If you are a fan of reading, there is nothing more you would enjoy than to bury your nose in a nice, entrancing book while you curl up in a cozy corner of your room where you would not be disturbed until you are done reading.

Unfortunately, life catches up with you and you can get bogged down by responsibilities which stand in the way of your favourite pastime.

Make mountains out of hardbound

Due to our overwhelming responsibilities, you start accumulating a bunch of books that you have been looking forward to reading.

Every time you walk past a bookstore, you know you have to go in and browse through their collections to see if you can find yourself a new literary treasure.

It can be quite addicting, especially if your anything like me and love the old book smell.

So, as you indulge, you end up with a bunch of books that are in dire need of reading, but you just do not have the time.

The guilt trip

Among this bunch of books that you have been reluctantly ignoring, are some self-help books that have not had your attention since you bought them.

You bought them so they can help you organize your time better, help with your finances or help you become a more confident person.

However, ignoring them has proven to be counterproductive, which brings about a guilty feeling in the pit of your stomach every time you lay eyes on them.

Enough procrastinating

Instead of just staring at the stash of books you have, it’s time to plan and make the time to read them.

The key is to prioritize the books, start reading them one by one.

If you are a fan of fiction, choose your favourite author first, add in a self-help book second, and create a priority list.

You could also ask your friends and family members for recommendations, and they would be happy to oblige.

You could also prioritize them based on the topics and themes they cover, such as career, life, family or self-development.

If you do not have the time to sit down with your books, you could also consider getting some audio books. You could listen to them while you commute to work.

Pamper yourself

World famous thriller author Stephen King once said, “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” He is not wrong.

Books have the power to take you places where you never thought your mind could go. All the while, books also have a great calming effect.

They allow you to relax and unwind, especially after a long day.

• Cozy up with a nice cup of tea or sit outdoors in the sun with a refreshing glass of lemonade.
• Dedicate some time to relax and pamper yourself with a book that will keep you hooked for hours.
• Take a nap and travel to that magical place that you just read about.