Reclaiming Your Reading Time in 2026

- December 31, 2025

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

Time can be a friend or foe. There are plenty of hours in the day if you remove some old bad habits from your life. Below are some bad habits my readers have shared that they wish to change. Are any of the bad habits listed a part of your daily life?

Old Habits:

Waking up and scrolling social media- you may do this as a way to wake up. But when was the last time you went on social media "just for a few minutes" and end up using 3 hours of your morning watching endless cat videos.
Getting up late daily- the bed feels so good and you just found that perfect spot. But your morning is slipping away.
Reading just 5 chapters daily- this can be a great way to read more, but chapter length vary per book. If you read 5 chapters that are 4 pages each, that is not a lot of pages.
Buying books hot on TikTok- I love a new "hot" book to read. I get excited when a lot of people rave about a book. But FOMO can cause an empty wallet.
Shopping online for books- there a great deals to be had and it can get out of hand.
Always checking my phone when a notification pops up- every time your phone dings with a message you have to check and see what it is. This can cut into any momentum you may have begun.
Watching social media videos and absorbing negative book creators- short form videos are helpful and save time. But listening to someone telling you a book is not good does nothing to help you. Form your own opinion and unfollow creators that are negative for clicks.

Replacing Bad Habits with:

Wake up earlier and have breakfast- feed the body and mind. Then, maybe head out for a walk and start your day with some exercise. You can also bring along an audiobook to accompany your walk. And making your bed also can be an accomplishment.
Set aside two days every week to get out of bed late- staying in bed (Hurkle-Durkling) past when you wake up can be a reward for a rough week. Snuggle in and do some reading.
Read for an hour or more daily- Take a couple of hours or more a day to read. Most books take approximately 7 hours to read. You will finish that latest book faster committing more time.
Check the latest "hot" book out from the library- enjoying rave reviews and getting caught up in hyped books can be fun. Using your local library or online library can give you more, while being better for your wallet.
Shop with independent booksellers- if you need to buy a book to keep, please think of your indie bookseller. They have a stake in your community and give back all the time. Show them some love and let them know you appreciate them.
Disable notifications that are unimportant on your phone- disabling notifications on your phone can be a game changer. The absence of dings and buzzes on your phone will draw your attention elsewhere. Do you really need to know that you received an email every few minutes?
Watch longer and positive videos that promote creativity and critical thinking- negative social media feed? Start removing negative creators from your social media. Watch videos over a minute that ask you to think. Having a negative person telling you how to think takes your free-will from you.