Do you find it difficult to make time for reading?
It doesn’t matter how much you love books…
If you’re a busy mom, chances are there have been times you’ve put book reading on the back burner.
It’s definitely been that way for me, but when I started listening to audiobooks, things changed. I could listen to various books as I did household tasks or ran errands.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing like reading while seated comfortably and cozily in your favourite reading nook, but there are definitely weeks where that seems impossible.
Some evenings, even when I would carve out time for reading books, it just wouldn’t happen. On several occasions I’d make myself a nice cup of tea, sit down and open a book that I really really wanted to finish and then realize that after the first couple pages, I’d start to doze off. Not because the books I was reading at the time were boring…they were actually quite good…but because I was so exhausted at the end of the day.
So, listening to audiobooks solved that problem for the most part.
A List of 15 Books for Light & Easy Reading
If you’re looking for some good books for light reading (or listening, if you want to go with audiobooks), check out the ones below. These are books I’ve personally read or listened to and completed. Most are light and uplifting. While books that are a lot longer and more in depth on specific topics can be great, there’s also the benefit to books which are shorter and lighter to read…. especially when you’re busy and find it hard to find large chunks of the day to carve out time for reading. Also, nothing beats the satisfaction of completing what you started and learning something in the process.
Check out some of the ones I recommend. All of these are popular titles, but the list starts off with some more well known titles and ends with some you might not have heard of, but are still really interesting reads:
The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean my Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun – By: Gretchen Rubin
This book was Witten by Gretchen Rubin, a woman who had everything she had wanted in life, however she still found herself feeling a sense of discontent with how things were. One year she decided to research scientific studies and ways in which people around the world achieved happiness and called it her “Happiness Project.” In this book she documents what she learns and shares a bunch of helpful tips and insights that can be applied to most peoples’ daily lives. If you try some of the methods she recommends, you’ll no doubt be able to see a difference they make in your day.
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are – By: Brene Brown
This Brene Brown classic is still one of her best books. I’ve read several of the ones she’s written, but this book holds a place of it’s own. It discusses wholehearted living, authenticity, gratitude, joy, vulnerability and shame in a way that’s easy to understand. When reading this book you might find yourself nodding throughout and agreeing with much of what is written, while at the same time learning about ways to become more compassionate towards yourself and others, while also building resilience.
The Kindness Handbook – By: Sharon Salzberg
Written by Sharon Salzberg a world-renowned meditation instructor and writer, this books talks about how to cultivate more kindness in life and the impact kindness has on oneself and others. It’s not about suppressing feelings, such as anger or irritation when things go wrong, it’s about noticing the feelings but not acting out with respect to them and taking a more kind and understanding approach. It also delves into discussions about internal peace, interconnectedness and suffering and how coming from a place of kindness benefits people and creates healthier minds and environments.
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by : Ekhart Tolle
This is my favourite book of Ekhart Tolle’s. It gives insights into how people can fully live in the present moment, appreciating what he calls “the Now.” It explains how a lot of suffering in human life is caused by focusing on the past or the future, rather than truly trying to accept and embrace the present moment. It’s an eye opening book that is calming at the same time.
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life – By: Jen Sincero
Jen’s book is really lighthearted, uplifting and full of attitude. I liked this one and got through it pretty quickly. Her fairly direct approach to getting you to accepting your incredible awesomeness is really refreshing.
Girl Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be – By: Rachel Hollis
This book is partly Rachel’s life-story and partly a motivation manifesto for moms. In it she’s brutally honest and totally real. In between stories of her personal experiences, she’s weaved calls-to-action for women and moms to love themselves and to step into their personal power.
A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles – By: Marrianne Williamson
If you want to cultivate more love and understanding in your life, this is a light and refreshing read.
The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction & Purpose – By: Oprah Winfrey
In this book Oprah talks about ways to find your calling and purpose in life by offering a pathway and insights into getting there.
Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life Before 8AM – By Hal Elrod
This is one of those books that helps you establish healthy habits, and explains particularly why a morning routine is so helpful and life-changing. Having gone through incredible adversity himself, Hal’s book is very inspiring and a helpful book for getting you prepared for the new year.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear – By: Elizabeth Gilbert
If you’ve been wanting to master an art or live more creatively, this book will help. In it Liz talks about ways to carve out time for a creative practice you love or how to find one you enjoy, if you haven’t yet. It’s about moving past any fears or doubts, to create in a way that is fulfilling.
Willpower Doesn’t Work: Discover the Hidden Keys to Success – Benjamin Hardy
In this book Benjamin Hardy explains how just having the willpower to create positive change in one’s life isn’t enough. He discusses how a person’s environment matters and how the people they surround themselves with strongly impact how they move forward to accomplish things. He discusses cultivating uplifting friendships and immersing oneself in environments that encourage growth so people can better their lives.
The Sum of Our Days – By: Isabel Allende
This book isn’t lighthearted, but it’s an easy read full of life lessons, as Allende writes in a way that has you consistently turning the pages. It’s a story of family, loss, suffering, love and healing through a consistent creative practice. It’s one of those books that really helps you appreciate what you have in life and makes you understand that suffering and pain occurs in everyone’s life, but there is also beauty and light in it too. I love how authentic Allende is in the book, revealing her insecurities and her strengths while respecting everyone in her writing (She leaves out family members who don’t want to be written about and even asks her partner about revealing painful parts of their lives). It’s also a book about growing older and living a fulfilled life despite hardships.
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups – By: Daniel Coyle
This is a book that is useful for almost any group setting. It can also help if you’re not in a specific group as it has a focus on human psychology and behavior and how to counteract the negative effects of toxicity, that can be applied in various areas of life when interacting with other people. It’s doesn’t offer a foolproof method against unhealthy influences, but offers insights in how to create more successful groups by understanding how they function, making collaboration possible.
Viral Parenting: A Guide to Setting Boundaries, Building Trust, and Raising Responsible Kids in an Online World. By: Mindy McKnight
Mindy’s book is a guide for parents raising kids in the digital age. She provides valuable insights on how to raise kids who are more responsible online. She emphasizes the use of rules and contracts that allow her kids to benefit from connecting and learning in the online world, but also offers them structure. She sets clear boundaries and teaches her kids to be kind online. The book also has the perspective of her kids in it too. They discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the digital world. They are also quite honest and frank about their mistakes online. She and her husband have a light-hearted, but structured approach that allows her kids to be responsible, yet safe when using digital technology.
Circe – by Madeline Miller
If you enjoy reading mythology, this book is excellent. I listened to the audiobook version and it was well done. I finished it quite quickly in part because the narrator was also superb at telling the story. It’s about Circe who is born into the world of the gods, but does not have their power. However, she does possess the strength of witchcraft. It’s a compelling tale of motherhood and courage. It’s a story that is very well written, highly recommended and easy to complete.
There are a ton of great books out there, too many to fit in one post. But if you’re looking for books you can get through quickly, that are light, informative or uplifting, you can’t go wrong with the above titles. So whether you want something quick to read on a vacation or over a holiday or you just want something to listen to throughout your week, check them out. Also, if you’re looking for ways to carve out more time in your day so you can also have time to read more, check out the post: The One Thing You Need to Save More Time.
What are some books you’ve recently read that are quick and easy to complete?
