Decanting Your Day: Taking time to breathe in the busy.

If your life is anything like mine, I am willing to bet it is a constant struggle for you to find time to slow down and take some time for yourself most days. Right? This saying rattles around in my head often, “there is no better time to invest, than time in yourself.” We hear it, we know it, but HOW do we do it??

If you did not know this about me already, I am a physical therapist by training. Why am I telling you that? Because I spent all day every day chatting and strategizing with my patients about how to make themselves a priority in their own life and how to create a habit. I leaned into that expertise and I have narrowed it down to a few tried and true tips to help you find an extra 15 minutes per day for YOU and your reading life.

1. Wake up earlier…..I know, I know. You are barely getting enough sleep as it is, right? I have been there. But now that my kids are sleeping most nights through the night, I challenge myself to get up one hour before there is any possibility of waking up. You will have times in your life when this is not possible, but give yourself the grace when you need the extra sleep. The key here is do not make excuses. Start this process gradually, wake up 15 minutes earlier for 1-2 weeks and when you’ve got the hang of that, set the alarm at little earlier than that. As Glennon Doyle says “You can do hard things.” I promise. I wholeheartedly believe that I show up better in this world, when I can control the start to my day. Not the opposite, where the day controls me from the outset. So what do you have to lose? Give is a shot! Get a good alarm clock, grab a hot beverage and a cozy blanket and snuggle into your book.

2. Always carry a book. Even in those 10-minute windows while you’re waiting at the doctor’s office or in the pick-up line at school. These are great times to sneak in a few pages. There are other options for having an e-book or audiobook downloaded on your phone as well. Since most of us always have our phones with us while we are out.

3. Audiobooks. I enlist these books when I am doing the necessary tasks in the day that are unavoidable but are not particularly enjoyable. A good audiobook will get me through the endless chores with a possibly even a smile on my face. I have found many audiobook titles I have wanted to read for free through my local library and download them right to my phone. I also use audiobooks when I am sitting in the dark rocking my littlest one to sleep.

4. Be intentional with your time. Stop the mind-numbing habits. The fluff on TV, mindlessly scrolling through your phone - it is easy to waste a lot of time on these in the day. Try asking yourself these questions:

   • Does this add value to my life?

   • Will I care about this next week?

   • Is this important to me or my family?

   • Does it have a purpose?

   With that time freed up from mindless habits or activities, you can choose to grab a book instead.

5. Limit distractions. This may seem obvious, but when you sit down with your book. Sit down with it. Leave your phone in the other room. I’d highly recommend if you are going to try out step #1 in your day, do not even pick up your phone before you finish your quiet time.

6. Time Block. Put it in your schedule when you know you will have downtime. This is usually the bookends of the day for me. Assess your daily tasks and see where you have some free time to play with. Schedule your reading time in those free windows of time.

My hope is to inspire you to take the time and slow down with a good book for 15 minutes every day. Choose 1-2 ideas to prioritize your reading over the 2 weeks and see how it changes the trajectory of your day.

What are some ways you find extra time to read in your day? Are there any tips you are going to try? Tell us in the comments below!

Love what you read?

I’d love if you shared it with a bookish friend! Thank you!