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How I Made Time For Reading Again (Plus My Favorites from 2016)

February 13 // 5 Comments // 5 Minute Read

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If you’re frustrated because you don’t have much {if any} time to read, here are three things you need to make reading a priority again. Plus, I’m sharing my favorite books from 2016 to help jumpstart your list!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

If you’re frustrated because you don’t have much {if any} time to read, I've got three practical solutions to help make reading a priority in your life again. Plus, I’m sharing my FAVORITE books from 2016 to help jumpstart your list! #reading #timeforreading #favoritereads #fridayfavorites #howtomaketimeforreading

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always loved reading. I’d much rather escape into the pages of a riveting fiction story or learn something new from non-fiction than anything else. At least that’s how it used to be!

But somehow, somewhere….life got in the way.

I didn’t make reading a priority anymore. I put everything else ahead of my to-be-read list, which meant I never had time to sit down with an actual book. And as a result, I never made my reading goal of 40 books for 2015.

That wasn’t acceptable to me, especially for a girl who loves to read! My ho-hum attitude needed to change STAT.

So in 2016, I set another goal of 40 books, and this time, blew past it with 60+ reads. I fell head-over-heels in love with reading again, and most of all, I was making time for it. But I couldn’t have done it without these three essential changes. If you want to put reading back on your priority list, you’ll want to adopt these strategies too!

1) I carried a book EVERYWHERE

My Kindle lived in my purse 24/7, because I never knew when I’d have a few minutes to read. It could be in the car while Joseph runs into Lowes, inside a waiting room, or even if we arrive somewhere a little early and need to kill time. Instead of scrolling through Facebook on my phone, I chose a book instead….and it showed.

2) I had non-negotiable reading time

It doesn’t matter WHEN you read, just that you have a dedicated time to do it. This can be in the morning before kids get up, during naps, or right before bed. I would wind down with a good book as part of my evening routine, and again, it beats scrolling through my phone.

3) I read books that were interesting

I’ve wasted far too much time slogging through a book that is {yawn} boring, and oh, how I regret it! Now I ditch a book if I’m not excited 2-3 chapters in. Let’s face it—there are way too many books in the world for you to stick with someone who doesn’t write in an engaging way. For me personally, this is half the battle that keeps me from accomplishing my reading goals!

The thing is—we can find excuses to “not have time” for just about anything. And while you can’t add more hours to your day, you can always rearrange and replace the non-important stuff with the things you DO want to accomplish.

So if you really want reading to climb to the top of that list, I give you permission to read that book you’ve been dying to crack open. Here are my all-time favorites from 2016 to get you started!

Non-Fiction Favorites:

  • The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst – I loved this book SO much I even wrote a whole post about it! If you have trouble saying no, but are overwhelmed with how little time you have, you’ll want to put this one on your list ASAP.
  • The 21-day Sugar Detox by Diane Sanfilippo – I’ve always wanted to do a sugar detox, so I bought this book and both Joseph and I followed the plan for a full 14 days. No, it wasn’t the 21 that was recommended, but we’ve been a lot more conscious about all the sugars we put in our body since. I’ve never had so much energy!
  • Anchored: Finding Hope in the Unexpected by Kayla Aimee – This is a blogger I recently discovered and immediately fell in love with her writing! She went into labor at just 24 weeks, and Anchored is all about her story and strong faith. All I can say is….WOW.

Fiction Favorites:

CHRISTIAN FICTION

  • Angels Walking Series by Karen Kingsbury – I honestly wasn’t sure how the whole “angels among us” thing would go, but KK did an amazing job covering the supernatural. Everything seemed so real! I’ve only read the first two in the series—Angels Walking and Chasing Sunsets—but of course, the third is also on my list.

  • The Hideaway Series by Robin Jones Gunn – This author is most known for her Christy Miller books, which are geared toward a younger audience, but The Hideaway Series focuses more on women who are middle aged. It’s kind of a nice change from all the teen/young adult stories out there! I’ve read Under a Maui Moon and Canary Island Song so far and loved them.
  • My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade – What happens when a granddaughter helps her grandma renovate an old house, and meets a “keep-to-himself” hockey star/contractor? You’ll have to find out! Get ready to feel that tug on your emotional heartstrings.
  • Daughters of His Kingdom Series by Amber Lynn Perry – If you love reading stories set in the Revolutionary time period, you will love this series! The first book, So Fair a Lady, was my all-time favorite. Amber is a newer author, so I’m excited to see what books she comes out with next.

  • Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist – Downton Abbey fans rejoice! It might not be set in England, but you’ll still love a peek into a fictional version of the Vanderbilts. I hadn’t picked up one of Deeanne’s books in a while, and I’m so glad I did. I’m dying to go visit the real Vanderbilt estate now.
  • Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden – I’ve recently become a fan of Elizabeth’s fast-paced and very engaging stories. Her books are set in historical time periods, but are different than the normal “girl-arrives-in-out-West-and-falls-in-love-with-a-cowboy” theme that typically plagues most Christian Fiction. Very refreshing!
  • The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers – How did I go so long without reading these gems? The first book took a few chapters to get into, but then I was hooked. I especially loved An Echo in the Darkness {#2}, as evidenced by me staying up until 2am to finish it. Oops! Even though Colosseum drama isn’t pretty, each story is extremely well done.

YA FICTION:

  • The Selection Series by Kiera Cass – What do you get when you mix a dystopian bachelor reality show with the royal crown? The Selection Series! Yes, it sounds strange, but I could not put any of these books down. Although I have to say, the first book was definitely my favorite of them all.

  • The Siren by Kiera Cass – Not what I expected, but still good…..and refreshingly haunting? I have no idea if that makes sense, but I’ll let you read and decide! As I’m sure you can guess, it has something to do with mermaids.
  • Vampire Academy Series  by Richelle Mead – Probably my favorite YA series of all time. I could not hold it together until I found out what happened at the end! All six of the books were good, but I especially loved the third one, Shadow Kiss.

OTHER FICTION:

  • 11/22/63 by Stephen King – I first heard of 11/22/63 from the “What Should I Read Next?” podcast, and even though it’s a huge book, I was riveted by every page. Don’t worry…it’s not a horror story. It’s actually more of a historical/time travel themed book where the main character tries to prevent the assassination of JFK. Warning: There is language.

Phew! Hopefully you have some room on your 2017 reading list to add in a few of these picks! As you can see, I like a lot of variety and hope to switch it up even more by participating in Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Reading Challenge this next year. You should totally join!

What books did you love in 2016?

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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Comments

  1. Sandie @ Fulfilled For Less says

    December 26 at 1:06 pm

    Love this post Kalyn! Reading is one of my favorite things to do, but unfortunately I haven’t read nearly as much as I would like to lately. I love your idea of carrying a book everywhere, that will help me get some pages in here and there. I am bookmarking this for new book ideas! Going to the bookstore to spend a little Christmas cash today 🙂

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      December 26 at 4:13 pm

      Bookstores and Amazon are my two favorite destinations after Christmas. 🙂 Have fun!

      Reply
  2. Suresh Patel says

    December 27 at 7:26 am

    Thank you very much Kalyn for sharing this wonderful article..I really enjoyed reading it and It was very useful for me..

    Reply
  3. Lindsey says

    December 27 at 3:23 pm

    One of my goals for 2017 is to be able to read 24 books in a year :). I even started a book club with the books to hold me accountable.

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 2 at 4:21 pm

      That’s awesome, Lindsey. You can totally do it, especially with others going through the books with you! 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>

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I wrote this in my journal the other day: 📓⁣

I wrote this in my journal the other day: 📓⁣ ⁣ “I’ve been thinking about what tech boundaries I want to instill, including boundaries related to work and productivity. I’ve become less careful about my media consumption, and it’s having a negative affect on my mental health.” 💞⁣ ⁣ Have you ever felt a similar tug? ⁣ ⁣ I can’t begin to tell you how many times I pick up my phone because I’m bored or lonely or jealous or unhappy. It almost always makes me feel worse. And yet...I struggle to stop. 😝⁣ ⁣ Here are the ideas I’ve been trying this month and I’m already seeing a positive effect:⁣ ⁣ ➕ No logging into social media after 8pm. I need to wind down for the night, not get lost in my phone! 📲⁣ ➕ Open Instagram with a purpose—either to post or to interact. Stop endlessly scrolling.⁣ ➕ My only screen time before 9am should be for Bible Study apps or News. 🗞⁣ ➕ Turn my phone on Do Not Disturb during Tiger Time (when I need the most focus for work) 💪⁣ ➕ Work no more than 4 hours on my business per day. If a task isn’t complete, push it to the next day. This time frame has really helped me prioritize! 💻⁣ ➕ Watch one show per day (or two if they are short!) and leave movies for the weekend. 📺⁣ ⁣ What tech boundaries have you set up? Are any new as of this year? I’d love to hear your ideas! 😃

