4 ways to learn more without adding hours to your day

A few months ago, I complained to a friend: “I just don’t have time to keep up with new business books anymore.”

Meanwhile, I wake up every morning and immediately grab my phone.

I tell myself I’m “checking messages.” But really? I’m scrolling Instagram, LinkedIn, and checking my email for 20 minutes before I even get out of bed.

So I did the math. 20 minutes a day = 10+ hours. And I have nothing to show for it 

Turns out… I DO have time to learn. I’m just spending it scrolling.

The Problem

You tell yourself you don’t have time to read business books or learn new strategies.

But yesterday you probably spent:

• 20 minutes scrolling before getting out of bed
• 30 minutes in your car listening to the same Spotify playlist
• 45 minutes waiting while your kid is at practice
• 20 minutes before bed on TikTok

That’s over 2 hours.

I know life gets busy. Work piles up. Kids need you. You get caught up in real life.

But every time you reach for your phone to do nothing, you’re choosing to stay exactly where you are instead of growing.

The Big Small Thing

As much as I tell myself otherwise, my life isn’t going to slow down. If I want to keep learning, I need to figure out how to fit learning into my schedule.

So I started using Shortform.

Shortform gives me chapter-by-chapter breakdowns of business books in 30 minutes instead of 10 hours. It has audio versions for the car or before bed, PDFs I can read in waiting rooms, and a mobile app so I can learn anywhere (even without WiFi).

Here are the 4 ways I’ve been using Shortform:

1. Morning scroll time (20 min).

Yes… I still grab my phone first thing. (Haven’t broken that habit yet. 😂) But now I listen to Shortform instead of scrolling Instagram or checking email. Last week I finished Atomic Habits while brushing my teeth.

2. Commute (40 min).

Anytime I’m driving to pick up the kids’ from school, I open the Shortform app and listen to books. Last month I finished Radical Candor by my friend Kim Scott.

3. Waiting for Noa at gymnastics (45 min).

Twice a week, I sit in the waiting area watching Noa at practice. Instead of scrolling, now I read. This week: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

4. Before bed (20 min).

I used to check email for 20 minutes before falling asleep. The bright screen kept me awake. Now I turn off the lights and listen to Shortform audio instead. I fall asleep faster and wake up remembering what I learned.

I’ve finished 8 books this month. That’s more than I read in the previous 3 years combined.

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How This Helps You Get What You Want

Your life is only going to get busier. But you can still keep growing and learning on your terms.

Shortform is the tool that’s helped me do that, especially when I don’t have 10 hours to read a book.

​Try it free for 5 days and get 25% off here.