How to Get Back Into Reading | Best Reading Slump Tips

If you’ve been a bookworm for a long time, you’ve probably experienced seasons where you had to get back into reading after being in a reading slump. Learning how to get back into reading books again and regain a love of reading can feel a little strange.

You shouldn’t force it, right? Reading is meant to be fun and enjoyable. It’s a hobby—it shouldn’t be a chore.

While this is all true, a passion for reading can ebb and flow—just like any passion. Sometimes you get burned out with reading, sometimes you get distracted, or sometimes you just have a lot going on and reading doesn’t always “scratch that itch.”

Reading slump meaning

If you’ve been looking for THE reading slump definition, I’ll tell you that everyone has a different idea of what a reading slump means and what leads to a slump.

Here are my very professional (kidding) thoughts on reading slumps!

Is a reading slump real?

Why, yes. Yes it is. 😂

In the book world, there are lots of bookish definitions. Book hangovers, for example, are what we call that feeling when you finish a book that was **oh so good** and you just don’t feel ready to dive into another one quite yet.

Reading slumps are periods of time where you either (a) don’t finish reading any books; (b) don’t pick up books, let alone finish them; or (c) read a string of “meh” books that don’t really make you excited about reading.

Is it normal to be in a reading slump?

Why, yes, again. Yes, it is normal to be in a reading slump!! ESPECIALLY if you’re a voracious reader or you have a public reading life or any kind of “expectations” attached to your reading experiences. Even if you love books more than most things in this world, reading slumps are just par for the course.

What causes a reading slump?

There are SO many reasons you can find yourself in a reading slump. Maybe you have some personal things going on in your life, and reading during a chaotic or stressful season just isn’t happening for you.

I know I get pretty distracted and scatterbrained when I am in stressful seasons or life—or I just feel too anxious and need to relax other ways (hello, Netflix shows!).

Some people are escapist readers and they read to relax. Others read when they’re relaxed. It really just depends on your personality, your circumstances, your mood . . . there are so many reasons to feel BLEH about reading.

Maybe you read a book you hated and you just don’t feel like picking up another book. Maybe you just haven’t felt that **SPARK** with a book in a while!

Maybe you’re in a busy season and you’re so tired that if you tried to sit down and read you’d fall asleep in two seconds (pretty much what my postpartum reading experience was like).

If you’re wondering what the signs of a reading slump are, these are it. Any time you just aren’t gravitating toward a book or prioritizing reading for some reason, you can admit it to yourself. You’re in a reading slump. It’s okay—naming it is the first step. 🤣

Reading habits and routines

If you’re wondering how to get back into reading after a long time—or even a short time!—here are some ideas for you. The biggest tips to get out of a reading slump I have are about setting up habits and routines.

Getting back into a habit of reading means you’re keeping books on your radar—physically and mentally.

Set blocks of time in your schedule so you can build a reading habit into your routine and actually make time to read. But make sure it’s a realistic amount of time. You don’t need to block off an hour of reading every night if you’re too busy right now or not focused enough!

Starting small

Maybe you can commit to fifteen minutes at lunch or before bed.

Look at the natural lulls in your day, and think about your energy levels. And I can’t stress this enough: Don’t copy someone else’s reading habits! What works for one reader may not work for you.

Be honest with yourself about what time would be best to naturally integrate reading into your schedule—without a ton of sacrifice. (Psst, sacrifice is a part of this plan, so get ready for that. But for now, think small steps!)

Romanticizing your reading routine

Another habit you could build is something I like to call regular reading dates. I have a weekly time I like to visit the library, and it always motivates me to read.

But also, maybe you could plan a special trip to a bookstore or read at a coffee shop you love. Meet up with a friend to chat about books you’ve loved or what they’re currently reading.

Have a cozy reading night with snacks, candles, and ambient music. Romanticize reading in your everyday life!

Setting up an environment for reading

If you physically have books lying around your house or piles of books you want to read within your line of vision, you will be much more likely to pick up a book and read.

And don’t overthink this. It doesn’t have to be the best books you’ve ever read lining your shelves and your most anticipated books of the year on your nightstand.

It can be books you know nothing about, but the cover stood out to you at the library. It can be books you forgot about for years. Dust them off, and treat them like decoration. Keep them on display, and you may be drawn to reading them.

I like to do this for any book mail that comes through. Even if I’m currently reading a different book or I can’t get to the new book for whatever reason, just looking at a new book that I’m excited about makes me smile.

Keep books . . .

• On your nightstand (the more the merrier!)
• On your window sills (it’s pretty!)
• On your bookshelves (duh)
• On your coffee table (in case you reach for it while lounging)
• By your desk (everyone needs a brain break!)
• In your purse/bag (appointments and carpool lines!)
• In your car (what if you have an unexpected stop?)
• In your bathroom (why not?!)
• In your kitchen (water’s gotta boil, right?!)
• On your e-reader and phone (keep ’em stocked, baby!)

