3 REASONS WHY I’M MAKING MORE TIME TO READ

     

Whether it’s lolling on a sun lounger abroad and tucking into an easy read about an unsatisfied thirty-something opening up a quaint little bakery (is the man there truly in love with her or is he just lured in by her apple crumble – I MUST KNOW) or curling up on the sofa on a rainy day and getting gripped with a murder mystery, I find reading so relaxing and therapeutic. This year, I’ve set myself the task of reading more; 1 book per month to be precise. Considering I read 3-4 books on a summer holiday, it should be easy, right?

Trouble is, there’s always something getting in the way. In conversations, I found myself uttering the phrase ‘I’d love to read more, but I just don’t have the time‘ way too often. Then I asked myself – do I really need to watch that much reality TV? Do I have to scroll Instagram for half an hour, or could I get a few chapters of a good novel under my belt/floral pjs instead?

Once I started reading again, I found that I made it a priority to read over anything else! It was so easy to make time to turn the pages if the book had me gripped, so I’m sharing 3 reasons why I’m setting aside more time to read.

1. It helps me sleep

I find reading a few chapters (or 5!) before bed is a great way to help me unwind. I’m a bit of a nightmare for getting under the covers then mulling all the things I need to do the next day over in my head (HELLO anxiety), however when I read I find it clears my mind and I drift off a lot easier.

2. It sparks my imagination 

Okay, so it’s a cliché, but reading truly is a chance to escape and let your imagination run wild. I like to read a variety of genres, both fiction and non-fiction to open my mind and keep my brain active. Okay, I’ll stop sounding like a pretentious knob now…

3. I spend less time looking at my phone

I touched on this earlier, but I spend way too long on my phone and more particularly on social media! Doing it as a full-time job along with my blog means I often feel like I’m drowning in it, making it all the more important to switch off. I regularly have a ‘cleanse’ of accounts that I’m following to ensure that my feeds are fresh with content I relate to and enjoy, but still it doesn’t give me quite the same enrichment that hopping in the tub with a good book does! So needless to say, the less time I spend mindlessly liking photos of guinea pigs and the more time I spend turning pages the better!

 

What I’ve read so far this year: 

The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

My Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng 

 

I think Call Me By Your Name will be April’s book. Has anyone read it? If you have any other recommendations, please do let me know!