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Giveaways

12 Ways to Sneak in Extra Reading Time

Cassandra Neace

Staff Writer

Cassandra Neace is a high school English teacher in Houston. When she's not in the classroom, she reads books and writes about them. She prides herself on her ability to recommend a book for most any occasion. She can be found on Instagram @read_write_make

This giveaway is sponsored by Oyster.

Oyster offers readers the opportunity to browse thousands of titles whenever and wherever the urge strikes them. They offer immediate and unlimited access to more than 100,000 titles, ranging from familiar favorites to books from across the genre spectrum. Readers will find award-winners and bestsellers and the titles that have been staring at them from bookstore displays, begging to be read. Their time has finally come. Oyster is designed specifically for reading on-the-go, with apps available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

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“Oh, I wish I could read, but I just don’t have the time.” Not have time to read? Unimaginable. “I want to read, but I never remember to bring my book with me.” Carrying a book around in your purse or wedging a paperback into your back pocket aren’t the most convenient ways of making sure you always have a book at the ready, but they worked for a really, really long time. These days, all you have to do is carry your phone around with you. It’s that easy. There are no more excuses.  New ereading technology has made it easier than ever to squeeze in a little quality reading time, anytime and anyplace. For this giveaway, we asked you to share your tips for sneaking in extra reading time. Some of your responses were so obvious, I’m ashamed I never thought of them. Here are 12 ways to sneak in extra reading time (with examples!), as submitted by Riot Readers:

1. While waiting

  • in line
  • at the doctor’s office
  • for the light to change
  • for the movie to start
  • for your kids to get out of school
  • for your husband’s plane to land
  • for the bus

2. At the gym

  • on the treadmill
  • on the elliptical
  • on the exercycle
  • anytime when you can have earbuds in and an audiobook playing

    3.  On a schedule

    • set the alarm to get up extra early
    • sacrifice sleep to get in another chapter
    • get to work/class/home an hour earlier than you said you would

    4. On break (officially or not)

    • in the breakroom after your co workers have taken their breaks
    • while hiding in your car on your lunchbreak
    • on your smoke break

    5. On the road

    • while you’re in the passenger seat
    • at red lights
    • in the back of taxis
    • on the bus
    • on the subway
    • when you’re in the quiet car on the train
    • audiobooks and ear buds when you wish you were in the quiet car
    • audiobooks on those long commutes

    6. At your desk

    • while “attending” webinars at your desk
    • in the browser, behind your work
    • in another browser tab
    • with the book (or device) hidden under the other papers on the desk
    • while you’re “checking your email” on your phone during a meeting
    • while making copies or waiting for a fax to come in
    • For non-office jobs: between takes on the set, when the kids you take care of are down for a nap,  or when the color is processing at a hair salon

    7. Meal times

    • while waiting for the water to boil
    • while the chicken is in the oven
    • while waiting for the microwave
    • while someone else is cooking and serving dinner
    • betwixt the mingling of spices and herbs

    8. While spending time with family and friends

    • while hiding in the bathroom at wedding, christenings, and family reunions
    • while giving the kids a bath
    • keeping the kids company while they do their homework
    • while the kids are coloring
    • while everyone else is on the dance floor
    • leaving books on the nightstand to convince your significant other to read along with you
    • while nursing
    • while waiting for your kids to text you back

    9. During sporting events

    • At baseball games before opening pitch and in between innings
    • At your kid’s swim meets. 60 second heat = 89 minutes to read
    • While your friends watch that football/basketball/baseball/soccer game

    10.  At school

    • while waiting for class to start
    • when the lecture is particularly boring
    • when you’ve finished a test early
    • on the walk between classes

    11.  While getting ready to do anything else

    • while drying your hair
    • while brushing your teeth
    • While waiting for everyone else to finish getting ready in the morning

    12.  On the toilet, whether you have actually have to use it or not.