Reading Habits Post #1: My Usual Reading Routine

I say 'usual reading routine' but I mean that very loosely. Sometimes the whole routine just can't happen. Sometimes it's just reading a few pages while I stand in the kitchen waiting for water to boil or the oven timer to go off so I can take out dinner. So I guess this is more like my 'ideal reading routine'.
This is what I do when I get an hour or so to dedicate to reading. Usually that's at night after everyone else is in bed, sometimes nap times but that's usually
when I clean. Or scroll through Pinterest. Some of these habits are good and some are not so good. I'm going to do this as a series so I can work on changing the bad habits into good ones, and hopefully being more intentional with my reading time in order to get the most out of it.

Step 1- Boil water. Of course this step only applies if I'm making coffee or tea. When I know I've got a bit of time to sit down and read I'll fill the kettle and get it on the stove first.

Step 2-Comfy clothes. I prefer pj pants, but leggings or yoga pants work too. No bra. I can't really relax with a bra on. Over-sized t-shirt, usually The Husbands.


Step 3: Prepare the beverage. Back in the kitchen, I get out my mug and select a tea flavor or prep the french press. Measure proper amount of tea leaves into the tea ball and usually by then the water is boiling. Pour water, insert tea ball, or put the lid on the french press for coffee, Steep/brew for proper amount of time, usually 3-4 minutes.

Step 4: While hot beverage of choice is brewing, select the snack(s). I usually go for fruit (frozen fruit is the best) or cookies. Honestly, fruit is the healthier choice, but if there are cookies in the house, I'm eating cookies.

Step 5: Sit and read. I have an armchair in the living/play room that is supposed to be my 'reading chair' but  it doesn't have an ottoman for my feet, and all the warm blankies are in the family room, so I usually end up reading on the couch. I leave the TV off, but my computer is usually close by. I read for a bit, look at Facebook a bit, read some more, check out Pinterest for a bit. You get the idea...

So, habits I want to change;
1. Computer use while reading. This is a bad one, since it's really easy to get sucked into Youtube, or Pinterest and waste all my reading time.
2. Snacks. Snacking by itself is not a problem, I want to make better snack choices. Less cookies, more fruit.
3. Cleaning before reading. This mostly applies to my 'middle of the day' reading during nap time. I tend to put off dishes and things in order to read, then I'm rushing to get things done at the end of the day, and cleaning from Monday spills over too Tuesday and then I've got double the work to do and before I know it I'm totally overwhelmed with my house and The Husband is eating dinner off one of The Toddlers plastic pink plates because all the others are dirty.

It doesn't seem like a lot of things to change, but this is stuff that I, personally, struggle with. I hate cleaning, and I love food and the internet so I've got my work cut out for me. I look at all of this as a way of becoming more mindful and fully enjoy something (reading) that I already know I love.