Books

Six Tips for Getting out of a Reading Slump

I am currently in a ‘reading slump.’  As a graduate school student who has taken several courses on reading required books, I haven’t had much of a chance to select titles for my  leisure. Sure, there are some books that are enjoyable in my classes–some titles that are both fantastic and memorable, but grad school is rather fast-paced, and you do not linger too much on a single title. In some classes, I even read up to a thousand pages or more a week!

People can have reading slumps for a few reasons. I usually go through reading slumps on and off, going through periods where I read and others when I do not read too much Others may not have slumps as often. Everyone is different. I hope these tips do help a bit!

1.) What is the cause of your reading slump?

You could try to find out the reason behind your slump. Maybe you have several books in your to-be-read stacks, and are unsure of where to start. Or, you picked up a few titles that may not have been enjoyable. I feel like my own slump is a result of burnout from graduate school.

2.) Realize that you may not always be motivated to read for leisure…and that is okay!

Reading should be an enjoyable hobby.  At times, you may not feel like reading. Your books will still be there on your shelves when you are ready! Sometimes it is okay to take a break from reading, especially if you feel burnt out.

An amazing guide on Book Riot discusses reading slumps in more detail, specifically on the topic of accepting reading slumps.

3.) Pick up a shorter book with brief chapters.

This tip works a bit for me. I like to read shorter titles with brief chapters as a motivator. Motivation usually is a big factor in my own reading slumps. Each chapter read, no matter how brief, feels like a small accomplishment. It may be challenging, perhaps even intimidating to read a book that is a bit longer.

4.) Try Picking up a Book Planner or Journal

Book planners or journals are a fun way to get your motivation back. Between writing down books that you plan on reading, to documenting books that you have picked up, or even setting up small goals, these planners and journals can really help! Several book planners and journals are available. Although as of this blog post, the above Always Fully Booked 2020 planner is sold out, there are several other planners available on Etsy, including this one. If budget is a concern, you could always try making your own journal. or planner.

5.) Switch Things Up!

Do you usually read on certain topics or genres? You could try reading a different genre or topic. If you usually read physical copies, maybe give audio books or e-books a try! I sometimes read e-books. One great thing about e-books is that they can be read across different devices. Sometimes I switch from reading on Amazon on my laptop and view books on my phone or Kindle.

Bonus Tip: 

6.) Re-read your favorite books!

My favorite book series is Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Re-reading series can be really fun. You can see how much characters have grown or changed or look at the story line from a new perspective.

 

 

 

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