Starting or restarting any habit can feel overwhelming. Sometimes, we put a lot of unnecessary pressure on ourselves when trying to do either. It’s normal to fall off the wagon — some days (or in my case, years) you just can’t. That’s okay. Let’s break down how can you start making reading a fun habit (again)!
1. Give yourself a break.
Building a habit takes time. While I think it’s good to visualize succeeding at something, sometimes reality slaps a little too hard — and that can hurt. Don’t beat yourself up for not being able to read for an hour straight. Definitely do not beat yourself up for not finishing a book.
2. Read what you want.
If you find that you’ve dropped off from reading because of the book you’re reading, stop. Just pick up another one. Or you can do what I do and drop the book and nap for a bit (a few minutes to a few hours, no judgment). Read a few pages. If you like it, great! Keep going. If you hate it, find another one.
I will never tire of saying it: reading should be fun. When you are reading something interesting to you, that makes it fun. When something is fun, it is easier to stick with it. Don’t be afraid to sift through books until you find one that hooks you. That’s what book recommendations are for!
Learn to suspend judgment about exploring your interests. Finding something you enjoy reading helps you learn a lot about yourself, too.
3. Go a little at a time.
Reading a little every day is a lot easier to do. It makes the activity a lot less intimidating, making it less likely to deter you from doing it. Building a habit is about consistency. Make it easy to be consistent by going a little at a time. Eventually, you’ll be able to read for longer. So what if you read five pages a day, as long as you’re reading five pages every day for 30 days?
This is similar to the concept of progressive overload in fitness. Make it incrementally challenging over time. You won’t get jacked, but your brain will build new synapses—pretty sure that’s considered attractive, too.
Going at a consistent pace helps you go through the story a lot more quickly and enjoy it. Compare this to reading a book for an hour, and dropping off again for a week. It’s more likely that you will have forgotten most of what’s happened, or you’ll feel disconnected from the story. Perhaps you’ll have to start over. The combination of these feelings is what makes it hard to pick up again.
Making reading a habit can feel daunting, so simplify the experience. Exercise compassion when you slip up. Practice patience when your attention span wanes. Read what you want, whatever that is, and read a little every day. Whatever you do, make reading fun for you.
If you’re looking for book recommendations to jumpstart your reading habit, check out these 12 amazing books, or these books by iconic female authors!