re in the right place. Here, I’m talking all about how to find time to read as a mom and the practical things you can do to reach your reading goals.

The Cliff Notes

To find time to read as a busy mom, first choose books you’re interested in and set a goal. You’ll also want to look for pockets of time when you can read and try different book formats, like audiobooks.
You can also swap doom-scrolling for reading on your phone, read one fiction and one nonfiction book at the same time, and take advantage of libraries, subscriptions services, and second-hand shopping.
Finally, consider reading with friends, working reading into your self-care routine, and DNFing books you don’t love.

Why It’s So Hard to Find Time to Read

My love of books began as soon as I was able to decipher words on a page. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been an avid reader.

My friends and I even formed a sort of unofficial book club in middle school. We’d pass books around and take turns reading them. I still have some of those books, complete with friends’ names on the inside covers (oops, sorry about that, y’all!).

I’d often spend hours on the phone secretly reading while a friend talked. I just couldn’t put the book down! I’m sure the person on the other end of the line really loved this.

But the years flew by and, eventually, motherhood happened. Life suddenly revolved around the needs of two tiny humans: feeding them, changing their diapers, bathing them, and all-around caring for them 24/7. Reading took a back seat to getting some shut-eye whenever possible.

As they got older, I thought surely I’d have more time to read, even as a mom. But…no. Enter: school, sports, extracurriculars, supper, housework, client work, and on and on the list goes.

Marriage and motherhood are beautiful things, precious gifts from God. I’m so grateful for my family, and I love them with my whole heart. But I think, as women, we often lose ourselves in these roles. We tend to neglect our own passions and hobbies.

Sometimes this happens out of necessity (because there are only so many hours in a day!), but other times it happens simply because we’ve forgotten to nurture ourselves in the midst of nurturing everyone else.

How to Find Time to Read as a Mom

For me, reading has always been a soul-nurturing practice. It helps me unwind after a stressful day, fuels my creativity, and can even strengthen my relationship with God. So finding time to read, even as a busy mom, is really important to me.

Here are some ways I do that and how you can, too.

Choose Books You’re Interested In

This isn’t school, y’all. There’s no required reading list for life (although there are several books I’d put on that list if it existed). That’s the cool thing about being an adult: you get to choose!

After all, are you really going to invest what little time you have into reading something that doesn’t interest you? Whether it’s a romance novel, a book about mathematical statistics, or anything in between, what you read is between you and God. No one else.

Don’t let anybody make you feel bad about reading “cheesy” Christian Fiction or “boring” nonfiction. Read what you love (within reason, of course).

Tip: If you’re looking for swoony, small-town Christian romance or mystery and suspense, check out my novels here!

Set a Goal

Business people love to say you can’t manage what you don’t measure. The same is true about reading. If you want to read more, first you have to know what “more” is for you.

Obviously, if you’re not reading at all, that’s easy to figure out. But maybe you read every once in a while. Well, what is “every once in a while”? One book a month? Three books a year? Twenty books a year? You get my point.

I’m not saying you need to be obsessive about the numbers or anything. You don’t even have to share your numbers with anyone. This is just a way for you to see where you are and get where you want to be.

Look for Pockets of Time

We’re all so busy, especially as mamas. My days are pretty much jam-packed from the time I wake up to the time my head hits the pillow each night.

Between driving my kiddos to and from school and extracurriculars, working, cooking supper, preparing lunches, doing laundry, washing dishes, and so on, there’s not much wiggle room in my schedule.

Or is there? When I sit down and really think about how I spend each day, I find little pockets of time. Sitting in the car-rider lines at my kids’ schools, waiting for supper to finish cooking, the half-hour of quiet after the kids go to bed but before I do.

Even a few minutes of reading each day can add up. Fitting reading into these small time pockets is a great way to reach your reading goals, and it might even improve your mood. I know it does for me!

Try Different Formats

Taking advantage of pockets of time is a lot easier when you think outside the box (or book!). Reading doesn’t have to look like sitting down on your couch cuddled up with a blanket, your favorite warm drink, and a physical book.

To fit more reading time in your day, consider listening to audiobooks (like while you cook or fold laundry). Or download several books onto an e-reader (like a Kindle) so you’ve got lots of reading options all on one device that you can keep pull out when you’re faced with a few minutes of waiting.

Swap Scrolling for Reading

Speaking of devices, your phone can be a reading device, too! All you have to do is download a reading app, like the Kindle App or iBooks, and then you can swap doom-scrolling for reading.

Think about it. How many times do you find yourself absorbed in social media or YouTube for no real reason? I don’t know about you, but I can easily lose an hour of time just mindlessly scrolling. That time could be spent reading.

Plus, when you read, you’re actually benefiting your brain and mental health. Unlike with social media, which can leave us depressed, envious, discouraged, or dealing with brain fog.

Read Fiction and Nonfiction at the Same Time

Some people can read multiple books at once. That’s not me.

Maybe it’s because I’m always in the middle of writing a book, too, but I can’t read more than one fiction book at a time because I start to confuse the characters or plot. And, usually, I lose interest if I’ve got more than one nonfiction book going (not including devotionals and Bible studies).

But what I’ve found is that I can read two books at the same time if one’s fiction and one’s nonfiction. This lets me double my reading output without feeling overwhelmed.

Use Libraries, Subscriptions, and Second-Hand Shopping

Unfortunately, reading more books can also mean spending more money. Four or five books a month quickly adds up if you’re buying them new.

This is where you can get thrifty! Libraries are a great resource. It’s free to get a library card and borrow pretty much as many books as you could possibly want. All you have to do is make sure to return them (in good condition) by their due dates.

In addition to that, you can also look into reading subscription services, like Kindle Unlimited (KU). With KU, you pay one monthly fee (I think it’s around $14.99 now) to borrow multiple e-books. This works well if you read a lot of books each month on your Kindle device or app.

My last money-saving tip for reading more is to shop second-hand. I’ve found some of my favorite books at yard sales and thrift stores for around $1 each. Libraries sometimes hold book sales, too, where you can get books for a big discount.

Read with Friends

You probably know that starting any new habit is easier when you do it with friends. Accountability and shared interests are super beneficial for keeping us motivated.

Whether you join an official book club or just ask a friend to buddy-read a book with you, having someone to talk to about what you’re reading is a lot of fun!

Work Reading into Your Self-Care Routine

Book, tea, and candles on top of bath tub

Self-care is crucial for moms. We all know this. We probably don’t practice self-care as often as we should, but when we do, it’s so worth it!

The good news is that self-care doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Simply taking a bubble bath at the end of an exhausting day or relaxing with a soothing face mask will work. Even better? Pairing reading with your relaxation time.

DNF If You Need To

As an author myself, I always feel bad if I don’t finish a book. There’s this sense of obligation to make it through to the end. But I don’t think that feeling’s reserved only for authors. Even before I became a writer, I always pushed myself to finish every single book I picked up.

But I’m learning that’s not necessary. My time is limited and, even more, my brain capacity is limited. I stare at words all day long, so if I’m going to read in my down time, you better believe it’s going to be something I want to read.

Nowadays, if a book’s not holding my interest, I might choose to DNF (Did Not Finish) it. Life’s too short to struggle through a book you don’t enjoy.