Reading Habits

I think it’s common for each of us to do something in our own way, and to feel it’s the normal way. But then you see or hear about doing that same thing differently and you wonder, have I been doing it all wrong? 

This is how I feel sometimes when it comes to other people’s reading habits. Of course I know that there isn’t actually a right way or a wrong way to read when it comes to choosing a book, how many I read at a time, how much I read in a day, etc., but sometimes I still feel that way! Here are my reading habits and why they work for me.

1. Most of my reading happens during my lunch hour at work. My typical reading time is only five hours a week, all during my lunch hour at work. This works for me because this is not a time that is conducive for doing much else, and it’s set-apart time where I don’t have to feel guilty for using it for reading. If I’m really into a book, I will sometimes read a little more at home in the evenings or on the weekend.

2. I only read one book at a time. The one exception to this is my Bible reading or if I’m reading a little bit of a non-fiction book at a time, usually along with other people. I cannot even imagine trying to keep up with reading multiple fiction books at one time though, and it would take me longer to finish a book which would drive me crazy! If it takes me much more than a week to finish a book I usually get antsy (unless I knew it would take a while because of the book’s length), and I think I would have an obvious favorite and that the others would get put aside.

3. I don’t read ARCs, so I read whatever I want, whenever I want, almost always solely based on my mood. I actually feel weird when I finish a book and I don’t know what I want to read next. I almost always know. And I don’t like when I’m ready for a library read that isn’t available, and when it is I’m usually in the middle of something else (like me impatiently waiting for The Winner’s Kiss right now).

4. I have a bad habit of losing bookmarks, so I generally use ticket stubs, coupons, and other random paper things. I really wish I used pretty bookmarks while reading, but alas.

I want to hear from you! What are your reading habits? Why do they work for you? 

16 Responses to Reading Habits

  1. I am definitely one of those people who reads multiple books at the same time. It doesn’t bother me at all, because I can keep the storylines straight pretty well (often due to the different genres I’ll be reading at the same time). But it is true that at some point I may start to favor a certain book and just read more of that one than the others. But that doesn’t really bother me. I don’t read all these books at the same time to finish them around the same time. I just pick new ones up because I’m really excited to get started on them or not really feeling the book that I was already reading.
    I love how you get so much reading done on a regular basis! For me it’s so much more inconsistent than that! Sometimes I binge read multiple books in a week, where I’ll spend most of my free time on reading (though that has been a while!) and there are other times where I won’t read much at all (currently experiencing this type of reading, and it’s making me a bit sad to be in this slump).

    • One day if I ever don’t have an hour lunch break, I imagine my reading will probably become more sporadic and inconsistent, like it used to be when I was a student. I do love having the consistency though, and since I’ve started this reading schedule I’ve never understood people talking about reading slumps, even though I have experienced years-long slumps before. But now if I finish a “meh” book one day, I’ll just start a new one the next in hopes that it’s better.

      • Do you read on an e-reader during your lunch break or do you have magical eating-reading skills that I don’t? Because I don’t think I would have enough time to eat first and read after in my 45-minute break… plus I like going to the cafeteria with some people from my building because I’m not at all close with my direct colleagues. So it helps to get away from that all once a day 😉

        • We just have a break room with a table that I go to and eat and read, and I am usually either alone there or with other people who are usually quietly on their phones. I sometimes read with an e-reader but if I have a paperback or hardback I use my phone to help weigh down the light end of the book and that usually works pretty well. I just eat a sandwich, fruit, and pretzels most days, nothing complex. And then after I finish eating I usually stand up and hold the book in my hands so I’m not just sitting for 45 minutes of my day when I sit plenty! I work at a pretty small company so the walk from my desk to the break room isn’t all that long so not a lot of time is taken up in that sense.

    • If I listened to audiobooks then yes, I feel I could do that as well. I just don’t really have good chunks of time to listen to audiobooks at the moment.

