Making Time to Read
(Even as a mom)
We all have choices in what we prioritize.
When we say we don’t have time for something, what we usually mean is that something else is getting our time instead. That’s not a failure. It’s just a reflection of what’s currently winning our attention.
When people find out how much I love to read, especially as a homeschooling mom of four, I often hear, “I can’t imagine how you have time for that.” My answer is always the same. Do I have endless free time to read? No. Do I deliberately choose to read at certain moments and prioritize it over other things? Yes.
Reading hasn’t happened by accident in this season of life. It’s been a series of small, intentional choices.
Instead of turning on the TV or scrolling on my phone, I often pick up a book. Now that my kids are older and no longer nap, they’re usually around when I take breaks. I want them to see me resting without a screen in my hand. Even something as simple as leaving a book in the bathroom instead of bringing my phone with me has been a surprisingly impactful shift.
Here are a few of the ways I find or make time to read.
Before the kids wake up
My kids tend to be night owls, which works in my favor in the mornings. I typically try to wake up before they do. There’s something so grounding about sitting with a cup of coffee and a book while the house is still quiet. It sets the tone for my day and gives me a small sense of accomplishment before everything else begins.
After bedtime
This one is trickier for me because I am not a night owl. I try to get most of our chores done before the kids go to bed so that evenings feel lighter. We rarely watch TV at night, which frees up more time than we realize. Reading also helps keep the house quiet, which sometimes leads to earlier bedtimes for everyone.
Reading on a device
This was a game changer. Once I started using library apps and borrowing books on my phone, Kindle, or iPad, my reading increased significantly. While I love a physical book, reading on a device makes it easier to read in waiting rooms, during swim lessons, or in short pockets of time throughout the day. It also aligns with our essentialist mindset. I have access to more books without needing to store or manage them, and my book isn’t getting lost in a pile of other things I’m juggling. I personally prefer reading on a Kindle over a phone, but at the end of the day do what works best for you!
During playtime or quiet moments
As my kids have gotten older, I don’t need to entertain them constantly. I’m present and available, but I’m no longer in full “camp counselor” mode all day. When they’re deeply engaged in play and don’t need me, I take that as permission to pause my work and read. Those moments still count as rest.
Reading while they read
When my kids sit down with books, I try to join them. It doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does, I don’t want to miss it. Reading alongside them reinforces that books are part of our everyday rhythm, not just a school requirement.
Baby feeding time
For breastfeeding or pumping moms, feeding sessions can be a great time to read. I wouldn’t recommend anything too heavy, especially during late nights. A light, engaging novel can make those long hours feel calmer and more enjoyable. Here’s where reading on a phone came in really helpful for me! I switched to a Kindle later, but for those late nights it was so handy to use my phone.
Accountability
A few years ago, I set a goal to read 20 books in a year. It felt ambitious at the time, but I reached it quickly. The next year, I aimed for 30 and ended up reading 52. Last year I read 108. Start with a goal and see where it takes you.
I track what I read using Goodreads, and I’ve found that book clubs and reading alongside friends increase motivation even more. Knowing someone else is waiting to read the book next often gives me the nudge I need to keep going.
Books have always been a comfort to me. Reading feels like putting on my favorite sweatshirt at the end of the day. It’s how I learn, how I escape, how I process ideas, and how I reconnect with myself.
As a mom, I give so much of myself to my children. Maintaining a reading habit isn’t just about finishing books. It’s one of the ways I stay grounded in who I am.
Reading has stayed with me through so many seasons of life. Before kids, during long nights with babies, in the middle of noisy, full days, and now in quieter moments that feel hard-earned. It has been a constant when so much else has changed.
Books remind me that I am allowed to slow down, to be curious, to rest my mind somewhere other than the to-do list. They remind me that becoming a mother didn’t mean losing myself, but learning how to hold onto the things that make me feel most like me.
I don’t read perfectly or consistently. I read when I can, where I can, in the life I’m already living. And that has been enough.
If you enjoy reading and the idea of living more intentionally in this season of life, you might like my book Let’s Choose Less, where I explore how simplifying our expectations, rhythms, and priorities can create more space for what actually matters. For the little ones who love to read, they might enjoy my children’s book We Can Help, where Sam and Ellie share all the fun ways they like to help around their home.
Thank you for reading, and for choosing the small things that bring you back to yourself.
XO,
Jenna