As a reader whose encountered countless reading slumps over the years, it’s safe to say I have many ways of getting out of one. It just depends on whether you’re willing to get out of it yourself. It’s so easy to pick up the pace again once you get out of a reading block, but people forget that the hardest part is starting: the point where most of us are stuck for months at a time, unsure about picking up a book again. So, as your friendly book guide, here are my top 5 tips on how to get out of a reading slump. And if you’re not an avid reader yet, think of yourself as a person currently in a slump. Because you are—just in a really long one.
#1) Get rid of those lame excuses
I find that the root cause of all my slumps has been so many excuses. “I don’t have time to read,” or “I have so much homework to do today,” are all excuses I’ve made in the past that have gotten me out of reading for weeks or even months at a time. Occasionally, this excuse is valid, but is it really? Look at all the time we spend rotting on our beds scrolling for hours at a time after school before we get started on the school work. I think it’s safe to say that it’s not that we don’t have enough time to read, but that we fill up all our free time with scrolling and binge-watching until we don’t have space in our schedule to fit it in. Drop those excuses (and the phone) and pick up a book!
#2) Pick up those ol’ time favorites
One of my personal, most effective method of getting out of a slump is rereading my favorite “easy-reads” that I read as a kid. While at first it’s super embarrassing to walk through the kid’s section in the library and carry out a stack of all the books in the series, you surely won’t regret it once you start reading. Make sure that your book of choice is an easy read, and it’s even better if it’s a series. (P.S. My top recommendations are the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and the Harry Potter series.)
#3) Read a book with a buddy
Something I like to do with my friends is collectively choose a book to read and talk about it. It’s so much more fun to read when you’re reading with a buddy; you can dive into deeper discussions about characters and the plot, and have someone who will motivate you to keep reading (especially when they’re 100 pages ahead of you). I encourage you to find a friend and start a new book together!
#4) Set Manageable Goals
One of the reasons why people stop reading a book is because it doesn’t get interesting in the first 50 pages. But most books gradually build up the world and characters throughout the course of the story. If finishing a novel on top of your busy schedule feels impossible, start small. Maybe it’s setting a goal to read for 15 minutes for bedtime or reading a chapter a day. Break up your reading session into more manageable chunks, and you’ll realize how easy it’ll become to read the next day, once you’ve finally gotten to the fun part.
#5) Create a Reading Ritual
One of the most relaxing and best ways to read is by first setting up your space. Get all cozy in your blankets, get that hot cup of tea, and surround yourself in all your favorite pillows. Of course, lighting is crucial, so light your candles and warm the setting of your lighting to set yourself up for the perfect mood to read. Create a little ritual for yourself every day, a designated spot and time out of your day where you set your space up for reading. Make sure to bring your snacks!
So here it is, my ultimate guide to getting out of a reading slump. But out of all of these, the key message is that your reading experience should be enjoyable. It shouldn’t feel punishing, like an extra homework assignment you have to do every single day. While it is good to get out of a reading slump soon, it’s also important to give yourself permission to take a break if you need to. Don’t force yourself to finish a book when you don’t feel like it because you’ll just be reading words and it’ll be a waste of time. But ultimately, when you feel it’s time to finally pick up a book from a library and don’t know where to start, just know this friendly book guide is here for you.