The other day, I was walking down the hall here at Scholastic headquarters in New York, talking with colleagues about the different books we are currently reading, when I had to turn to my coworkers to ask, “When do you guys find the time to read?!”
According to a recent Pew Research Center report, 23% of American adults have not read a single book in the past year, while 31% have read 1–5 books. With more than half of American adults reading five or less books in one year, it seems that finding the time to read is a common dilemma across the country.
Unfortunately, between work, gym, friends, family and all the unexpected happenings in between, diving into a novel gets pushed down to the bottom of my daily to-do list. Each week, my pile of books to read grows, while my free time seems to continuously shrink. Here at Scholastic, we believe it is important to read every day and our employees seem to do just that. While I struggle to set aside the time, I try my best to read every chance I get because in my opinion, there are few things better than curling up with a hot cup of tea and a really good book. Whenever I travel or ride the subway, I use that time to catch up on my reading, free from distractions (next on my reading list is The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt)!
In the office, we overheard a Scholastic employee say, “If I could read while walking, I would. But that's a hazard.” Now it’s your turn. Whether it’s on a train, on a plane or as a way to relax after a long day at the office, when and where do you find the time to read?