How to get back into reading

[Anonymous]

I haven't read much since having kids and having to juggle a busy job, chores, etc. I find it much easier to zone out watching TV or look at my phone when I have some free time. I also find that it takes time to really get into a book, and I might have quit before I get to the point where I'm actually excited to read it or can't put it down. What are your tips for setting aside time to read for someone whose time is limited? Do you try to always read at certain times in the day (e.g. before bed)? How long do you read for? I just want to make it a good habit. Just getting through a book every month or 2 would be great.

[Anonymous]

I tend to have the opposite problem of trying to put books down so I can do other stuff.

My advice to you is to start reading material that doesn’t take much time to get into. Depending on your interests, it might be magazine articles, short stories, or a fluffy novel in your favorite genre that pulls you in immediately.

It sounds like you consider reading to be a virtuous habit you cultivate. While your ultimate goal may be to read substantive material like informative non-fiction or literary fiction to better yourself, it might be better to break the process into two steps. First, get used to reading and enjoying it. You’ll have an easier time making it a habit if you approach it as a guilty pleasure than a chore. This means don’t require yourself to do it on a set schedule if you don’t feel like it, and don’t get upset if you don’t read sometimes - even for extended periods. After you’ve been thoroughly hooked on reading, then you can proceed to step two and start to throw in the occasional classic or informational text as you’re so inclined.

If you haven’t yet, start using the Kindle (or other ereader) app on your phone. You’re probably used to having your phone with you, so that means you always have a book at hand. The supermarket line is long, you’re a few minutes early for school pickup, you’re stuck in the kitchen making sure dinner doesn’t boil over or scorch - great! You can sneak in a few more pages. While phones are hard to beat for convenience, you might find that an ereader device is easier on your eyes because it doesn’t emit light like a phone. Also, take the time occasionally to browse through a library, bookstore, or used bookstore. While reading on a phone is convenient (and my preferred format), browsing through the Amazon website or Kindle store just isn’t as engaging as browsing through the shelves of physical books.

Happy reading!

[Anonymous]

Audiobooks. You can listen via Bluetooth at home, exercising, driving.

I have a hard time reading a book but I love audiobioks.

Check out your local library for Overdrive/Libby or buy Audible editions from Amazon.

[Anonymous]

After spending about 18 months in a situation I hated, I thought I’d lost the ability to enjoy reading. Couldn’t concentrate for long enough periods that the kind of books I tend to enjoy require.

Now things are different, and I do enjoy reading for pleasure again. I do set aside a certain time of day for reading, and I read for at least an hour. I know that sounds rigid and might not work for everyone.

I started with shorter novels and a couple of biographies that I could relate to, and now I am back to history books and literary fiction.

[Anonymous]

I try to read at least 50 pages a day, and am really happy if I do 70. That's 10-20 pages 3 times a day. I'll do 20 pages in the AM, 30 in the afternoon, and anything else that day is a bonus.

You REALLY need to find the right book. I go on Goodreads and only pick 4 stars or higher. There are so many good books out there, no need to waste ore than 20 pages on a bad one. I will decide after 20-50 pages if I want to DNF. There are a lot of poorly rated books that are highly recommended on DCUM, if you live in MoCo you can browse the Lucky Day shelf for popular books. There is always 1-2 other people browsing who you can ask for advice, or I will check the GoodReads while I'm browsing. Don't ever walk into a library without a plan!

[Anonymous]

Put your phone in another room or put on a reading playlist.

Also, you could borrow the audio and ebook at the same time from your library via the Libby app and listen until you’re hooked.

Also, read something fun to start. A great mystery or romance will go quickly. Novellas are also a great way to ease into reading again.

[Anonymous]

I read after work and before dinner for about an hour, to decompress. Often with a cocktail to really reinforce that "we are not in work mode" message to my brain. It feels better than scrolling, but takes a few days to break the scrolling habit. After dinner, sometimes we read, sometimes we watch something on TV. But we do it together (partner, teens) so I feel just a little watched, which helps keep my poor mind from wandering. And then I take my book up to bed and read for between 2.5 minutes and two hours, before I fall asleep.

I read on a tablet that doesn't have any social media or communication apps on it. I find paper books to be unwieldy. The other advantage is that I can switch around really easily between the 2-3 books I have checked out from the library at any given time.

Have you tried short stories? I always thought I hated them-- that they ended before I could really get into them, but I think that might be changing. Amor Towles (Gentleman in Moscow, Rules of Civility) has a collection called Table for Two that I've really, really enjoyed. One story is one evening's worth of reading. I've been reading a pretty dense history, and when I need something lighter, I switch to short stories for a day, then go back to the heavier non-fiction.

[Anonymous]

I struggle with this in the Age of Phones, but I've had some success. I find the best time for reading is in bed before sleep. Here are my suggestions:

1) Charge your phone in a different room overnight. Get a cheap alarm clock instead. No more phones in bed.

2) If you struggle with the willpower to do that, set your phone to block all the fun apps/sites after a certain time. I've had good luck with Opal to do that.

3) At least to start, pick easy, super engaging books. Focus on "fun to read" not "I should read this" or even "this will be worthwhile and enjoyable but it will take a bit to get going." You can work up to that after the habit is established.

4) Do not be shy about stopping a book. I don't finish probably half the books I start, and I don't make it past the first chapter on probably over a third.

5) If you struggle to get started two nights in a row, it's the book. Give up, pick a new one.

6) Once I've got the habit going, I find I can turn to more of the complex books or books where I want to have the info but they aren't necessarily the most fun read. But, once you get to this stage, stay vigilant! There will be times where you need to go back to fun easy reads to keep the habit going.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Short stories are a great way back into reading. Curtis Sittenfeld has 2 really good short story collections out

You think it I'll say it

and

Show don't tell (this one is the better of the two books in my opinion)

It takes pressure off you. You can start by reading 3 pages before going to sleep and building on that.

[Anonymous]

These are all great suggestions. One thing I do if I need to get back in a reading groove is to reread a book that I’ve loved in the past, regardless of literary merit. It’s like comfort food for the brain. My guilty pleasures are The Pillars of the Earth series and especially The Thorn Birds.

[Anonymous]

Find something engrossing and easy to read. Short stories, romance, fantasy, an account of somethingyou find fascinating, something you loved back when you read more.

[Anonymous]

I found it easier to read non-fiction when my kids were small. I didn’t seem to need the same lead time to settle into the book as I did with fiction. I also found non-fiction easier to pick back up if there was a gap in reading because of being busy.

[Anonymous]

Set a goal to read 3-4 books between now and Dec 31. Look at the bestseller lists and see if you would like anything there and read that. If you like it, find something similar and go from there.

[Anonymous]

Audiobooks! I love listening while doing tedious tasks. When I’m into a really good book, I find I actually look forward to that time (laundry, watering outside, dinner prep, organizing/decluttering/purging) and am more productive, too.

I get all my audiobooks for free via the Libby app. All you need is a library card. I’ve listened to so many books that way - all genres, including mysteries, memoirs, literary fiction, spy novels, self-help books etc.

[Anonymous]

What about rereading an old favorite? It might remind you what you love about reading. And it should be easier to get into it quickly even if you have long breaks.