How to Get Out of a Reading Slump (Without Forcing It)
If you’re stuck in a reading slump and can’t seem to focus long enough to finish a book, you my friend, are not alone. Reading slumps happen, especially when life feels busy, noisy, or overstimulating. The issue usually isn’t that you don’t love reading anymore. It’s that your brain needs a more gentle approach to get back on the book reading saddle.
This is how I personally get out of a reading slump EVERY 👏 SINGLE 👏 TIME 👏
My Favorite Trick: Listen While You Read
The fastest way I get through a reading slump is by borrowing the audiobook version of whatever book I’m trying to get into from my library and listening while I read the physical copy at the same time.
There’s something so warm and calming about being read to. It reminds me of being a kid at bedtime, when stories felt effortless. Pairing audio with reading keeps my focus anchored, quiets mental chatter, and helps me build my reading momentum again. If you’ve been wondering how to get out of your reading slump, I stand by this approach. I genuinely believe this method is a game changer.
Start Small (Momentum Matters)
When you’re trying to get back into reading, pressure is the enemy. I don’t aim for long reading sessions. I aim for one chapter or five minutes. Sometimes it’s even just a paragraph!!
More often than not, that small commitment turns into more (eventually). And if it doesn’t, I say it still counts! Reading consistency doesn’t need to be intense to be effective. I feel this way about all the habits I like to keep in my life.
Choose Comfort Over “Should Reads”
A reading slump is not the time to force yourself through a book you’re not enjoying. Let it go b!tch. Stop carrying that freaking book around everywhere when you secretly know it stinks (even if your mom’s best friend’s cousin’s uncle said it was the best book they ever read 🙄)
Pick something comforting, familiar, or purely entertaining (may I suggest: The Dutch House by Ann Patchett). Rereads are welcome here. So are light novels, memoirs, or anything that reminds you that reading is meant to feel good.
Reading Slumps and Skincare Have a Lot in Common
This approach reminds me so much of skincare.
When skin gets overwhelmed, you don’t add more actives. You simplify. You support the barrier. You gently help things rebalance. Getting out of a reading slump works the same way. Audiobooks are support. Short reading sessions are support. Removing pressure is support.
Sometimes the reset is the solution.
Why We Created Books & Bloom
This is exactly the philosophy behind Books & Bloom, our cozy reading community at Wander to Bloom. There’s no required reading list and no pressure to finish anything. It’s about sharing what you loved, swapping book recommendations, slowing down, and reconnecting with reading in a way that feels nourishing.
If you’re local to Bridgewater, MA and looking for a book club that feels relaxed and welcoming, Books & Bloom was created for you.
You can learn more and join the Books & Bloom community here.
A Gentle Reminder
If you’re stuck in a reading slump, give yourself permission to make it easier. Let someone read to you. Choose comfort over productivity. Treat your brain the same way you’d treat your skin when it needs extra care.
That’s usually all it takes for me to fall back in love with reading. Hopefully this trick will work for you too ❤️