Do you ever feel like you are drowning in your to-do list and then feel really guilty for picking up a book? You are not alone! Today on We Read Smut, I'm joined by my dear friend Lisa Zawrotny to talk all about how we can take a shame-free approach to reading. We discuss why it's important that we spend time enjoying our hobbies, finding micro-moments when life feels really overwhelming, and how reading can actually be beneficial for your productivity and mental health.

Lisa Zawrotny is a compassionate productivity expert and the host of the Positively Living Podcast. She helps creative and multi-passionate people, especially women and caregivers, learn to work and live from a shame-free perspective . Lisa advocates for using energy management over time management and reframing hobbies like reading as a valuable tool for both personal satisfaction and achieving goals.

In this episode, we're discussing:

• Reading is Productive: Reading for pleasure is not an unproductive waste of time. It reduces stress more than walks or tea, engages your imagination, and calms your nervous system out of "fight or flight" mode .
• Shift Your Mindset: Stop associating fun and ease with a lack of value. Your goal can be simply to take a break to avoid burnout or to be happy, which makes reading a worthy goal.
• Find Your Minimum Effective Dose: Start small to build your reading habit. Even six minutes of reading a day can provide significant stress reduction and eventually lead to finishing a 300-page book a month .
• Embrace Micro-Moments: Find small pockets of time throughout your day to read. This can include listening to an audiobook while cooking or commuting, or reading a physical book during appointments or lunch breaks .
• Give Yourself Permission: The number one rule is that there are no rules. Be flexible with your reading goals, stop comparing yourself to your past self or other readers, and give yourself permission to DNF (do not finish) a book if it's not working for you.

It's time to banish the shame and give yourself permission to pick up that book! Remember that reading is an act of self-care and a vital part of your overall energy management. Head to the comments and tell us what you're giving yourself permission to read today!

CONNECT WITH Lisa Zawrotny:

Website

Instagram

Guided Monday Meditation

Running list of books mentioned (Doc)

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