How to Keep a Reading Routine While Working Full-Time

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.”
Mason Cooley

So, you want to maintain a reading routine while working full-time? But you don’t have time to read?? Be honest – you scroll for hours. Trade 15 minutes of doomscrolling for dragons, and suddenly you’ve got a reading habit. ✨

Balancing 40+ hours of work, a social life, and basic human responsibilities is exhausting. So where else are you going to escape to? A fictional murder investigation, an enchanted forest, or maybe just someone else’s messy love triangle? Sounds more manageable than never-ending meetings and an inbox that multiplies like rabbits.

Here are 6 ways to actually squeeze in quality reading time and maintain a reading routine while working full-time – even with a soul-sucking commute and adulting in full swing. 💼👌🏻

1. Join a Reading Community – Because Peer Pressure is Your Friend

If self-motivation isn’t cutting it, why not let a group of strangers motivate you into reading? Join a Goodreads group, a Discord server, or an author’s book club to keep you accountable. Not only will they constantly remind you of the books you should be reading, but they’ll also bombard you with recommendations, because your TBR pile isn’t terrifying enough already 😅. Reading communities are also great for discussions, book challenges, and the occasional existential crisis about why you haven’t read as many books as you thought you would.

Plus, you get the added joy of discussing why your favorite book is clearly superior to everyone else’s picks. Nothing bonds people faster than debating over fictional characters! There’s so many groups based on a specific series, genre, or authors. Author’s will even have their own group page where they post events or releases. Nothing helps you cope with your long busy days more than finding people who are like you that want to maintain a reading routine while working full-time. You’re never too old to have a buddy system!

2. Embrace Audiobooks – Multitask Like a Champ

Too busy to sit down and read? Perfect. Just let someone else do the reading for you! 🎧 Try: Audible, Libby, Hoopla, Scribd. Who says you can’t absorb literary brilliance while pretending to listen in on yet another pointless Zoom meeting?

If you struggle with reading, do an immersive reading. It’s where you follow along in the book while you listen to the audiobook. Not only does it help you accomplish your reading goal, but studies have shown that it helps you retain the information better. Not to mention you’ll know how to say certain words and no more butchering names. This also helps in eliminating subvocalization, which slows down reading because it involves silently pronouncing words in your mind. Limiting your internal voice is necessary (at least in this case) to boost your reading speed because most people read at the same speed as they talk.

Are you also trying to get out of the building to get some fresh air? Well this will check both those boxes at the same time. Pop in your earbuds during your break while you walk around and pretend you’re going on a grand adventure. Best part of audiobooks, you can set the pace from slow (0.5 speed) to fast (2x speed), this will ensure you don’t get stuck rereading the same paragraph and help you finish those books faster.

Extra tip: If you’re doing mindless work or using public transport, audiobooks are a lifesaver. Bonus – you won’t get a headache from staring at a page. Listening to audiobooks is reading, don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise! ♥️

3. Set Reading Reminders – Because You Need an Intervention

You set reminders for work deadlines, doctor’s appointments, and when to water your plants – so why not for reading? Schedule the reminders during a time that works for you – morning coffee, lunch break, before bed – and stick to it. Your brain will start associating that time with reading, making it feel natural instead of like another item on your to-do list.

Also, try habit stacking: pair reading with something you already do, like drinking tea or winding down at night. Before you know it, reading will become a natural part of your day. And isn’t that the dream?

📱Use Bookly to nudge you into reading at least something every day. Just like any other routine, reading becomes easier when it’s part of your daily schedule. Set tiny goals like 10-30 minutes of reading a day—because let’s be honest, if you aim for an hour, you’ll just end up binge-watching a show instead.

Don’t forget that Bloo, your reading assistant on Bookly, will always be by your side and help you if you don’t feel like socializing. You can also turn it into a game and hit those goals to get diamonds to buy different app icons and costumes for Bloo. Like reading a book is the storyline (pun intended) and completing your goals are the side quests! ⚔️

🎮 If you’re competitive, then you can view the status of your goals and even your reading stats. If you’re someone who likes statistics and numbers *shudders* then you’ll love the real-time feedback on your reading progress and examine your data daily, weekly, or monthly. Even seeing how many pages or minutes you read in a single day is in easy reach. You’ll also be able to see your progression from your average pages per minute and reading speed to the number of hours you spend reading every day, week, or month.

4. Get an E-Reader – Because Lugging Around a 500-Page Book is a No-Go

No more “I forgot my book” excuses. E-readers are the portable libraries you never knew you needed. 📖 Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or Oilsky – whatever fits your budget.

These pocket-sized libraries let you read anywhere, from the waiting room at the doctor’s office to those awkward five-minute breaks between meetings. Plus, it eliminates the risk of “accidentally” leaving your book at home, which we all know is just an excuse to scroll TikTok instead.