What’s one thing you budget for that other peopl
What’s one thing you budget for that other people might not? I always find those interesting. 😃⁣ ⁣ You might have a mortgage. I budget for campgrounds. You might want a separate clothing budget, while I’m fine combining it under “Beauty and Style.” Recently, we also added a new line item for our motorcycle—something I NEVER thought would appear in our budget. ⁣ ⁣ See, we’re all different! ⁣ ⁣ Recently, I rearranged my budget categories and created this “cheat sheet.” Sometimes I forget where things go, like picking up new wall art for the living room. Does this item belong in the categories of Household Items or Home Maintenance? 🤔⁣ ⁣ Now I know! And I save time processing receipts each Friday. 🧾⁣ ⁣ What budgeting categories do you use? Share one of your random budget line items with me in the comments below! 😃

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣
⁣
I

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣ ⁣ I’m never afraid to stop reading a book if it doesn’t live up to the hype. Why invest more time in a book I’m not all that excited about when I could be exploring new authors and storylines where I can’t wait to turn the page? 🤷⁣ ⁣ But in 2020, I let more books go than I normally do. I suppose my patience dwindled when I thought the world was ending. Not that I thought the world was actually ending…but you know what I mean. 😉⁣ ⁣ As an Enneagram 1, I hate giving up on a book. I’m prone to the all-or-nothing mentality, even in my reading habits. My eyes could glaze over boring prose and I’d still repeat to myself: “You MUST finish this book!” 😫⁣ ⁣ Why? ⁣ ⁣ No one is adding a plastic star to your Book-It pin, (Remember those?) This isn’t assigned reading from your high school English class. This is YOUR reading life. ⁣ ⁣ And YOU should choose what books deserve your attention. 📚⁣ ⁣ There are too many good ones out there anyway. Like one of my favorite reads from 2020. 😍⁣ ⁣ This week’s newest blog post rounds up everything I read last year (43 books total!) including 5-star psychological thrillers, a delightful royal series, a couple self-help books, and of course, historical fiction.⁣ ⁣ Click the link in my bio to read it! ☝⁣ ⁣ What were your favorite books in 2020? Our literary styles might be a match made in heaven! ✨

My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣
⁣
T

My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣ ⁣ These small but mighty sidekicks will be my saving grace this year. 📚⁣ ⁣ 1️⃣ Bullet Journal (Blue) - for everyday planning and goal setting⁣ 2️⃣ Regular Journal (Yellow) - to track gratitude (5 things a day!) and to process ALL the feelings⁣ 3️⃣ Growth Journal (Sand) - a space for me to brain dump everything I learn from books, podcasts, sermons, etc ⁣ ⁣ That last one is new to me as of this year and I can't wait to flip back through all my notes come December! 📆⁣ ⁣ What planners/journals are you using for 2021?

Self-care is just as important as making your famo
Self-care is just as important as making your famous sugar cookies this holiday season. 🍪⁣ ⁣ Because let’s be real. ⁣ ⁣ That Hallmark-esque Christmas magic disappears the moment disagreeable family members annoy you. Or when you feel irritable over too many late nights and little-to-no sleep. Or when expectations over meals and traditions and social activities fall short and leave you feeling disappointed. 😬⁣ ⁣ But instead of dwelling on these stressful moments and using them as an excuse to completely disconnect from reality (as I’m often tempted to do!), view them as an opportunity for you to respond with poise. 💞⁣ ⁣ ➕ Journal your feelings. ⁣ ➕ Go for a walk. ⁣ ➕ Prioritize what’s essential. ⁣ ➕ Remember to breathe.⁣ ➕ And try not to eat your feelings…okay?⁣ ⁣ Here’s your permission slip if you need one: You don’t need to do or participate in everything! Take a time out when you need it. 🙌⁣ ⁣ That’s the best way you can protect your emotional well-being over the next few days.⁣ ⁣ Merry Christmas, friends! 🎄


I know you’re ready for this year to be over. 🙋‍♀️ The last twelve months brought so many hard things into our lives—relationships were lost, our country became more broken and divided than ever, and oh yeah, we walked through a pandemic too. 🦠 🤯 No biggie, right? Ha! 😅 And while it’s easy to look back and wish we could skip 2020 altogether (or at least insist on a do-over), I don’t want this year to be the one where the hard overcame the good. 💕 Just as hard days don’t mean ruined days, hard years don’t mean ruined years. 2020 can still be good. 💪 For me, I want to remember the fun and exciting things we did. The adventures we had. The new shows we watched, and the books we read. The new life hacks and things I discovered that made my life easier or just brought me joy. 💞 You’ll find it all in my latest blog post (link in profile). If you still need to buy a gift for a loved one (or for yourself!), you’ll find plenty of fun and affordable ideas to fill up the rest of your gifting list. 📦 Otherwise, enjoy a stroll down the good side of 2020’s memory lane and leave your favorite things in the comments so I can try them. 👋


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