How to Get Back Into Reading and Out of a Reading Slump
You do not have to catch up on the books you missed. Start with one you want to open today, even if you have read it before.
A small restart plan
Today
Choose one inviting book
Next session
Read for ten minutes
Then
Keep it or try another
Set the unfinished pile aside
You can come back to those books later. Pick one book for now. If a half-finished novel feels like an obligation, it does not have to be your restart.
Choose something familiar
Reread a favorite, try an author you liked, or find a short book in a genre you used to enjoy. You can also choose something completely different. Your taste may have changed.
Find a small opening in your day
Try ten minutes after breakfast or before bed. Put the book within reach and silence notifications. If you read on your phone, open the book first and use Do Not Disturb.
Decide what you want to return to
After a few sessions, ask whether you want to keep reading this book. If yes, leave it ready for next time. If no, swap it. Finishing this particular book is optional.
Make the restart fit the problem
- Too many unread books
- Put just one by your chair
- Nothing holds my interest
- Reread a favorite chapter
- My phone takes over
- Use Do Not Disturb for one session
- I miss talking about books
- Ask a friend what they are reading
A few quick answers
Should I restart my unfinished book?
Only if you want to. Skim a few earlier pages to find your place, or start again if that sounds enjoyable. Choosing another book is fine too.
How much should I read each day?
Choose an amount you can fit into your day. Try five or ten minutes first, and read longer when you want to. You do not need an annual book target to begin again.
What if I miss a week?
Return to your bookmark. There is no reading debt to repay and no need to double the next session.
Read it with the Guild
Read with friends, wherever they are.
Read with friends online, track your books, decorate your digital bookshelf, and meet new readers. ReadersGuild is like a 24-hour book club inside your personal library.
“I built this to read with my friends a thousand miles away.”
Fabio JonathanFounder of ReadersGuild
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Further reading: Australia Reads: tips for getting into reading.
Any session lengths or routines suggested here are starting points, not a formula.