Tips on how to get back into reading . . . fast

Besides building a reading habit and then creating an environment that supports your reading habit, these are my top best tips on how to get back into reading books and regain a love for reading.

Put screens away and limit your sensory overload.

You knew it would be on the list! Binging Netflix, endlessly scrolling on your phone, and, in general, the mindless sensory overload can totally lead to a reading slump and make it tricky to get back into reading. It’s not that you don’t want to read, but let’s be real: You want to entertain yourself in other ways, more.

There’s nothing wrong with that. I think recognizing that you’re in a season like that is perfectly OKAY. But, if you’re actively trying to figure out how to get back into reading after a long time of doom scrolling every night (hi, it’s me!), you have to be intentional and remove distractions.

Finish ANY book.

Don’t be picky, and don’t overthink it. The fastest way to get out of a reading slump is to finish. a. book. I’m telling you. It doesn’t have to be a 5-star book club book. It does need to be enjoyable. You don’t have to remember it next year, next month, or even next week. Sometimes the only way out is through!

Put down the book you were reading when you got stuck.

Don’t let anything get in the way of you finishing a book! This includes any books you’re currently reading that are just “meh.”

Even if you’re in the middle of the book or toward the end, if you aren’t gravitating toward that book or you noticed your reading slump started while reading that book, put it down. You can always return to it at another time! Life is too short to slog through books you don’t want to be reading.

Try an audiobook and switch up your format.

Audiobooks are a great way to get out of a reading slump, especially when you’re in a busy season when it feels too hard to sit down and physically read. I have a whole guide on how to start listening to audiobooks if you’re a newbie, but for real: Don’t sleep on audiobooks.

Also, switch up your format in general. If you normally read print books, try to read on an e-book for a bit. It might jiggle something free in your brain. Sometimes the percentage at the end of the e-reader page is what I need to keep turning pages!

When I became a mom, audiobooks were my saving grace. When I was in my postpartum months, I read on my Kindle (in very large type!) since it was the easiest option while breastfeeding and those late-night wake-ups.

Try altering your format, type, audiobook speed . . . whatever you need!

RELATED: 18 Best Audiobooks of All Time to Pick Next

Treat yourself when you’re reading!

There’s a lot of evidence that rewards work when you’re trying to build a new habit, even if it’s a small reward. Figure out your “why” and then treat yourself when you make it happen—even if you only read a page.

Maybe it’s a piece of chocolate, maybe it’s a special coffee drink, maybe it’s something else. Give yourself a pat on the back for starting small. You’ll be more encouraged to keep going!

Read the first chapter of a few books before you pick one.

If “just finish ANY book” sounds too difficult or like too much of a commitment right now, take an hour in the afternoon and read the first few pages or a chapter of multiple books.

Then, continue to read whichever one grabs you the most. Read diversely. You may think you’re exclusively a nonfiction reader, but if that’s not working for you right now, try the fiction on your shelf.

Read a little from your best thriller books list, a romance book, or a literary fiction. Try out authors who have very different prose and see if anything sticks.

Try short stories or short books.

Again, think plot-driven books like thrillers or mysteries. Something that makes you want to turn pages to see what will happen!

Check the list below for good short books to read when you’re in a reading slump, but also check some classic short stories to keep your interest.

RELATED: Book Review: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Write out a to-be-read (TBR) list.

Sometimes having a list of books you can’t wait to read is the kick in the pants you need. If it’s too overwhelming to do this, don’t. But a lot of readers don’t pick up a book because they don’t know what to read next, and then, before you know it, they feel stuck.

Keeping a list of the next few books you can read can be really helpful!

Reread (if you know that’s your thing).

If you have a beloved book you’ve read more than a year ago, try rereading it. Some people hate to reread, but if you feel neutral about it or you enjoy rereading favorites, give it a go.

Just make sure it’s a book you loved (duh). You can even try it in a different format, e.g., try it on audio if you only ever physically read it so that it feels new still.

Look for bookish inspiration.

Stay inspired in your reading life! This can look any way you want it to.

• Check out what books publishers are releasing later in the year.
• Find a favorite author on Instagram and see what they’re up to.
• Browse a book blog (hey! I see you!)
• Look up book quotes on Pinterest.
• Listen to a book podcast (Book Talk, Etc. is a favorite of mine!)

If you’re not filling your ears or your eyeballs with books, at least fill them with book talk. You never know what could inspire you to pick up a book after a reading slump.

Take action in your reading life

Whether you want to start a book club or start small and just set your annual Goodreads challenge to X books, take a step toward a more intentional reading life.

Making time to read and actively trying to get out of a reading slump is tricky and will likely require some sacrifice, tbh. But don’t forget the joy of reading!!

Focus on the love of reading and remember that our capacity for reading changes all the time, just as our seasons of life change. And that’s okay.

If you want to figure out how to get back into reading, remember why you started in the first place. It’s not about reading a number of books every month or year. It’s about consuming stories you love—stories that change you!

I’d love to know how you break out of a reading slump and get back into reading after a long time. What are your tips/hacks/secrets!? Let me know!