The Twenty Minute Day

Finding time to read again

It is so easy to push a few buttons and be entertained for hours. Whether those are on a television, tablet or mobile phone, entertainment is with us always.

I remember a time not all that long ago that I used to bring a book with me everywhere. Stuck in a line, read a book. Taking a trip, read a book. Hanging out in a park or back yard, read a book. It seemed so simple. I used to even pick the size and font of the book that would best fit in my bag.

These days that doesn’t happen.

When I look at finding time to read, it isn’t about adding in new time blocks to me, but rather converting the ones I have. If I come home from work and stream while cooking dinner, that doesn’t bother me.

It is the remaining 4+ hours that I have in a night that make me think that there is no good reason that I shouldn’t be reading more.

Thinking in terms of 20 minute time blocks, my 4+ hrs available most nights is actually more than 12 opportunities for me to pick up a book!

Sample Evening
5:40 Home from Work / Start Dinner
6:00 Dinner in oven
6:20
6:40 Eat (Yes this might be late for some people but normal around here)
7:00 Dishes and quick tidy
7:20
7:40
8:00
8:20
8:40
9:00 etc depending on when you head to bed

If I get home from work around 5:40 and start dinner, walk the dog and catch up with family and friends, it does account for a good portion of those early hours, but all in what feels like a productive way.

Look at all the open timeslots after that. Those are all times that I get to make a choice about how I use my time. The best part about picking up a book is that time usually get’s lost. That first 20 minutes can easily turn into hours without even trying once you are swept away by a books content.

Conversely if you find yourself reading a dry book for some type of education advancement, telling yourself that you will dedicate 20 minutes a night can make it feel much more manageable.

Either way, giving more thought to the choices I make in any given evening can allow me to achieve my goal of reconnecting with the written word more often.