How I Read

Sale PSA: A pretty silk playsuit from Zimmermann, now $278, a woven cotton bucket bag from Catzorange, now $76, and shearling boots from Chloe, now $500

For Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Shoppers: This excellent Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Kit, this great Diptyque candle/fragrance set (Diptyque scents are some of my favorites), and the perfect slouchy sweater from Nili Lotan, now $314

Today instead of a fashion post I wanted to share a little bit about how I read. If you visit this blog regularly you know that I go through at least a book a week (but really it’s more! Because I read stuff that I don’t necessarily connect with and that ultimately doesn’t get posted). I do get questions about how I manage to read so much and I wanted to share some thoughts and tips.

I read every night. Without fail. Even when my kids were weeks old and I was running on no sleep, I still read at least a chapter or two before I went to sleep (for the next two hours). It’s a habit for me like brushing my teeth (and I read while brushing teeth too, but usually magazines, which is sometimes where I find the articles for the Weekend Updates!). Reading is a habit, just like anything else. So if it’s important to you, I’d really recommend carving out time for it. It’s worth it!

I put the phone down. I don’t want to be misleading – I love my phone. I have a hard time putting it down. That said, I know my attention span is really divided and fight hard against it. I know that often it’s just sucking away my time when I should be paying attention to the kids, enjoying “the moment”, etc. But it’s so hard! Even though my number one favorite thing to do is reading, I was STILL wasting tons of time each night browsing on my phone before I started reading. So now I also charge my phone at night in another room. Removes it altogether and allows me the uninterrupted focus to really get into a book.

I stop reading books I’m not enjoying. Do you know who first told me to do this? George R R Martin! And once he said it, I felt so free. I used to force myself to finish books and it was such a slog. Now, if I’m really struggling, I just put it down and move onto the next book on my giant pile. It’s nothing against the author or the book – we all have different tastes and having written a book I wouldn’t want someone forcing themselves through mine if they weren’t feeling it. Reading, at least pleasure reading, should always be pleasurable.

Know that it’s good for you! Reading is like exercise for the brain I really feel. As in – it’s good for you! You should feel good when you finish a book, you learned something new and focused on something for 300-400 pages. In this Netflix/smartphone age, that’s something! So give yourself a pat on the back. A bowl of ice cream! I always feel happy and that I did something good for myself when I finish a book – yes it was also a pleasure but also acknowledge that you took the time to read and you did a good “thing”.

And on that note – what are some of the ways you make room for reading in your life? And I’d also love to hear favorite books you’ve read lately. Please share all!