Let’s Talk Bookish – Balancing Reading for your Blog and Other Hobbies

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme, hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books & Dani @ Literary Lion, where they discuss certain topics, share their opinions, and spread the love by visiting each others’ posts.

NOVEMBER 12: BALANCING READING FOR YOUR BLOG AND OTHER HOBBIES (DANI)

Prompts: Reading enough to keep a blog running can be stressful in the best of times, but what happens when other hobbies start to get in the way? Do you force yourself to prioritize reading even when you want to be drawing/knitting/playing music/watching a new show/gaming? Has another hobby ever made you miss a reading goal? What is your strategy to balance reading among your other hobbies?

Definitely a fan of this fun topic today here on LTB. In this day and age, outside of perhaps this bookish community, reading books becomes a rarer hobby, as audiobooks and podcasts rise to prominence. I’d love to hear how all of you balance your hobbies with reading, and which hobbies take priority when there is a time crunch.

For the most part, I try not to think about hobbies “competing” and getting in the way of each other. But I guess when time is ever so precious and limited, certain things do take priority and “outcompete” other things. That being said, reading blogging are definitely fun hobbies for me, so it hardly feels like a chore…most of the time.

I’d say in general, reading is the goal, so I try to make time from my other “commitments” and interests to at least set a little bit of time aside for reading. Of course, life and school/work take high priority, but one of the first things I try to work back in is always reading. Not only do we want to put out great content for you all, but honestly I just miss reading. So I’d say for the most part I’m not forcing myself to prioritize it, I think it’s just at the forefront of my mind: how can I find some time to read this week?

Of course, other things in life have always made me miss minor reading goals. But if the goal is big enough, most of the time you’ll find a way to fit it in, barring extenuating circumstances. I think it really helped to have a partner on my blog to not only juggle responsibilities back and forth as necessary, but also to encourage my reading goals. The Buddy Reads we do together are also a fun way to make sure that I’m at least reading something!

My main strategy for prioritizing is scheduling for this blog, I think. Having a routine (not necessarily something so strict as a schedule) really helps to keep things on pace and on track. If you’re not a blogger, I think it’s nice to set aside an hour (or even half an hour!) here and there to try and commit to reading as often as possible. If you can build the habit, it becomes easier and easier to “find time” to read. And if reading is as relaxing for you as it is for me, it’s not hard to work in excuses to read. Let me know in the comments below if you agree with that sentiment!

How do you all prioritize and work in reading into your daily life? Is it your side goal or main goal? I know most of us are super busy – what are some strategies that you have found make it easier to find time for reading? I’d love to hear all your thoughts!

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