Finding small moments to escape, connect, and breathe.
“We read to know we are not alone.” — C.S. Lewis
A glimpse into my everyday life
I have been married for 16 years and have two daughters, one Gen Z and one Gen Alpha (aged 14 and 10). I work a full‑time corporate job. I am also a daughter, a sister, and an aunt. There is already a lot on my plate.
An average day starts with packing lunch boxes, and then I get ready to log into my laptop. Most days I do not take lunch breaks. I pick up one or both kids from school, work later than planned, and head straight into dinner, homework, projects, or helping my youngest prepare for an Afrikaans cycle test.
Weekends typically look like family gatherings, kids’ birthday parties, school events, or catching up on errands that there was no time for during the week. If the week has been particularly taxing, I try to hibernate for the weekend and avoid making plans.
And somewhere in the mix, there are the usual debates about setting the table, cleaning their rooms, and requests for playdates or hangouts with friends. Not to mention a list of things I would love to do around the house that I honestly just don’t get to.
You might think fitting reading into this life is impossible. I barely manage to fit exercise and seeing friends into this busy life. But I choose to make time to read amidst the chaos anyway.
Why?
Because reading gives me something that nothing else can.
What reading gives me
Reading gives me a pause from the noise. For a little while, nobody needs anything from me except the characters on the page. It reminds me that I am still a person, not just a role. It grounds me in something bigger than myself. It keeps me curious, imaginative, and hopeful. And it lets me escape the here and now and travel into a brand‑new world where anything is possible.
I can reconnect with myself and get lost in a captivating story that makes me feel something real.
I love the idea that reading connects me with the author and with every person who has read, is reading, or will one day read the same book.
The books I read often leave me with something to carry into my own life. A reminder to be kinder. To forgive sooner. To love people well. To pay attention.
Different books leave different messages, but most leave me wanting to be a better version of myself and to leave the world in a slightly better state than I found it.
How I find the time
On the odd occasion, I read during my lunch break, although I do not take those often. It is a great starting point if you need to carve out time for reading. Thirty minutes to an hour gives you a mental refresh. I would like to do more of this, intentionally taking those breaks and reading a few pages.
My best time for reading during the week is in the evenings. After dinner, I snuggle up on the couch and read a few pages or a chapter instead of watching TV. Those thirty to ninety minutes in the evening are a gentle way to take a breath after a long day.
My other great gaps for reading are over the weekend, especially when it is not a busy one. On Saturday mornings or afternoons, if the weather is good, I sit on our patio. When it is hot, I move onto the grass and sit under the shade of the trees with the birds keeping me company. During winter, I curl up on the couch in front of the fireplace. I usually get a chapter or two in on Saturday and again on Sunday afternoon. It is a lovely way to relax, refresh, and recharge. There have been times when a book was so captivating that I did not put it down and abandoned all plans for the day, just stayed home and read. But often I just read a few pages a day and finish it over the course of a few days or weeks.
I have recently been doing audiobooks too. On a Saturday morning, I paint, and while I paint, I listen to an audiobook. I love the thrill of doing multiple things at once (the mom in me wanting to be productive). I get a good hour in this way.
I keep my audiobooks light, cosy, and fun. A romance, an escape to a different country, working in a bookshop — that type of thing. I pay for my app monthly rather than per book, which makes me even more willing to take risks because I have nothing to lose. My paperbacks tend to be where I’m a little more selective, although I still choose them by their covers.
I do not try to read in between tasks. It creates tension for me, and I do not enjoy the interruptions. I want a minimum of thirty minutes uninterrupted. That is just my own personal preference.
I also do not read when I have visitors or when I am out and know people will want to interact with me. I do not like distractions, so I plan my reading around moments I can carve out for myself.
Why I make the time
Reading is not just a hobby. It is a way of living with more softness, curiosity, and emotional presence.
I want to connect with a character or story that makes me pause and reflect. One that encourages me to love better, forgive more easily, rediscover parts of myself, or simply see the world differently.
Some books stay with me long after I’ve turned the last page.
It is important for me to get time away from technology, especially since I am on my laptop the entire workday.
I remember a time when certain relatives would ask for books for birthdays or Christmas, and I would wonder why someone would want a book as a gift. It was absurd to me. I remember walking past bookshops, wondering how people could enjoy books with no pictures. It simply did not appeal to me.
Fast forward to 2024, and I am in love. I would rather read a book than watch TV. There are so many stories waiting to be read. There are countless books to discover.
Books ask me to build the world myself. The people, the scenery, the atmosphere, all of it exists first in my imagination.
I love to cast the characters with famous people and sometimes even people I know. I have even cast characters as animations. More than once, I’ve imagined a character one way only for a later description to force a complete recast.
It’s even better when someone you know has read it and you can connect over it, share sentiments and reflections.
I have gone through slumps where life is too busy and I struggle to find the time, and that is perfectly okay. Reading is not a race, not a competition, not a numbers game. I can go days, weeks, or months without reading and then suddenly finish a book in a day or over one weekend. It is okay. Read as you are.
Why you should try to find the time
While your life might look different from mine, I’m sure it still feels demanding or chaotic. Why should you start or continue reading? Why should you make space for it in your life?
Because you can escape, connect, and grow. It was a book that inspired me to start this blog in the first place.
Find a moment that works for you. A commute, a bath, a pedicure, waiting in the car to pick up kids, waiting for your spouse to get ready (I know this is when my husband gets to read on a Saturday). Just find a moment that fits your life and rhythm.
If reading is not your day job, there is no pressure. Remove any expectations you have placed on yourself. It needs to be for enjoyment and pleasure. You do not need to keep up with anyone else. Read a page a day until you’re finished, well done. Inhale a book over a weekend, well done. The important thing is that you’re reading in a way that works for you.
Now that you’ve heard my story, tell me about yours.
What does reading give you? How do you find the time? And if you’re not reading at the moment, what might help you make space for it?
I’d love to hear.
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