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(Spoiler: Actively reading is only half the battle)
Reading was something I picked up at a very young age, something I carried with me throughout my academic years, and something I do often even now in my late 20s. That in mind, I would be a liar if I said that I’ve been an avid reader for the entirety of my life. There was about a 6 year span where I probably read a total of… 3, maybe 4 books? And whether or not I actually finished them is anyone’s guess.
Some time ago, though, I realized that my passion for reading had faded and as a result so had my ability to focus and stay with a book for a prolonged period of time. I went from reading a hefty amount of books to not really reading much at all and then expected to pick up a book and fly through it like I’d done in the years prior.
But, that’s not how we operate as humans. Not with fitness or learning a new skill or mastering a recipe – and apparently, not with reading books, either.
In an effort to combat this terrible epiphany, I tried to reverse the spell by reading A LOT. I’d sit myself down with two or three books that I’d dug out of my TBR pile, get cozy and comfy and ready to indulge in a new reality ……… and then I’d fall asleep about 4 to 6 pages in. It was infuriating.
So I did what any rational person would do if they weren’t sure how to approach the problem at hand.
I googled it.
I scoured the web for advice from Reddit threads and podcast episodes and interviews with psychologists and so on and so forth. Writing this post is my attempt at sharing the things I’ve learned in a more digestible way. It’s not rocket surgery, so hopefully this article gives you some insight on why you’re struggling to stick with the books you’re picking up.
You might not be able to read like you want, because ……..
You haven’t assessed your unrelated, but immediate needs.
- This advice is all me. This is a truth you’ll see me preach throughout my blog. Three things that impact me more than most other factors when it comes to my ability to function on a cognitive level: water intake, nourishment and sleep hygeine.
- – If you didn’t sleep well the night before or haven’t been sleeping well though the week before you sat down to read, chances are you are going to experience a heavy struggle in trying to focus on the words in front of you and actively absorb that information.
- – If you haven’t eaten or you haven’t been drinking enough water throughout the day – you guessed it. Ding-ding-ding. You can’t focus! Remember when the big tests in school would roll around and the emphasized the importance of a healthy breakfast the night before? Same concept. The brain needs fuel to function and functioning effectively is an essential part of successful reading.
You’ve got too much on your mind elsewhere.
- – This one is difficult to combat. The world we live in today is riddled with gimme-gimme-your-attention distractions. I don’t just mean the phones, either. I mean mentally. We all have a tendency to jump from one train of thought to another without letting any of them reach a destination.
- – For this roadblock specifically, I’ve found a couple pieces of advice worth sharing:
- – Try something that isn’t reading, but requires the same focus level. Coloring is a great example. My go-to coloring books are usually horror or Halloween based (especially this time of year). If you’re looking for something similar you can find them here on Amazon. Once you’re able to sit down and put your focus into something that isn’t reading, transfer to your book and give it a go.
- – Mindfulness & meditations come into play here. Try guided meditations on Youtube before sitting down to read in an effort to clear your mind of unwarranted thoughts that may prevent you from taking in your story.
- – Turn the notifications on your phone off. Turn your Focus or Do Not Disturb on. Set a timer for reading and dedicate time to your practice.
- – Try something that isn’t reading, but requires the same focus level. Coloring is a great example. My go-to coloring books are usually horror or Halloween based (especially this time of year). If you’re looking for something similar you can find them here on Amazon. Once you’re able to sit down and put your focus into something that isn’t reading, transfer to your book and give it a go.
You’ve fallen into the social media skimming habit.
- – THIS IS OKAY! Just because you’ve developed a habit doesn’t mean that you can’t un-develop it. Especially if the outcome is getting to read a book cover to cover, right?
- – Bare this in mind and hop over to this NPR Lifekit Podcast episode that covers ‘deep reading‘ featuring facts, tips and tricks on how to get a better grip on your skimming habits.
You’re reading the wrong books.
- – Everyone has different flavor palettes when it comes to their book selection. Some people enjoy chocolate and some people enjoy cheese – BUT HERE’S THE KICKER: those tastes change as time passes. I go through phases of reading specific genres but I typically rotate between the same few. As I got older, I would drop a genre and replace it with another.
- – Try searching for similar authors instead of just books within a similar genre. Maybe you enjoy a specific writing style and not necessarily a direct genre or theme. Broaden your horizons a bit.
- – Try a “blind date with a book.”
- – Head over to this book recommendations page from bookshop.org. I’ll try to keep this updated often; I hope it serves as a useful resource to anyone out there who may need direction on what to read next.