How much do you read???

[noideaoffuturenow]

I used to LOVE reading...then I 4 had kids. Last time I read consistently was when I BF my last baby 11 years ago. I just cannot seem to carve out the time! Discovering Audible was one of the best things to happen to me in recent years, but I do long to read again. I have a huge pile of actual books...but keep adding to them without actually reading any!
Curious about how/when ppl actually reading hoping for some inspiration. 🙂

If you have time to mumsnet you have time to read!

your youngest is 11. You really have no time?

i read every day but only in bed for about 20 mins before I turn off my light
and then loads on holidays

I get up early for time to myself and often read then. I also read for at least 30 min before bed.

Make sure you have books that excite you, that get you wanting to read, maybe have several on the go at once.

I read in bed every night.
I carry a book with me and read while waiting for the bus, dentist, doctor, car service etc etc...........

On my commute to work -its two hours each way once a week so plenty of time. Lunchtime. Waiting rooms. Before bed. On the toilet. In the bath. Eating breakfast.

I got out of the habit of reading when my two were very young. When life started to get a little less busy and I began to miss reading, I made myself go to bed 10 min earlier every night to read.

Took me ages to get through anything but it made it a habit again and now I'm reading as much or more than ever.

Before bed and on holiday for me, reading in short snatches at lunchtime etc doesn't really work for me, I need at least half an hour uninterrupted.

I’ve always been a reader, but since hitting menopause, I actually read more — or listen to audiobooks — at least 2–3 books a week. Sleep can be tricky now, so I often read or listen in the quiet hours. Honestly, it’s been a real lifeline for my mental health.
I had four too — such a wonderful, full-on season of life! Now that they’re grown, I absolutely treasure the times when they all come home. Back when they were little, reading felt impossible most days, so I totally relate. Audible was a game-changer for me too, but that longing to read actual books? It can return. It did for me, little by little.

I read every night even during the day on my lunch break. I don’t watch telly, if I find something on Netflix to watch then that affects my reading. I have a ND daughter who won’t fall asleep without me so I have bought a kindle and while she falls asleep I read in the dark! Then when she’s fallen asleep I go to my room and carry on reading!

I can’t do audible they don’t read fast enough if that makes sense? I can read a lot of books I have a 400wpm reading speed which is slightly above average.

I read every night in bed, probably for about 30 minutes until I start nodding. And when I'm in the office I always read at lunchtime - it stops people approaching me much more effectively than scrolling on my phone does!

3-4 books a month. I read whenever I can, when the kettle is boiling, on my lunch break, waiting for appointments etc.

I downloaded the library app on my phone so even if I don’t have my book with me I can read something.

Oh, it doesn’t stop me buying more books to add to others that I’ve not yet read though!

This is what I need to hear. I could be reading right now but for some reason, mumsnet is “easier”

Much less than I used to, pre-children and especially pre-internet. Currently on 16 for this year, and a lot of them have been easy-reading detective fiction. I started keeping a list a couple of years ago because adding a short book review to the list is motivating even though nobody apart from me sees them.

I read in bed before sleeping and when travelling by train or underground. Working from home I also read for 10-20 minutes before I start work and after I finish, as a way of topping and tailing the day. I managed to keep up reading when the kids were little, albeit more slowly.

I'd far rather chat than read!

I disagree with "if you have time to MN", most of my MN is done in less than 5 minute bursts, I just can't read books properly in chunks of time that short, I need to immerse myself. MN has replaced reading magazines, flicking through teletext during the adverts, reading the backs of packets in the kitchen for me rather than book reading.

Audible can be speeded up @goldfishbowl2025

I had a similar reading slump when my little one was at the exhausting age! I started going to a book group, this one was set up for parents with young kids. There was a monthly book but no pressure to have read it. I also read young adult fiction as I just couldn’t do complicated plots etc. But after about 2 months of this, I was back to reading.

I read in the evening and I do an audiobook in bed.

Oh thanks @EssentialDeclutteringin the meantime cos I spend so much time reading it took me nearly two hours to tidy the house the cleaner this morning! I now really want to read but need to do the school run, shopping, make tea then work again!

I read for about an hour a day. I get up at 5am to read before work because otherwise I just don't have time and I can't get into a book if I read in ten minute snatches before bed. I also always have my book in my bag so if I'm waiting for a bus or on public transport I read then but I struggle to read in noisy environments.

I read in the evenings, after dinner. There's usually 2 or 3 hours between eating dinner and going to bed.