And you guys always tell me I read a lot and how do I find the time to do that.
Well.
Imagine what went through my mind when I came across two bloggers who read about 17 books a month.
I actually searched and looked through the blog to find the one person's contact details because you all know I hate WP - it just never accepts the first comment of mine on any WP blog.
That lady wrote back and said something like she's a SAHM, and she reads every night from 7 pm.
EVERY NIGHT, people.
I was inspired.
I also read a post recently by Leonie Dawson (she of the lovely yearly planners a lot of you liked when you saw it on my facebook feed) who read over 100 books last year.
How?
By not reading blogs, social media, etc.
Okay, so I'm not totally mad (I need my blog fix) but I can certainly be more intentional about it, right?
I'm bringing back my 2 hour blog reading thing in full force!
And hopefully that still happens WHEN I get the new job because about 30 mins of my daily blog reading happens at work while I eat. More on this later...
Nevertheless, it raises a very good question:
If you didn't spend as much time reading blogs or social media, what could you accomplish that you say you don't have time for?
I have so many links for you to read but I'm going to only link to a few.
1. This wedding in Dublin is perfect.
At first when I was looking, my eyes narrowed and I thought, "this is not an American wedding". It was so normal and yet so stylish and let's face it, these days weddings seem to me to be way over the top.
2. on raising your introverted child
3. I love posts like this - on outsourcing
4. And this one on how nannies are not slaves is equally interesting
5. Last but not least, a very favourite post from my current favourite personal finance blog on the anti-budget
And now, I'm taking my own advice, getting off the computer. D and I have a Seinfeld night :)
How was your Saturday?
The internet and blogs do eat up a lot of my time...but I think I get more out of it than out of the housework I would possibly have done in that time if I wasn't online. ;-)
ReplyDeleteMy Saturday's been so-so. I bought Nicola a load of winter clothes this morning and I'm as sick as a dog. My dad actually wants me to go have myself tested for Malaria...hahaha! I feel crap, but I don't think it's that serious.
oh girl. i'm happy to read 2 books a month. that's a huge stretch. i can't remember a time when i've done a ton of reading. i think i will have to make a major switch with social media. mostly fb. it is such a time suck. and the people who i want to know about don't really post. gah. if i spent as much time on my job as fb i would feel a lot better about going up for promotion next year. ha!!
ReplyDeleteWe had an impromptu Seinfeld night last night! ;) We had taped a few episodes and watched them back-to-back. It was so much fun to relive them...that was the show we watched every single night when we first started dating. :)
ReplyDeleteYou may have noticed I don't have a book goal. It's not that I don't enjoy reading...but it's not enjoyable to me to think about reading an exact number of books. That seems like pressure! Before the girls were born, I used to structure one fiction / fun book, followed by one non-fiction or classic book. I enjoyed that structure. But these days, I just try to enjoy reading...sometimes it's fiction, sometimes it's non-fiction. It's a great break for me...something that makes me feel like "me"...but I don't stress over it at all.
Is it weird that I no longer really read books? Unless it's something that super speaks to me, it just doesn't happen. I don't have the attention span, or maybe that "reading retention" problem in school wasn't BS! Give me articles, research, reports, or a newspaper and I am great! I could never do fiction, I pick apart the ladies stories!
ReplyDeleteIf the internet weren't sucking time from my life, I just might finish this house... might. LOL! Happy weekend!
I could read after 7 every evening but then I would never speak to David. The kids are in bed by between 7 and 7h30 and after that we catch up and at the moment he will then still go work after that at about 9h00. I suppose if I stopped being on the PC while Jack naps then I could read but that's sort of my 'work' time - blogging, replying to mails, wedding stuff, admin etc. And often those 2 hours are the only 2 hours a day I am actually on the computer.
ReplyDeleteI have started reading My Sisters Keeper though - once I start a book then it goes fine but often it is a battle to start and if it is a "hard" book though then I also battle to get into it. I like to read light-hearted stuff :)
I read read read. Mainly in the evenings, in the bath, or in bed, but if i'm having a quiet day at home (rare) then I will read. I have been keeping track of the books i've read this year, and i'm up to 11, which is great. I'm still reading paper books, even though I have a kindle.
ReplyDeleteStill need to ready the lady you keep on at me about - I must, I must I must!
I actually do follow another blogger who reads more than you! My Saturday was quiet. Lots of alone time with Child1 which was cool. I don't spend that much time online anymore and yet I'm battling to fit in reading time. LOL...I would probably clean and organise more if I didn't read blogs or SM. And I would definitely craft more and read more and play more music.
ReplyDeleteI aim for 2 books a month. One fiction and one NF. Elton is very similar to you wrt reading x amount of books per month aka a lot of books every month. It feels pressured to me. I want it to be fun.
ps...that introvert child link REALLY spoke to me. I actually could see a lot of ME in that article.
ReplyDeleteI love to read and have realised that social media gets in the way - especially twitter. I will go to bed to read but then pick up my phone and look at twitter instead. Next think I know it is late and I need to sleep. I am making a concerted effor to NOT pick up my phone. I would like to read about 24 books this year, but my problem is that I can never remember if what I have read. Especially when I read it on my kindle as i don't see the cover all the time so it just slips from my memory when trying to count back (I have joined Goodreads to try and combat this).
ReplyDeleteI have also found that by cutting dow on the TV viewing I get a lot more done in the evenings. I am now restricting viewing to shows I love and usually I will PVR them to watch at my pace (skip the adverts). It helps a lot.
PS - thanks for the link.
Oh I wouold read more books! WIthout a doubt. I have really cut down blog reading and am at the level where I really only care about 20 or so blogs
ReplyDeleteOn reading- I have read over 100 books some years, and barely any others. I guess I go in phases with my hobbies. Right now I'm playing WoW again- don't tell anyone I'm a giant geek- and that takes all my free time that could be spent reading. I will do that for a few months all the time, then go back to reading, or something else for awhile.
ReplyDelete