As a busy mom of 4, I don\u2019t always have hours of uninterrupted reading time, but I do have pockets of time where different books fit different moments. Some days, I need a deep, thought-provoking book to challenge me. Other days, I just need a fun novel to escape into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reading multiple books at once has helped me read more, enjoy books more, and keep growing even in the busiest seasons of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let me show you how this simple shift can work for you too.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Types of reads that I dabble in as the mood strikes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the chaos of daily life\u2014between homeschooling, driving kids to activities, writing, and keeping the house running\u2014finding long stretches of quiet reading time is rare. But I\u2019ve learned that I don\u2019t need hours; I just need moments<\/em>. Those little pockets of time add up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Different books fit different moods and tasks, and by keeping a variety in my rotation, I always have something that works. Reading isn\u2019t about finding the perfect time; it\u2019s about making time work for me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here is my personal \u201ccurrently reading\u201d stack and how I rotate through them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83c\udf1f[with links and personal stories]<\/p>\n\n\n\n I stand in my kitchen holding a book and a pen. I read and underline then stare out the back window as the tea kettle rumbles. These short few pages have given me something to think about (other than all the tasks of the day). I love these quiet moments at my tea spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of my current favorites:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I read these books in my snippets of time (less than 10 minutes) and usually only a few pages. I strategically pick something that is structured in small pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The smell of roasting vegetables fills the kitchen, and the timer on the oven tells me I have 30 minutes before dinner is ready. I grab Rising Strong<\/em> by Bren\u00e9 Brown and settle onto the couch. The kids are riding scooters outside, a rare moment of alone time before the chaos of dinner and evening routines. As I turn the pages, Bren\u00e9\u2019s words hit me. She talks about the messy middle\u2014the part of the journey where things feel unclear and uncomfortable, but also where growth happens. I pause, letting it sink in. How often do I try to rush past the hard parts instead of sitting with them and learning from them?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I underline a sentence that jumps out at me. It\u2019s exactly what I needed to hear. I take a deep breath, feeling both challenged and encouraged. The oven timer beeps, pulling me back to reality. I close the book, but I\u2019m still thinking about what I read as I pull dinner from the oven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Titles I love:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is a free Saturday afternoon. The kids are with Jim at Home Depot getting parts for a house project he is working on. My teenager is at his internship and I have the house to myself. Today I have what Kendra Adachi<\/a> calls \u201cBig Black Trashbag Energy\u201d and I am angry decluttering my pantry. Somehow we have 5 empty Pringles cans, Halloween candy, soup cans shelved with applesauce, and 300 almost empty boxes of crackers (that might have been a slight exaggeration<\/em>). I take a deep breath to regroup. I stop\u2026 stretch, roll my shoulders, and then turn on my audiobook to keep me company. While I declutter I get lost in the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After a few chapters, I have a clean, organized pantry and I feel calm as if I\u2019ve just stepped out of another world and gently landed back into my own. I pause my book and look around at the now-organized shelves. The tension I didn\u2019t realize I was carrying has eased, replaced by the lingering emotions of the story\u2014gratitude, wonder, and maybe even a touch of nostalgia. My mind feels clearer, my heart a little lighter, and the quiet hum of the house feels peaceful instead of overwhelming. I take a deep breath, enjoying the rare stillness, before closing the pantry door with a satisfying click<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fiction I have loved:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The house is finally quiet. The dinner dishes are done, the leftovers tucked away, and the last cup left on the counter has been claimed by the dishwasher. The kids are in bed\u2014hopefully asleep, but I\u2019m not checking. My husband and I gather with our teens in the living room for some relaxed evening downtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I sink into the couch with a sigh, pulling a soft blanket over my legs and reaching for the book I left waiting on the armrest. The spine creaks slightly as I open it, and with the first few sentences, the weight of the day begins to fade. My mind shifts from to-do lists and meal plans to a different world entirely. The glow of my favorite lamp casts a warm light over the pages, and for the first time all day, no one needs me. It\u2019s just me, this book, and the quiet exhale of a day well spent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The afternoon light filters through the kitchen window as I settle into my chair, a cup of tea within reach and a well-loved book open in front of me. The house is unusually quiet\u2014each of my