For real, it's taken me nearly a year to finish Capital vol. 1. It's a large book but not that large. I used to read so much more. But now that I have kids, it seems like that reading time has really shrunk. There are some unique factors that work against me (kids that sleep less than the low number of the range for their ages and a partner who sees reading as kinda antisocial) but still, I bet a lot of parents are in the same boat. If you have kids and you're actually able to get reading in, how do you do it.
Edit: actually, I'm reading David Harvey's companion book along with it, so that's like two books in a year. Still way, way below the amount of reading I'd like to do.
A partner that thinks reading is anti-social
Talk to them about this. As a single parent who can't help but feel guilty doing anything that isn't actively productive (reading, practicing piano, etc) I would suffer heavy with someone essentially supporting that guilt. Reading is good for people, anti-social or not (like, maaaaybe asocial from a certain perspective, but I think anti-social is a huge reach), just like exercise etc. When you read, you are modelling a good activity, and it's good for children to see this. That said, I have no advice on how to get more time to do this, really. Time is zero sum, and with young children, getting more of it for yourself can be like squeezing blood from a turnip. Get it where you can (before bed?) and hopefully get some support from your partner to do so. Best wishes, comrade
I should probably qualify that earlier statement. Between kids and work, we both have very little time we get to spend just the two of us. For her, even just watching a little TV together is meaningful even if I'd rather read. That said, she is an extrovert and I'm an introvert, so she doesn't understand personal time. And that's something I need to talk to her more about. Your point is well made.
I don't even have kids and my reading is way down. Getting older, I'm tired, and ya my fucking phone :deeper-sadness:
It’s a miracle you finished that book at all, so pat yourself on the back. I generally can’t read whenever my kids are around, so my reading is confined to early mornings or late evenings. There’s an app out there called Voice Dream Reader that will also read anything to you. The premium voices cost $5 and sound better than anything except a professional reader (I use Peter). I’ve been reading Black Bolshevik with that lately while doing chores and it’s been working pretty well. It also helps a lot to get to sleep if you use it for reading novels. I’ve been using it to “read” Game of Thrones lately, although I’ve probably missed like 90% of the text.
I’m so addicted to twitter that I delete the app after breakfast every day, then reinstall it the next morning. I’m a writer, and I find social media much harder to resist when I’m editing books, because I have to restrain myself for hours and hours while I’m editing every day, so that’s also a factor. It does help though to be free from twitter during afternoons and evenings because I can read books on my phone instead. I feel like I don’t read as much anymore because it takes a bit of effort to really focus on a book, and kids can destroy that focus at any time, so what’s the point? I have to conserve energy all day in case my family needs me.
My kids read a lot though, and they have limited screen time and no phones, so that’s also definitely a factor. I leave my phone in a different room and read a paper book every night before going to sleep, so I always get a few pages in, but sometimes that can turn into a lot more.
They're not for everybody, but maybe audiobooks could help? I spend a lot of time listening to podcasts while driving to/from work, and could just as easily listen to an audiobook in that same setting
I'm lucky enough to have a job where I can get a ridiculous amount of reading done in my down time
