Tips to Escape a Reading Slump

Having now reached the point where we can’t quite say that it’s a “new year” anymore, some of us will be faced with an all too familiar situation; the pile of books that we promised ourselves we’d read this year remains completely untouched and gathering dust. Maybe you had a goal in mind to have read at least four by the end of February, but motivation and time are eluding you. The truth is, we’ve all been there, even the most avid of readers and voracious of bookworms. If you find yourself struggling to sit down and delve into the first chapter of a new novel, perhaps these tips will provide a helping hand. 1). Bring a Book to Work In the age of information, it is undeniably tempting to reach for the instant gratification that can be found within our mobile phones, with memes and short form videos providing us with a joyous explosion of dopamine. Fixing our gaze to our screens and consuming a torrent of digital content is perhaps not the healthiest way for us to enjoy ourselves, but all too often we fill our downtime with such things, especially on our way to work, or maybe even at work. If you’ve found yourself in a reading slump, consider taking a book to work with you. Reading is a great way to fend off the noise of a bustling train commute, and can provide welcome respite from being on your feet all day or staring at your computer. By re-introducing reading into your daily routine, you might find yourself heading for your reading corner as soon as you get home! 2). Set Small Goals Depending on you and your schedule, tasking yourself with finishing several books in the space of a month may be daunting or de-motivating. The solution? Set smaller goals. It is much easier to digest a chapter an evening instead of trying to power through half a book, thus spoiling the experience for yourself by missing out vital details and beautiful prose. Make sure you also avoid the common mistake that all avid readers are guilty of; adding far too many books to their already mountain-sized reading list, or maybe even taking it one step further and taking a trip to the bookshop for a book-buying spree. 3). Keep Track of Your Reading List Whilst having a mental note of which books you want to read is a great start, keeping a physical reading list is also a great way to keep track of your progress. Having a checklist is indeed very helpful, and being able to cross off titles as you go can be very rewarding, motivating you to move on to the next book. There are also community websites for readers to compile their own reading lists, review the books they have read and even interact with authors. Goodreads is perhaps the most well-known of these, allowing for users to submit and read reviews from within the community, and also discover new titles and authors. 4). Minimise Distractions Once you’ve found a comfortable nook and opened the first page, various distractions can still worm their way in and send your mind wandering. The main culprit of this is likely- you guessed it- your phone or computer. It’s very tempting to check to see if you’ve missed any notifications, but this can lead to the inevitable pitfall of “doomscrolling”. When taking time to read, consider switching your devices off or putting them on silent to fully immerse yourself in the literary world you are diving into. 5). Put Aside Recreational Time for Reading In addition to reading on your commute to work or reading on a break, fitting reading into your downtime at home is very important too. Try to identify a time of day when you can find time to read; for many of us this might be just before we turn in for the night. Whilst it can be a little bit of a struggle to get back into reading once you’re in a slump, you should of course bear in mind that reading should never feel like a chore. It is an activity to be enjoyed, and reading in a comfortable and relaxed environment is always the way to go.