For today’s post, I decided to talk about reading habits. As a reader, my reading habits have changed throughout the years, and I’m sure yours have as well.

Do You Need a Reading Routine?

School is about to start and it reminds me of when I was a student. Each September, at the beginning of a new school year, I would vow to stick to a strict routine. That would work for a couple of weeks. Then the assignments would all pile up at the same time and the routine would go out the window. 

Now that I’m not in school any longer, I try to keep a reading routine. Although rare are the days I don’t read for at least ten minutes, on the odd occasion it happens. 

Reading to me represents a calming escape from my everyday busyness. I tend to get caught up in fictional worlds, and I consider it my therapy. 

I can read any time of day, anywhere I am, except in a moving vehicle. That actually makes me car sick, but that’s a story for another day.

For now, I’d like to know if, as readers, you need to stick to a routine, or if you basically just squeeze in some reading time whenever you get a chance. Or do you have a particular ritual every time you sit down to read?

What type of reader are you? 

I fall into a few categories, and it changes from time to time. 

For example, if I’m really into a book, I will try to read at least a chapter whenever I get a short break. I bring my books with me everywhere I go, because you never know when I get a few minutes to myself. 

That is how I manage to get as much reading as possible, but I do not have a set routine. 

What about you guys? What are some of your reading habits or quirks? We all have some things that we are particular about, so let’s delve into a few of them next. 

Summer vs Winter

Are you a seasonal reader?

Let me expand a little on the question. By seasonal readers, I mean, do you read more in summer or in winter? Or are you pretty consistent year-long?

I, for one, tend to read more once the days get shorter and the weather cools down. 

Here in Montreal summers are so short that you blink and are back to wearing sweaters and coats. Therefore, I try to take advantage of the nice weather as much as possible, hence my reading tends to go down a bit.

But in winter, I read a lot. I don’t like the cold, so unless I have to go outside, I prefer to stay in with a great book or a favorite show. 

Morning vs Night 

Do you prefer to read first thing in the morning, or in bed just before bedtime?

When I work later in the day, I love to start my day with a few pages while I sip my coffee. When I used to work the day shift, that’s something I always missed, more than anything else.

But every night, I always read a little before dozing off. 

That’s as far as my ‘routine’ per se goes. There are very few nights that I don’t even read a couple of pages. I would have to be extremely tired and my eyes are closing for me not to read at all.

Tea vs Coffee 

Top Ten Random Things About Me

While you’re reading, do you like to have a cup of tea or hot chocolate, or you’re a coffee type through and through? Wine, or any type of alcoholic beverage, never works for me while reading, as it puts me to sleep. But I like to sip on any hot beverage year-long, depending on my mood. In summer, I occasionally make iced coffee or iced tea. Again, it depends on what I’m in the mood for at the moment. 

Fiction or Nonfiction

I’m a fiction girl all the way. Mind you, I will read the occasional biography or book that will teach me something, but I stopped reading those self-help books years ago. I find they’re pretty redundant, and I find they don’t really teach me anything I don’t already know.

Reading about people’s lives, on the other hand, I actually do enjoy quite a bit. But in order to escape, I will always gravitate toward fiction.

Audio or E-Books

Kindle Paperwhite

To be honest, I only recently started enjoying audiobooks because, as a visual person, I prefer to see the words on paper rather than hear them. But I’ve tried a couple of audiobooks lately while walking, cleaning, or even while driving to work.  I’m starting to like it. This way I also get more ‘reading’ done, although it’s kinda cheating. 

I like to read E-books because they’re super convenient. I love reading in bed, and I find when my grandson sleeps over I always bring my Kobo or Kindle into the bedroom. That way the light doesn’t bother him, and I get a few moments of reading in as well. So everybody wins. 

Silence or Noise

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I admire people that get so engrossed in their books and are able to block out any noise. I’m not one of those people. Any noise distracts me since I have the attention span of a mosquito. I prefer quiet, or at the best of times, I can handle low instrumental music in the background. But reading in a café or on a terrace is just not for me. Mind you, I always bring a book with me, I just don’t get much reading done.

DNF or Must Finish

Up until a few years ago, I would dredge through books I didn’t enjoy because I felt like it was unfinished business. Lately, though, I don’t feel guilty about not finishing books I don’t enjoy. Sometimes I pick them up at a later date when I have the right mind frame for them. But if I really don’t connect with a particular book, I usually donate it. 

Life is short, and there are lots of books I want to read. So I try to spend my time reading books I really like. Not to say the books are not good, just that they might not work for me. Everyone has different tastes, and they might love a particular book that just doesn’t capture my interest. 

Bookmarks or Dog Eared

Now, I’ve dog-eared books on occasion, when I would buy a book and couldn’t wait to dig into it. If I didn’t go outside the house with the intention of buying a book but somehow ended up with one that I could not help myself but start right away, I would dog-ear the book. 

But that was years ago when I would use public transit. Now that I drive, it’s kinda hard to read a book while driving. Chances are I have a bookmark wherever I’m going, most likely at home or work. And if I don’t, I’ll use the receipt or find something to use as a bookmark.

But I’ve always had a thing for bookmarks, and I used to be an avid collector when I was younger. I still have a few of them today, but I don’t purchase as many as I used to. For one, they are a lot more expensive than they used to be, and I am more selective with how I spend my money. I will never pass up a cute one though!

Concluding Words

These are some of the reading habits I’ve picked up throughout the years. Every now and then I try to do things differently, but one thing I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do is read in a car. The motion sickness always gets me. 

Other than that, I’m pretty open-minded when it comes to reading and routines. I’d like to hear about your reading quirks.