089: Part 2: How I read 100+ books in the last year as a work-from-home mom (free with no paywall!)
“My three-book method might sound chaotic, but hear me out — here's how (and why) it works.”
Welcome to Two Truths, a bestselling newsletter & media brand exploring the many truths of motherhood from journalists & maternal health advocates Cassie Shortsleeve of Dear Sunday Motherhood & Kelsey Haywood Lucas of Motherspeak. Two Truths is rooted in the healing & affirming principle that two (or more) things can be true. It’s a “best parenting Substack” per Motherly and The Skimm says you should subscribe; also seen in Vox, The Bump, Popsugar & more.
This post first appeared on Fast Company as part of our content partnership. You can read part 1 here; part 2 is now available in full below, with no paywall.
About a year ago, I started reading again.
I say “again” because, like the countless friends and colleagues I’ve spoken to who have also found themselves swept up in the reading renaissance that’s currently reshaping the book industry—the U.S. market is projected to grow from $40.5 billion in 2024 to $51.5 billion by 2030, with audiobooks and ebooks seeing explosive growth—I’d lost the habit somewhere between the demands of a growing career and the chaos of early parenthood.
SMALL BUT STRATEGIC CHANGES
How’d I do it? Call it a perfect storm: I stumbled into the world of BookTok, finally succumbed to the siren call of the Kindle, and I made a few small but strategic lifestyle changes that opened up a whole new world of reading. Below, I’ve included five of the tactics that helped me make reading a priority [you can read nine more here or at the bottom of this post].
My method won’t apply to every person or be conducive to every career: I’m primarily a stay-at-home parent of two young kids who works part-time in the margins of my “free” time as a writer. But it’s my hope that some of what worked for me will help you find more free time, too—whether it’s to read one book, 100 books, or do something else entirely.
1. I typically read three different books at once. This might sound chaotic, but hear me out. Here’s how I break down my three-book method…
One book is on my Kindle, which travels with me everywhere so I can fill any spare moments (waiting at the doctor’s office, sitting in the school pick-up lot, or standing in line at the grocery store) by sneaking in a few pages. This is also what I read at nighttime when my kids’ bedtime books are done and I’m waiting for them to doze off—the tablet’s screen has a dark mode that doesn’t disturb them, and it’s a nice way to wind down my day.
One is a hard copy, either something from the library, or something I want to annotate (I appreciate the aesthetic nostalgia of highlighters and sticky tabs). This is how I read most of my nonfiction, which I prefer to hold in my hand. Since these books are often for work, research, or self-improvement, I often read them in the morning (more on that below), during naptime, or while both kids are playing independently.
One is an audiobook, which I listen to while I’m driving or doing work around my home (and I regularly find myself cleaning out closets or reorganizing the pantry just so I have an excuse to keep listening to a book). I typically reserve my audiobooks for easier-to-follow, lighthearted reads. That way, if I get distracted and miss something, I won’t be completely lost.
2. I stopped watching unintentional TV. There was a time when I’d end the day by crashing on the couch and searching for something to watch before inevitably ending up on The Office (…again). Now, I only watch TV when I truly want to invest my time into a series, and I really cannot stress enough how much time this opened up for me in the evening.
3. I wake up early and read before the kids wake. I never thought I’d say this (I’ve never been a morning person), but having young kids trained my body to wake up at 5 a.m. These days, they usually sleep until 6 or later—but if the house is still quiet when I wake, I take the opportunity to read a few pages of my book before the day begins. It’s a peaceful ritual that keeps me off my phone—and away from notifications and mindless scrolling—until I’m ready to address whatever’s waiting.
4. I keep a running list in my Notes app with every book I’ve read, plus a few emojis or keywords to represent how I felt about it. This helps me remember what I loved or didn’t love about a book, which is crucial when someone asks me for a reading recommendation. I also like the sense of accomplishment that comes from scrolling through my list.
5. I chose to prioritize reading, and then built boundaries around it. Bottom line: I could certainly be doing a host of other things during the extra time I’ve dug out of my days and nights; the unpacked boxes that have been sitting in my basement since our move two years ago would probably like a word. Maybe I’m missing out on some great series or films that I would have stumbled upon, and I could always tackle my overflowing inbox in that open hour at 5 a.m. But for me, reading offers a pretty effortless and accessible escape from the news, noise, and inevitable dilemmas that pop up daily—and those moments of peace are priceless.
—Kelsey
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And ICYMI, here’s part 1 of this series:
9 [more] techniques I used to read 100+ books last year
Including how I get my kids excited about independent reading, the productivity hack that opened up a ton of free time, divisive thoughts on DNFing, a peek inside my book journal… & more
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