I am an avid reader. For the past 5 or more years, I have taken the challenge to read 50 books in a year. I’m happy to write that I just finished book #50 for 2024! As much as I love to read, there are times when I find myself in a reading slump. I think we have all been there. Life gets busy. You start a book you aren’t thrilled to finish. You pick up other hobbies. You skip reading for a few days. Then the next thing you know, weeks have gone by, and you haven’t picked up a book. When that happens, it can be a challenge to get back into the habit of reading. I know; I have been there. So, what do you do?

These are a few things that have helped me when I find myself in a reading slump:

Choose a Captivating Book

If you are trying to get back into the habit of reading, you don’t want to pick up War and Peace by Tolstoy. Leave that one for another day. Choose something that will catch your interest and reignite that passion for a good story.

My usual genre of choice would be non-fiction. But at times when I’m trying to get back into the habit of reading, historical fiction is often my go-to. When I am reminded of the thrill that comes from a book that you can’t put down, I am thrust back into making room in my life for reading.

Put It Down If It’s Not Something You Love

If you’ve been trying for months to finish a book before you move on, but that is what’s caused you to “fall out of love” with reading, put it down. You can always return to it later. Or you have my permission to never revisit it again!

As a girl who believes in finishing what I start, that was a hard lesson to let myself accept. But several of my reading slumps were caused by me trying to trudge through a book that I did not care about. When I allowed myself the freedom to move on, the love for books returned.

Make Time for Reading

Sometimes the slump comes because time for reading gets crowded out of our busy schedules. That happens, and it’s ok! Different seasons call for different things. God did design our bodies and minds to need rest though. Even in busy seasons, most of us find some time to unwind. It is tempting to give that time to scrolling or watching TV. Before you know it, and hour is gone, and you walk away without feeling relaxed. I know I am guilty of this from time to time. Reading does for my body and mind what the glow of a screen will never accomplish.

I am a busy wife, mama, and so much more. I have learned throughout the past decade of marriage and family life, that I need to have times of rejuvenation for myself. Carving out even a few moments in the day to read fills me up more than most other hobbies.

Read Shorter Books

We all like the feeling of accomplishment. There is joy in reading the final page of a book, closing its cover, and saying goodbye (or until next time!) When you are in a reading slump, maybe you just need to choose a shorter, more digestible book to give yourself that feeling. Then when you find yourself back in the habit, you can tackle the longer reads.

This happened to me once when I was working through a VERY long book with lots of information. I was finding myself reading less and less because I felt that I would never finish the book. I decided to commit to reading one portion of that book each day, and then moving onto a shorter book. That helped me so much! Seeing progress made on my reading goal and ticking books off my to-read list gave me the desire to keep reading as a habit. Slowly but surely, I worked through the long book and finished it! I’m glad I didn’t wait until I had to start reading something else!

Commit to a Chapter A Day

Often, we need to set a goal to give ourselves the motivation to act on something we desire for ourselves. Committing to read one chapter each day can help kick-start the habit. This doesn’t take a large amount of time and energy. You can read one chapter in 10 minutes or less! It does set you on a path back to where you desire to be. One day, your one chapter might become two. A week later, you might find yourself looking forward to as many chapters as you can fit in!

This is a helpful tip for me, especially when I am working through a book that isn’t quite as captivating as others. I might have a fun fiction read that I’m loving, but I make myself read one chapter from the book that isn’t as interesting first.

Organize Your Bookshelf

Something as simple as organizing your bookshelf can be a reminder of all the wonderful books you have that you have yet to read!

I recently did this, and now I have a stack of books sitting on my office desk that I can’t wait to read! I have determined to wrap up a few others before I plunge into this new stack, but I can hardly wait! That keeps me focused on working through my current reads.

Utilize Audiobooks

Audiobooks can be a wonderful option for those who desire to read yet find themselves in a busy season. Audiobooks are still books!

I tend to be more old-school. I would much prefer a printed book to an audiobook, or even to an e-Book. But there have been times when audiobooks better fit the demands I had in that season of life. Reading books that way still allowed me to keep up with my reading goals and enjoy good books.

If you’ve known me for long, you’ll know how passionate I am about books and reading! But even I have times where reading is not something I want to do. These tips have been helpful to get me back on track! I hope they will be for you.

Do you have any advice to add? What helps you when you are in a reading slump? Email me at nohighercallingpodcast@gmail.com and let me know! I might add your tip to the list!