For most of my adult life, I was a glutton: binge reading, hoarding, massively consuming. I would read most every day for an hour or so, and then every other week, I would spend one or two days binge reading for hours and hours. Large quantities of time and money were spent in the obsessive collection of books. And I loved it. And I miss it. Now, I am an anorexic reader, going days and days, if not weeks and weeks, without reading, and then catching a bite here and there, mere snacks instead of full on meals. I think part of the reason I am not reading often is that I don't enjoy reading in bits as much as I do reading in giant bites. When reading, I want to lose myself in the story, not worry about the clock, and that is just not possible anymore. Since I don't like reading this way, I tend to not bother picking up the books which means even less reading than I could do.
In other words, I think I need to change my thinking about reading in order to read more. I am curious to know how you guys read. Do you sit down and read for 10-20 minutes at a time? Do you enjoy this? For those who listen to audiobooks in the car: do you listen even when your drive is only going to take 15 minutes? Does this drive you crazy? Do you have a hard time getting into the story when you can't spend a large chunk of time within it?
Will I be able to train my brain to read in tiny chunks like this?
I don't think I've been able to binge read since before I had kids...with the exception of a long plane ride or a readathon. (Now you know why I get just as excited about a flight to Europe as I do about the destination, seriously.) I do binge on audio because I am always on the go. That has to suffice. In print, it is 10 minutes in the car line, 10 minutes at the doctors, 10 minutes in the tub, 10 minutes before I go to bed. That is why I am the slowest print reader on earth. I would die if I didn't have audio.
ReplyDeleteAudio probably wouldn't help me too much either as most of my driving is only about 20 minutes at a time. But I do think I should try.
DeleteI had to consciously train my brain to be able to read in 10-15 minute chunks of time when I had my first baby, and things haven't changed that much since then! I should change them, though. Next fall I will have an empty nest. There are kinds of books that are much easier to read when you have a big chunk of time to read them in--some of my favorite books demand this, really.
ReplyDeleteSo far I'm only able to read YAL in short chunks like this; but obviously I need to start training my brain too.
DeleteWell I'm a reader WITH snacks. Not so much binging lately, but unfortunately, only in the reading sense, not in the snack sense...
ReplyDeleteHahahaha!
DeleteI definitely read in in bites - don't have much time for long extended periods of reading. I do listen to my audio even when the drive is only going to take fifteen minutes, or the dishes will only take ten. If I didn't do it that way, I wouldn't get much reading done at all, and then I start to go through withdrawals. I am actually a nicer person when I get my reading time in!
ReplyDeleteSo am I! It calms me and makes me happy, but unfortunately I still am not used to this tiny bitty reading situation.
DeleteI read everywhere and anywhere even waiting for the bus, on the bus really anywhere when I have the time.
ReplyDeleteI tend to read in small bites throughout the day during the week (audio book in the car, at lunch, in bed right before bedtime) and then in bigger chunks on weekends.
ReplyDeleteIt's simply a matter of making reading a priority -- this is of course ridiculously easy for me to do, since I don't have kids.
I don't have any real advice for you, other than to try reading in small bites and see how it goes. Maybe you'll adapt to it.
I agree with Jeanne -- there are some books that are ok in short bits, and some that demand more time. I don't mind short reading sessions, but I like to have enough time to at least finish a chapter. If I have to stop mid chapter, it seems to bother me more. If I just have a couple minutes, I tend to get caught up on an essay or online article I've saved rather than pull out a book.
ReplyDeleteI've kind of trained my brain in the wrong direction by reading on the subway every day. My subway ride isn't that long so I have to get used to reading in small amounts. It's not my favorite either. I much prefer sitting down and reading large chunks of a book at once, but I guess if I were driving instead of taking public transportation, I wouldn't even have that much time.
ReplyDeleteI've been a small bite reader since having my daughter. Same with watching TV. And it's really, really hard for me to sit down and watch a movie now. Kids and their needs are so distracting, seriously.
ReplyDeleteI find audiobooks are better for long trips. My longest commute is about 10-15 minutes which, no, isn't really conducive to a reading experience. That's why kiddie lit is best for audiobooks for me. It took me a while to figure that out, though.
Once I changed my expectations about reading (I'll read when I can and enjoy it vs. Ugh, why can't I just sit and read), small bite reading got easier for me.
As an audiobook-lover, I do listen for short bursts. And if I'm into it, I listen as I walk into the house and purposefully don't get my mail from the car so I can walk to the mailbox listening to my book. I'm also trying whispersync but it hasn't synced up as neatly as I expected it to.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll find that you don't have any choice!! It is snack reading or nothing at all once a kid is in the picture! I try to listen to one book and read another -- one is good for the car, walks, exercise and housework and the other one is when I can snatch a few quiet moments to just read. I always give myself at least 20 minute a day to sit and read -- it is MY time and you just have to make it happen. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI have always read anywhere so I am used to reading in small bites. If I curtailed my TV habits, I could probably read more in longer spells at home!
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time doing audio for that very reason, I need time to get into a book. I do however read in bits and bites on bus trips. I've taught myself that, since I really am so dysfunctional in the rest of my life, if I sit down to read for large chucks of time, nothing else will get done. And since I'm the chief cook and bottle washer in the house... suffice it to say, we'd have nothing to eat, and no clean clothes. So yes, I believe you can teach yourself to read in little bits. Try it , you'll like it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'll be able to help as I have to force myself to only read in small bites. As a SAHM of adult children and I have a strange sleep pattern, it isn't unusual for me to start a book when my husband goes to bed and finish soon after he leave for work.
ReplyDeleteI do have a friend that has an audio book in the kitchen to listen as she cooks and cleans up.
Maybe think in chapters instead of minutes?