How to find more time to read

My friend Amy read a whopping 64 books last year (and 14 in the holidays just past!) in between working full-time and raising three kids. Here are her tips for fitting more reading into everyday life:

1. Always carry a book with you and fill any waiting time with reading

'Not just the obvious waiting-at-the-doctors,' she says, 'But waiting for your coffee, for your lunch in the microwave, for a lift. Read while the pasta water boils, while you're stirring your risotto, while your husband watches American Pickers and American Restoration - insert the boring shows that are watched in your household!'

I'd love to read more articles in my spare time and have started using the 'Save for later' feature on Facebook and the Pocket app so that I have a bunch of digital options ready too. Borrow Box has also been a bit of a game-changer for me, I'm currently reading a library e-book on iPad and my phone, which is always the book I read while I'm waiting for my coffee or standing in a queue.

2. Have several books on the go that way you'll always have one to suit your mood

I love the idea of picking up a book based on your mood, even if I've always been a one-book-at-a-time reader. To me, it also means I have fewer excuses. Currently I'm reading Far from the tree by Andrew Solomon (dense, non-fiction), Delicious! by Ruth Reichl (fun and easy to read) and Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami (short stories that I can finish in one sitting).

Here's a tip from me, I've started taking my lunch break later in the afternoon, so I can sit in a quiet cafe and read for awhile. If I was more organised, I'd love to do this before work.

Finally, Amy recommends asking yourself whether you'd rather be reading in those moments when you're on Facebook or Instagram, or looking for something to watch on TV.

Thanks Amy! And now a confession, all of the books I've snapped sitting on my shelf are ones I own but am yet to read or finish.