We’re about halfway through summer. My how time flies! Baby Emily is over a month old now and we just signed Anthony up at the nearby middle school. It’s been so crazy around here that I realize I’ve taken very few moments to just…well…be.
July 22nd is National Hammock Day, which brings to mind relaxing with a cold drink and a good book—something from one of Inspy Romance’s talented author pool. This is my daydream, so I don’t get caught up in the hammock and end up flipping over, rolling off it, getting my foot stuck and breaking something. Instead, I’m enjoying the sunshine and am lost in a story.
In real life (my granddaughter assures me that IRL is a thing), I rarely have time to read for pure enjoyment. I have morning devotions and spend ten minutes reading something beneficial for work, but I don’t get more than a few minutes at night to read something just because. My work/life balance is way off and it’s time for me to reevaluate how I spend my time.
Because life without reading isn’t really life.
Tell me when (and how) you find time to read in your schedule. I’d love to learn more about your work/life balance.
Do you have any good tips?
If you’re looking for a good summer read and missed The Soldier’s Sweetheart when it was originally published, The Texas Soldier’s Match two-in-one backlist books with talented Jolene Navarro is out now.
And be sure and preorder A Reason to Stay (#5 in my Rocky Mountain Family series and also part of Love Inspired’s K9 Companions), which will be out August 23rd.
If you aren’t already on my mailing list and want to hear about new releases as well as contests and other fun, sign up here: NEWSLETTER
~~Love Courageously~~ Publisher's Weekly Bestselling, award-winning author of 30 novels, Deb Kastner enjoys writing contemporary inspirational western stories set in small communities. She feels especially blessed to be able to include faith as a natural and genuine part of her characters' lives. Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and a pack of miscreant mutts. She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors are her fav), singing in the church choir, and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
Retirement gave my reading time a big boost.
Oh, wow! I work from home, and I spent most of my time this time of year reading!! I read for pleasure, but also proofread/edit. I do have to spend time doing my insurance work, but this time year, that goes pretty fast! I’ll spend a few hours on it, then go to a book, then back, and just go back and forth. I stop my insurance work at 5pm, unless a client calls. At night, it’s either a book for pleasure or a book that I’m proofing/editing. However, I totally get off the computer no later than 9:30, and then it’s a paperback or my Kindle before bed.
My husband’s retirement on disability gave me LESS time. HA!
I still lean in on paperbacks. I can Marie Kondo every one of them back onto my bookshelf.
When I was still working, house cleaning took a back seat to reading. I did it often enough to keep us well. Reading keeps me emotionally and mentally well.
I’m sure you take a book everywhere akready
I love listening to audiobooks while I’m cleaning and decluttering. It makes the whole process less icky!
Ha! Well, that’s definitely true. I’m always writing in my head. I’m trying to learn how to dictate to my phone while I’m driving, but haven’t quite gotten there yet.
Hi Deb, well I am retired so I can pretty much read whenever I want to. I like to read before I go to bed, but not in bed. Sometimes I read during the day, but not usually, Have a great weekend and stay safe.
read whenever I have time
I won’t be retiring anytime soon…ever, LOL…so I’m jealous of the time you have to read.
I have to plan my reading time in, although I’ve discovered I can read on my phone when I’m stuck waiting in a doctor’s office or something.
Since I am disabled, I am not sure how much I am able to help you since I am no longer working. I do have to say that I have a book with me when I go for errands as well as appointments. You never know when you are going to have to sit and wait. I try to read in the evening. Things have been busy lately so I have not had much time to do that. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I started reading e-books, the backlighting and ability to increase the font size makes reading more accessible and I akways have one of two mobile phones near. It’s hard to find time, but with the blue light feature I can read before sleeping with the only problem being how to keep my eyes open. If someone could invent a skylight for my eyelids I could read so much more, hmmm! For me it’s about prioritising so i choose reading over other activities and not using the tv makes a huge difference.
Great idea! It’s always give and take. I tend to watch TV when I’m too tired even to read.