Finding Time To Read

I know, I know. Everyone is sick of hearing about reading from me. Sorry. It's on my top 5 passions.
The one thing I constantly hear is that people have such a hard time taking time (or finding time) to read. Life is crazy-busy and it just doesn't work. OR, people get too overly consumed in reading and then neglect the things they need to be doing (ie: taking care of children, cleaning the house, or other duties).
I don't have the secret because, well, let's be honest, I don't live your life. However, I think I know how to sneak a few minutes in here and there which equals completing some reading without sacrificing other things. This ability began probably on the toilet in my pre-teen years as I realized the joy of reading the funny stories in The Reader's Digest (the honored piece of literature that graced the backs of the toilet seat in my youth). It was further imprinted upon me as I became a student of literature in college. I found myself reading in every spare moment I had, such as walking the approximate five blocks to campus and back. Sure, probably not the "safest" thing to do crossing streets, but I was responsible enough to look both ways before crossing. As I've become a mother, this talent has been improved even more. So, I'll share a few things with you.
The most important aspect in finding the time is choosing reading to be a priority in my life. Most people find time in their lives to eat, sleep and work. Others find time to exercise and do other hobbies. I choose to read, so I seek opportunities to do so.
People wonder how to do this with children in the house. Right now I'm the mother of two active little girls. Guess what? They don't always need me to play with them. I believe it is important for children to learn to entertain themselves. There are so many obvious benefits to this that I won't waste time listing them. "Free play" is a term used in schools. It becomes a time when children can create and discover the world with a little less chaperoning. My 4 year old did not start building creative structures because I taught her. She did it because she was given the opportunity to discover it for herself. (Sometimes I think my limited creativity as an adult who wants things to conform to a certain standard can stifle her child's imagination.)
Setting up a time of the day (if you feel the need to schedule) is important, too. I don't have a set time that I read, but I make sure I do it every day. I can sit down in the afternoon and read for 15-30 minutes to my children and then I ask them if I can have some time to read my book afterward. I'm always permitted to do this. Sometimes I will even read portions of the book out loud to my kids. This generally encourages them to scamper off and find more entertaining things to do (apparently Kafka and Austen and Amen is less interesting to a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old). This allows me some time off of my feet, too. It's relaxing for me and needed about mid-day.
Another secret is allowing myself to read a little bit at different points of the day. A little goes a long way. You can read on the toilet, while you brush your teeth, while you do your hair, and even while you exercise (I'm a pretty good master at propping up a book on the treadmill...when I'm that motivated to get some exercise). In fact, reading while exercising was the key to improving my brain as a missionary. I memorized almost every scripture and quote while exercising. And, I was able to read The Bible and The Book of Mormon in 3 weeks because of this, too. Right now I reserve toilet time for reading the scriptures. It's just the best way for me to have exposure to The Word throughout the day. (It's estimated that a person, over their lifespan, will spend between 1-3 years on "the throne".) I also ALWAYS read while my kids play in the tub. Tubtime for them is reading time for me. So, do yourself a favor and grab a couple of minutes reading when you can. I also carry a book with me in the car for unexpected (or expected) waits in the car or doctor's office or wherever you have been scheduled to be somewhere else.
I also read myself to sleep quite often. It's the best way for me to ensure a good night's rest. This is probably a habit I started as a child, but it still works as an adult.
My final tip in finding time to read is to share what you read with others. As you are discovering things, you can share them with your spouse, your friends, your family, and, with the use of the internet, the world. Eric and I are always sharing things we've learned throughout the day. Sometimes it is stuff that comes from books and sometimes from the rest of our environment. The thing with sharing is, it keeps you excited and motivated to keep learning so you have more things to share.
There are other ways of finding the time to read, and maybe you can suggest them. Basically, like all of our life choices, we have to choose when, and how and why. The rest will fall together.