I struggle to squeeze in a bit of reading in the evenings, time to prepare a blog post, plus write a page or two of my book. While I can occasionally check my e-mail or Twitter during the day, I rarely manage to read or write anything longer than 140 characters. I occasionally scribble a few notes for a blog post while the kids are playing, but that’s about the extent of my daytime productivity.
My time in the evenings is also limited. I usually have 2-3 hours between the children’s bedtime and my own. At least some of that time is spent doing mundane chores such as loading the dishwasher, folding laundry, etc. When it comes down to it, I read for about 45 minutes to 1 hour per day. I spend another 30 minutes to an hour on my blog or book. Throw in another half-hour for blog-hopping – on a good day – and that’s pretty much my evening gone.
If the book I’m reading is particularly good, I sometimes stay up a couple of hours later than usual. I always regret this the following morning. I wish I was someone who could survive on 4 hours of sleep. Unfortunately, I need at least 7 hours to feel rested the next day.
It’s easy to tell when I’m going through a particularly busy period as my book reviews are few and far between. Firstly, I’m lacking the time to sit down and finish a book. Furthermore, writing reviews takes me far longer than composing an opinion piece or another short feature.
My personal goal is to write 5-6 blog posts per week, including 2-3 reviews. Sometimes this is simply not possible. My one saving grace is that I read and write fast. I’m also organized and reasonably adept at multitasking. Even though I’m under no obligation to adhere to my self-imposed schedule, I still find it frustrating when I fail to meet my target.
When do you find time to read? If you blog, when do you fit this into your daily schedule?
{ 11 comments }
Except for the part about the kids, you’ve pretty much described my life. I also try to write about 5 blog posts a week (because really, I enjoy the process) but with work and errands and trying to go out and actually do things instead if sitting in front of the computer, my time is limited. I don’t know how people do it.
I also read at night. Maybe for an hour. I’m easily distracted, so reading at work or somewhere public is impossible for me. Next year I might be taking the train to work and there’s no way I can see myself able to read on the train. That’s just me.
If someone could figure out a solution, I’d love to hear it!
Hi Sarah,
I so recognize this! With two kids, household, administrative work for partner’s business and keeping in touch with friends and family, there is hardly any time left. Just like you I have some time during the day to Twitter and sometimes do a little bloghopping. In the evening I have three hours to read and write reviews, work on blog etc. But it takes me a long time to write a review, especially since English is not my native tongue, sigh… The only thing that helps me is that I don’t need a lot of sleep so I can read till way past midnight. And if I do a blogpost I prepare it in advance, usually at night or in the weekend when partner has some time to spend with the kids. I have another 2 years to go before my youngest starts kindergarten, I hope to have more time to prepare things/read then.
I’m on a holiday at the mo, but when I’m working, blogging and bloghopping take a definite back seat. I blog as I go, unless I get some spare time.
As for reading, blech, its not happening right now. I haven’t been able to finish one book for ages.
Re reviewing, I think the last book I reviewed was a Louise Candliss book, and it wasn’t that great, in fact it was crap. That was months and months ago. Thank God for AL.
My husband has a daily blog about the New York Times crossword puzzle; I contribute two posts a week to that. (I just do a weekly puzzle that the NYT puzzle editor, Will Shortz, issues on National Public Radio.) I have several (mostly dormant) blogs of my own, but after about a year of semi-consistent blogging I tapered off.
But reading — ah, I’ve been good at reading novels now for several months. And of course that means magazines aren’t getting read. Seriously — my in-tray of magazines threatens to collapse at any minute.
It’s always something — no matter how much time you have in the day, there’s always something that’s not getting done. It’s the nature of the universe.
Don’t mention the T word! I have no time. I try to post five days a week but darn it is hard. The only time I can read is after the kids go to bed. My husband is a workaholic so in a way it helps my reading- at night we sit together while he types furiously on his keyboard and I read. I usually don’t read on the weekends. But I do enjoy staying up late…If I get 6 hrs of sleep I am good to go.
I think we all struggle with this. I don’t have kids, and I still find my evenings bogged down with the minutiae of life. Blergh.
I don’t blog every day, and have never considered doing that. Frankly, it’s not possible…for me. I shoot for “every other day” and sometimes it’s only 3 times a week. I don’t believe a blog needs to be daily – but it does need to be consistent. Blogging is all about rhythm and voice. Find both and you’ve got a good recipe.
My reading has seriously tanked. I’m at the point where I just need to sit down and “do it.” Sometimes if I force myself, I find that tends to kick-start my mojo.
So glad to hear I’m not the only one who struggles to find the time to read and blog. I look at some of the more prolific bloggers and I wonder how they do it. Luckily I love both reading and blogging, so when I find the time to do it, I make the most of it.
I’ve cut way back on time spent on Twitter and blog hopping as it was getting out of control. It’s a lot of fun but a definite time eater. I need something like Google Reader, so that I can see if the blogs I visit have been updated and what the posts are about.
I welcome sites like Racy Romance Reviews: she does a weekly round-up and she also has the titles of recent blogs from other sites on her side-bar. That saves me oodles of time.
Also, check out the wisdom
of Tim Ferriss, author of the four hour work week … he advocates blogging maybe once a week (altho he’s a prolific tweeter) and his comments number into the 1, 2 and 3 hundreds.
It is a time suck … I’m continually trimming back on what I read but I’ll get in a mood and I’ll follow threads/links/comments for what seems like ever.
Definitely addicting!
It is a struggle trying to fit it all in. I read at work when it’s slow and I’m by myself. I think twitter sucks up more time than anything–that’s also the thing I’ve been cutting the most now that I have a job and can’t blog for 8 hours a day.
I don’t have any good advice for managing time. I think it’s just a matter of priorities.
I’m currently unemployed, which gives me more reading time, but lately I’ve been thinking that I should blog less so that I could (ha!) read more. Or have any other hobbies OTHER than reading and blogging. But seriously, I have no idea how bloggers who work full-time or have families or both manage to juggle everything. I admire you all!
@Janet W I’d love to have the titles of bloggers’ recent posts in my sidebar but it requires more tweaking of themes than I am capable of!
@heidenkind I miss being on Twitter more often but it is a ridiculous time suck. It’s so easy to log in with the intention of staying 5 mins and still be there an hour later.
@Nymeth I think I juggle my time as best I can but I’m in awe of those who do it better. Also, I’m deeply envious of people who can get by on very little sleep. Case in point: I got four hours last night and I’ve been like the walking dead all day. Write a blog post this evening? Forget it. I can’t even read!