You can separate your real life from your book life so you don’t have to make some tough sacrifices like putting your phone on do-not-disturb and using up all your phone battery. With an e-reader, your main focus is your book without notifications taunting to distract you, while you become a pro at maintaining a reading routine while working full-time.

If you’re a mood reader, you can just go back and forth without having to decide on which book to take with you. Not to mention it’s cheaper and such a space saver versus buying physical books. Don’t you dare even think about those special editions! 😓

💡Plus, if you get Kindle Unlimited, you can borrow all the books you want which means you get all the books for free! Girl math, right? And let’s not forget the best feature – no one can see the ridiculous romance novel cover you’re totally not embarrassed to be reading.

5. Choose Short Books – Because Completion Feels Nice

If finishing books feels impossible, then start with ones you can actually complete. Pick up novellas, which are basically baby books – 100 to 200 pages of digestible fiction that won’t make you feel like you’ve committed to a life sentence. If even that feels overwhelming, opt for short stories!

Five to ten pages at a time = small wins 🏁. Progress is progress, even if it’s in baby steps. Try short story collections in your favorite genre – little bite-sized victories that make you feel accomplished which are usually between 3-30 pages.

📚 Finishing a book – no matter how short – gives you a little dopamine boost and makes you more likely to keep reading. It’s the literary equivalent of crossing something off your to-do list. Besides, short books are perfect for those moments when you think you have time to read a giant novel, but realistically, you don’t.

6. Bookly for the Win – Everyone Needs a Pushy Assistant

To make tracking and organizing your reading even easier, use Bookly, your digital librarian and personal reading coach. Because who doesn’t want an app to help them keep a reading routine while working full-time? It lets you:

📚 Create a Digital Library – Organize books into categories, add ratings, and even track lent/borrowed books (so you can passive-aggressively remind your friend they still have your copy of A Court of Thorns and Roses).

📊 Monitor Reading Progress – Track time spent reading, pages read, speed, and books completed. Because nothing screams efficiency like knowing exactly how close you are to checking a book of your TBR.

📈 Gain Personalized Stats – Analyze your total reading time, pace, and trends over time. Finally, proof that you are reading – regardless of the pace.

🏆 Unlock Achievements – Get that sweet dopamine hit as you progress through your reading journey. Because why not turn reading into a game?

🎯 Set & Track Goals – Define yearly, monthly, and daily goals, and let Bookly automatically calculate how many pages you need to read each day. (Surprise: it’s always more than you think.)

☁️ Sync Across Devices – Keep your library updated across all devices via cloud storage, so you can pick up exactly where you left off.

📸 Save Image Quotes – Capture favorite book moments with photos instead of manually typing notes, because who has time for that?

🌿 Enjoy Ambient Noise – Enhance your reading experience with relaxing background sounds, because apparently, you can’t just read in silence like a normal person.

With Bookly, you don’t just read – you get a fully optimized, gamified, and slightly obsessive reading experience. Think: productivity, but cozy. Because if you’re not tracking your books like a professional analyst, are you even reading?

🧠 Key Takeaways to Build a Reading Routine while Working Full-time:

Join reading groups for accountability, support, and bookish debates.

Audiobooks = multitasking magic. Try immersive reading to boost retention.

Set gentle reminders and build reading into your habits using Bookly.

E-readers let you read anywhere without distractions.

Short books = quick wins and motivation to keep going.

Use Bookly to gamify and track your reading like a pro (and have fun doing it!).

Final Words: You’ve Got This!

Let’s face it: between work, responsibilities, and existential dread, you’re never going to have perfect reading habits. But with these resources and tips, you might just manage to squeeze in a chapter or two before passing out at night and keep a reading routine while working full-time. And if all else fails? Just carry a book around and look intellectual – no one will know the difference.

Pick up that book (or e-reader) and let’s get to reading! 📖✨

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”
Harper Lee

This reading guide was written by our Bookly Pro Reader, Reyn 💙

📖 More Tips to Build Your Reading Routine & Boost Productivity

Still on the quest to turn reading into a lifestyle? We’ve got more where that came from! Explore these helpful reads to level up your bookish game and make the most of every reading minute:

Take what works, skip what doesn’t, and remember – progress, not perfection. 💫 Your next favorite book (and reading streak) is just a few pages away. Let’s keep turning them. 📚

📱 Keep Track of Your TBR and Reading Progress With Bookly

No matter your style – spreadsheet, reading journal, or app – staying organized makes a huge difference!

The Bookly App will help you:

Track books and progress ✅

Build stronger reading habits ✅

Improve speed & comprehension ✅

And don’t forget – Bloo, your adorable reading assistant, will be right there with you! 💖

Download Bookly 👉 https://bookly.onelink.me/t5hz/x4sel69s