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Stuck in a Reading Slump? Here’s How to Get Out
I’ve recently come out of a reading slump that lasted a few months.
It all started when I fell into a depressive episode that wiped out all my motivation. Hobbies and healthy habits fell to the side as my depression took over, and my love for reading was one of the casualties.
But as of a month and a half ago, I’ve rekindled my love for reading and am back to devouring books like I was before.
Here’s what I did to break out of my reading slump:
1. Let go of judgment
When you’re in a reading slump, your bookshelf can become a source of pain and guilt. Where once it functioned as the home of your favorite reads, it may now feel as if it’s only a trigger for self-judgment.
This happened to me, too.
I’d walk by the bookshelf and instantly be overcome with guilt. Guilt about how much money I had spent on my books, about how I was falling behind on my Goodreads Reading Challenge for the year, and even about how my TBR list was only growing.
But I realized that torturing myself this way was the perfect way to ensure I’d never read again. Why would I pick up a book when I can’t even stand to look at my bookshelf? It’s only when I let go of the guilt that I felt comfortable enough to consider reading.
2. Get familiar
Once you’ve managed to release some of the guilt and pressure you felt about reading, consider going back to your bookshelf and getting reacquainted with your collection.
Stand in front of your bookshelf and simply admire your books. If any one book catches your attention, pick it up and skim through the pages. Smell the book if you want. The idea here is to get familiar with the contents of your bookshelf, as reaching for a book will feel much easier if you know what you have.
3. Declutter and reorganize
After you get familiar with your bookshelf, take the time to declutter your collection. You’re not the same person you were since the last time you read, and some of the books on…
