How to Enjoy Reading Again
I've recently rediscovered my love of reading after about a decade off, here's how I did it:
- Found the right book for me
- Started small with a modest, achievable daily reading goal
- Made reading feel like a treat
- Started a reading journal
I Used to Love Reading, What Went Wrong?
I used to love reading as a kid.
I remember when The Twits came out, I begged my parents to buy it for me during our weekly food shop, and I'd finished reading it by the time we got to the supermarket checkout!
I was such a big reader until I left home to go to university at 19. Of course, I'd taken breaks from reading during intense study/exam periods, but I always came back to reading as soon as I could.
But my textiles degree, followed immediately by a teacher training degree, and then almost straight into motherhood meant that I never really returned to reading for fun. The thing is, when you've had to read what feels like 437 books on semiotics, feminism and the media, and then 88 books about the psychology of education, well... the enjoyment disappears pretty quickly. Those kind of books are not fun.
Life just got in the way. Before I knew it, the only reading I was doing was The Gruffalo and Each Peach Pear Plum (absolute childhood classics, btw, and yes, I can still recite Each Peach Pear Plum word for word).
I've tried a few times to get back into reading, but with no luck.
I was loaned a huge book by a friend who reads books quicker than anyone I've ever met, and I was so intimidated by its size that I abandoned it half way through and pretended I'd read it. That put me off for a few more years.
One holiday I read Eat, Pray, Love, and I was so moved by it that I decided to do a yoga teacher training course. That meant a year of intense yoga study, which, again, sucked the enjoyment out of reading for me. Don't get me wrong, The Bhagavad Gita and The Upanishads are incredible books, but they aren't conducive to a light hearted, easy reading experience.
It turns out my toxic trait is signing up for intense courses that mean swapping fun books for text books, and then wondering why I've fallen out of love with reading.
What I Did to Get My Reading Mojo Back
After many failed attempts, I think this time, I've actually cracked it and I am head over heels in love with reading again. It's a life-long commitment now; reading has become such an integral part of my day that I can't ever see me stopping now.
Step 1- Choose the Right Book
Choosing the right book is the one thing that makes the biggest difference when it comes to falling back in love with reading.
If you have the right book for you, reading won't feel like a chore; you'll know if you have the wrong book because you won't look forward to sitting down to read it.
How to choose the right book?
There is no right or wrong way to choose a book, but I've found these things help me to pick what to read next:
- Search for a book you've enjoyed and then see what else comes up as recommended/similar
- Search on social media for #BookTok or #Bookstagram to find recommendations
- Choose the book of a film you've loved
- Read the first few pages and see if they grab your attention.
TL;DR: Don't jump straight in with something heavy, challenging or boring.
Step 2- Set Achievable Goals
I know some readers who get through at least one book a week, which feels impossible for me as someone just getting back into reading.
Instead of setting goals like 'I will read 1 book a month' or 'I will read 50 pages a day', try something easier to achieve, like 'I will read for 10 minutes a day' or 'I will carry a book with me in my handbag so I can read while on the bus to work'.
Don't set really specific reading goals that are easy to fail.
Step 3- Make Reading Feel Like a Treat
If reading is a pleasant experience, you are way more likely to keep going with it.
Personally, I read just before bed every evening- it's a screen-free way to unwind before bed. I get into my comfy pyjamas, make a cup of my favourite herbal tea and sometimes I might even bring snacks.
Step 4- Build Reading into Your Day
Find a time that you could easily introduce reading, even if only a few pages. Perhaps you pick the kids up from school and get 10 glorious minutes of alone time in the car that you usually spend doom-scrolling. Or maybe you get a solo lunch break at work and could read while you eat. Or you might be one of those early risers who gets up before everyone else and can spend 15 minutes reading while you drink your coffee.
Have a look at how you structure a regular day and ask, 'where can I easily add reading into my day?'
Step 5- Switch the Format
If you're thinking step 4 sounds impossible for you, you could always try switching up the format of your reading material. You could try a Kindle or reading app on your phone and switch doom scrolling habits for reading on your phone. Or if you just don't have the time or desire to physically read words on a page, you could try an audiobook (yes, audiobooks still count!)
Step 6- Ditch the Pressure
You absolutely do not need to put any pressure on yourself here! reading should be a fun thing to offer time to unwind, escape and relax. Putting any sort of pressure on yourself to hit big goals or finish a book in a set amount of time will just add stress into the mix.
If you miss a day, it literally does not matter at all - not one tiny bit.
But if you find that you've missed a week, then it's worth looking at your book choice to see if maybe you need to find one you enjoy more.
Step 7- Keep a Reading Journal
This really helped me to keep a track of what I've enjoyed, what wasn't for me, and to hold myself just the right amount of accountable.
I started colouring in a daily reading tracker so I could see exactly when and how much I've read each day. I'm not joking when I say that I became a bit addicted to colouring in that little circle each day- it's like a grown up version of a sticker reward chart!
There are, of course, plenty of apps online to help you keep track of what you've read, write your own reviews and join in reading challenges, but I'm an old-fashioned pen and paper kind of girl. I like the screen-free process of writing with a fancy pen on proper paper.
That's exactly why I've created our brand new reading journal - it's got everything you could possibly want to track your reading and keep all your ideas in one place. The reading journal is available here (plus, it's an ideal gift for the bookworm in your life).
Enjoying Reading With ADHD
Those of you who have been with me for a while here will know that I've recently been diagnosed with ADHD. This final piece of the puzzle was a total game changer for me; it unlocked the information I needed to understand how my neurospicy brain works, meaning I could finally start taming the chaos, sort my life out and start reading for fun again.
The ADHD tips I discovered to help me start to enjoy reading again:
- Short bursts of reading rather than longer sessions
- Remove background distractions like noise
- Make the experience lovely (nice tea in a favourite mug, cosy blankets, light a candle, read in the bath - whatever works for you)
- Read a series of books - it's the perfect mix of familiarity and newness
- Keep a daily reading journal to get a little dopamine hit every time you read
- Get comfy - resist the ADHD urge to sit cross-legged on the floor or lie on the sofa with your head hanging off the seat and your legs up the wall. Your back won't thank you for it, you'll get arm ache, and you are way less likely to build a regular reading habit. Get comfy with cushions, sit up in bed or on a chair.
- Body Doubling - I sit and read and my husband will sit and read his book next to me- just having him there helps me stay on-task. We don't usually talk much, but having him there next to me is enough to stop me picking up my phone or turning on the TV.
Final Thoughts
Reading can absolutely be something you enjoy again, but only if you approach it in the right way. Start small and set tiny, achievable goals that you can easily achieve, and record everything in a book journal for a little dopamine hit each time you read. You only need a couple of minutes each day, so find an easy way to build it into your routine. Make it feel like a treat and you're way more likely to create a regular reading habit.
I'm so glad I started reading again! What books have you loved reading in the past? Let me know your recommendations!
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