"I Don't Have Time to Read" – The Most Common Excuse We Tell Ourselves

"I want to read, but I don't have time."

The truth is that most of us don't lack time. We lack a reading habit.

We somehow find time to scroll social media, binge-watch a series, or watch random videos online. Yet when it comes to reading, we convince ourselves that we need an uninterrupted hour, a perfect environment, and complete silence. Reading doesn't work that way.

Like any other habit, reading grows through consistency, not intensity.

Start Small: Two Pages a Day

One of the biggest mistakes people make is setting unrealistic goals.

They buy a 400-page book and decide they will read 50 pages every day. By Day 3, life happens, they miss a day, and the book ends up gathering dust on a shelf.

Instead, start ridiculously small.

Read just two pages a day.

That's it.

Two pages are easy. Almost impossible to fail.

Once the habit becomes part of your routine, increase it to five pages, then ten, and eventually twenty pages a day. Twenty pages may not sound like much, but over a year it can add up to several books and thousands of pages of knowledge.

Small actions, repeated consistently, create remarkable results.

Use Habit Stacking

One of the easiest ways to build a new habit is to attach it to an existing one.

This concept is called Habit Stacking.

Instead of finding extra time, pair reading with something you already do every day.

• Read while having your morning tea or coffee.

• Read for ten minutes before going to bed.

• Read after your daily walk.

• Read while waiting for your children at their classes.

• Read during lunch breaks.

  
  

The formula is simple:

After I do X, I will read for 10 minutes.

When reading becomes attached to an existing routine, it stops feeling like an extra task.

Double-Dip Your Time

We often think reading only happens when a physical book is in our hands.

Not anymore.

One of the best ways to consume books is through audiobooks.

You can listen while:

• Driving

• Walking

• Exercising

• Cooking

• Doing household chores

• Waiting in queues

  
  

This is called Double Dipping—using the same block of time for two activities.

A 30-minute commute can become a learning session.

A daily walk can become a personal development class.

Platforms like Audible have made reading more accessible than ever. Many people who claim they don't have time to read can easily finish multiple books every month simply by listening during activities they already do.

Give Yourself Permission to Quit a Book

Many readers feel guilty about abandoning a book.

They believe that once they start, they must finish it.

Not true.

Sometimes a book simply isn't right for you at that stage of life.

The first few chapters should create curiosity and pull you forward. If you've given the book a fair chance and it still doesn't resonate with you, it's perfectly okay to put it down and choose another one.

Life is too short to struggle through books you don't enjoy.

Reading should feel engaging, not like punishment.

Start With What You Enjoy

Many people begin their reading journey with books that are too difficult, too technical, or too serious.

Then they conclude that reading isn't for them.

Instead, start with books that naturally attract you.

You could begin with:

• Comics

• Illustrated books

• Graphic novels

• Teenage fiction

• Short stories

• Inspirational books

• Romance novels

• Thrillers

There is no "right" book to begin with.

Reading a comic is better than not reading at all.

Reading a light novel is better than endlessly scrolling social media.

The goal is to build the habit first.

Always Carry a Book

One simple habit has transformed many readers:

Always keep a book in your bag.

Waiting for a doctor?Read a few pages.

Travelling by train or bus?Read a chapter.

Arrived early for a meeting?Read while waiting.

Most of us encounter several small pockets of idle time every day. A book allows us to convert those moments into opportunities for learning, growth, or entertainment.

Create a Reading Place

Our brains love cues.

Having a dedicated reading space signals to the mind that it's time to read.

It doesn't have to be a fancy reading corner.

It could be:

• Your favorite chair

• A balcony with a cup of tea

• A quiet corner of your home

• A spot near a window

When you repeatedly read in the same place, your brain begins associating that location with reading.

Create a Reading Time

Just as important as having a place is having a fixed time.

The best reading time is not what experts recommend.

The best reading time is the time you can consistently follow.

For many people, that could be:

• During morning tea

• Before bed

• During lunch breaks

• During the evening commute

Consistency matters more than duration.

Ten minutes daily beats one hour once a week.

Focus on Progress, Not Perfection

Some days you'll read twenty pages.

Some days you'll read two.

Some days you'll only listen to an audiobook.

All of it counts.

Reading is not a competition.

The goal is not to impress others with the number of books you've finished. The goal is to become the kind of person who reads regularly.

A reader is not someone who finishes fifty books a year.

A reader is someone who opens a book today and again tomorrow.

Final Thoughts

If you think you don't have time to read, don't start by looking for more time.

Start by looking for opportunities.

Read two pages.

Listen to an audiobook during your commute.

Carry a book in your bag.

Create a reading corner.

Stack reading onto an existing habit.

The habit of reading doesn't transform your life in a single day. It transforms your life one page at a time.

And one day, you'll look back and realise that the person who once said, "I don't have time to read," has become someone who cannot imagine life without books.