  2. Oh wow you mostly read during lunch! That would be a bit hard for me, although I haven’t had as much time to read lately, so I should try to work it in during lunch now. I do tend to read one book at a time, or rather one book in one medium at a time (maybe I’ll do an audiobook and physical at the same time.) It sounds like your habits work great for you, I feel like you read more than me actually! So I should consider some of your habits. 🙂

    • Yeah, if I ever listen to audiobooks consistently I think I could do that and a physical book at the same time. Though again if I just really, really loved one over the other…

      I’d be surprised if I read more than you, but then again, maybe I’m just slow and read less books in more time. I just feel like every book blogger reads twice or three times as many books as I do!

  3. I can relate t a lot of this, I generally don’t like reading more than one fiction book at a time either. I’ve done it before but prefer to stick to one, I’m afraid I’ll get the stories mixed up. Or something. 🙂 And I’m a mood reader/ don’t do ARC’s either, so yes occasionally I finish a book and have no idea which one to grab next. Thankfully that doesn’t happen too often!

    • And when you’re a mood reader trying to read two books at once, it just seems like you would either end up with two kind of similar books (which might be confusing) or two really different books but one doesn’t fit your mood, so you set it aside, when you might have enjoyed it later!

  4. My reading habits are ones I never stick to and therefore they are not exactly reading habits. I always bring my books to campus with me so that I have the “option” of reading, but then I forgo it for crossword puzzles or the lovely internet. And then it doesn’t help that I’m still in school (for two more weeks!) so I have papers to write and presentations to present. And then this doesn’t leave me *any* time for reading and blogging (though then again I also play a lot of video games). Long comment short, I have too many hobbies!

    I also can’t read more than 2 books at a time, and I ONLY do that when I really want to read this other book. And then I have a number of ARCs, but luckily the publisher doesn’t know I have them, so I’ve been only reviewing the ones that are of utmost importance to me around the release date. Everything else will probably be left for the summer maybe?

    BOOKMARKS. I lose them all the time there is NO HOPE for me!

    Hmmm other habits, uh. I don’t have many? I like to collect a book series if I have the first book of it, and I liked that first book. Like I wouldn’t buy the third book in a series if I didn’t have the first or second books, even if I read them from the library or something!

    • I can definitely understand using your free time at school to do a puzzle or parooze the Internet, especially the latter, because you’re already studying/reading/learning at school and you want a break when you have the chance! I read a lot less when I was in school, especially college and high school. Now it feels really different to read that no one is ever telling me what to read. But I also don’t read a lot at home because I get distracted by the Internet, whereas I don’t do much Internet at work because it requires (a) using the data on my phone and/or (b) building up browser history at work that I wouldn’t be ashamed of, but you know, I want to look as good as I can at work. 🙂

      I definitely understand the series collecting thing. I’ve actually really had to refrain myself from buying The Winner’s Kiss to read it faster because I don’t physical copies of any of the previous books and I know I wouldn’t like having just it. I have an ebook of the first and borrowed the second from the library. Though if I end up really, really loving the third book when I get it from the library, I *might* consider getting all three in hardback just for the pretty covers (because no thanks to those PB covers).

  5. I’m the polar opposite to you in all of these except number 4. I never have a bookmark when I need one!
    I usually walk in my lunch break so apart from occasionally listening to a book, that’s not a reading time for me. And on very wet days, I use that time to write a review. I do most of my reading late in the evening or very early in the morning. And I read at some stage every single day, even if it’s only for a few minutes as my day doesn’t feel right without a book fix.
    I’m in the middle of 3 books right now and that’s normal for me.
    And I do read ARCs. However I am like you in that I am a mood reader so I don’t overly worry about deadlines (which mostly works out! mostly!).
    Fun post Amy, I love hearing about other peoples reading habits.

    • I’m noticing a lot of people have the bookmark problem, which makes me feel better! Instagram leads me to believe otherwise, but obviously they’ll keep their pretty bookmarks handy for pictures! 😉

      Walking at lunch is a great use of that time, and I actually wish I had an easier way to do that at work. Then I would probably walk and listen to an audiobook at the same time. Once I finish my lunch though I do stand while I read, to get the blood flowing a little more than if I was just sitting!

  6. I’m right there with you with a lot of my reading being done on my lunch break at work. It really helps break up the day where I’m usually staring at a computer screen, and, like you, I don’t have to feel guilty that I’m not doing something else more productive at that time (laundry, exercising, etc).

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