kids is engaged in their online classes, leaving me with a rare pocket of time to focus. I flip through the pages of Home Education<\/em>, underlining passages that challenge and refine my understanding of how children learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This year\u2019s deep dive into Charlotte Mason\u2019s six volumes<\/a> has been both humbling and invigorating. I first encountered Mason\u2019s ideas in The Charlotte Mason Companion<\/em> back in 2009, and they shaped the foundation of my homeschool. But reading her own words, cover to cover, has been an entirely different experience\u2014one that has stretched my thinking and deepened my convictions. [read more about that here<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n I jot down a few notes in the margins, thinking about how this philosophy has shaped not only my homeschooling but my parenting. This challenge was intimidating at first, but I\u2019m so grateful I committed to it. Learning in community, discussing big ideas, and revisiting principles that have stood the test of time\u2014this is the kind of education that fuels me as much as it fuels my children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some good places to start your general self-education:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yesterday, while the kids were in their piano and guitar lessons, I sat in the car with a non-fiction writing book that had been sitting in my stack for weeks. As I read, I found myself nodding along, underlining sentences, and jotting notes in the margins. AJ Harper\u2019s<\/a> insights on clarity, structure, and engaging storytelling lit a fire in me\u2014I couldn\u2019t wait to apply what I had learned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, in my office, I pull up my latest draft and begin revising with fresh eyes. I tighten a clunky sentence here, swap out vague phrasing there. My fingers move quickly across the keyboard, the ideas flowing more smoothly than they did the day before. I feel the energy of a good writing day, the kind where everything just clicks. That book was exactly what I needed\u2014a nudge, a guide, a reminder that writing is a craft I can keep refining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Outside my office door, I hear the kids finishing up their afternoon work, and I know my quiet time is about to end. But for now, I savor this moment\u2014this stretch of uninterrupted focus, this creative spark that turns inspiration into something tangible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Writing Craft Books that I love:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t have a specific story to go with this one. I usually use cookbooks as something to look at when I know I will be easily distracted. My goal is often to glance over the information to get ideas about meals to make next week or a list to create for seasonal meal ideas. My favorite cookbooks have lots of photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reading multiple books at once isn\u2019t about keeping up with some literary marathon\u2014it\u2019s about making reading fit into your real, messy, beautiful life. Some days, you\u2019ll fly through chapters, and other days, you\u2019ll reread the same paragraph five times between interruptions. That\u2019s okay.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Every page you turn (or listen to) adds up, expands your thinking, and brings a little more joy into your day.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n So go ahead\u2014scatter books around your house, embrace the unfinished stack, and enjoy the freedom of reading what you need, when you need it. Your future well-read self will thank you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your nightstand is stacked with half-finished books and your library checkout list is a little ambitious, you\u2019re in good company! Here are some tips. Reading multiple books at once doesn\u2019t have to feel overwhelming\u2014with some small changes, it can actually make reading easier, more fun, and a perfect fit for your busy life. If… <\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b81f411-4174-40b1-8ffc-111daf7a6878_2560x1707.jpeg\")
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\n\n\n\nWhy Read More Than One Book at a Time?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\n[check out my specific examples further below\u2b07\ufe0f]<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\n\u2b50 Practical Tips for Managing Multiple Books<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\n\u2b50 The Bigger Picture: How Reading Widely Helps You Grow<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>\ud83d\uddd2\ufe0f <\/strong>What This Looks Like in My Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
My Specific Examples:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udcd6Devotional \/ Daily Reads<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udcdaPersonal Growth – (also called Self-Help or Practical Non-Fiction)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83c\udfa7Fiction (audiobook)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udcd6Fiction (physical book)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udcd7Education & Research<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udcd8Learning New Skills<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udcd1Books I skim for information or enjoyment<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/a>A Gentle Nudge to Get Started<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\n\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udcdaHappy Reading – April<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"