Hey everyone, please help your girl out.😢
I just need some advice.
So, I’ve bought a lot of books since last year, but I haven’t finished a single one—not even a page. I really wanna enjoy reading and become a “bookworm,” but I just can’t get into it.😣
My main problem is I get distracted really easily. After a few lines, my mind starts jumping to other things, and I end up stopping and not coming back.
I’m not just looking for motivation—I’m hoping for something practical.
– How do you stay focused when reading?
– Any routines or habits that actually worked for you?
– Any beginner-friendly book recommendations?
– Has anyone been in the same situation and improved?
I really want to change this and finally start reading. Any tips or advice would really help.
Thanks in advance everyone!🙏
by Recent_District_8637
6 Comments
It’s like any muscle. You need to train to increase endurance. Maybe try reading a paragraph a day/per session to start developing the habit. You will probably start getting more interested and reading more than the one paragraph pretty quickly.
What kind of books are you reading? I find I get more easily distracted when I’m reading books I’m not actually that interested in.
I’d use the “finger guide” technique to make sure you know where you are in the book. You can also use a bookmark for the same reason.
Try The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides.
You might be reading the wrong books. What genres have you tried so far? What books have you started? Why did you pick them and why did you DNF? Slow burns aren’t for me because I lose interest, even though I know the pay off is better. I like the idea of thrillers but often I get bored if there’s not enough happening or if it’s too mundane. I hate the miscommunication trope, I need a plot driven narrative. Whereas my friend is the exact opposite. She loves slow burns thrillers and hates anything that isn’t very much set in reality. It’ll take time to figure out what you like and don’t like.
There’s a part of the narrative that you’re skipping over, maybe unconsciously: when you stop reading, *what do you do instead*? Do you go to your phone? A game? Some other project or interest? Or do you just sit there?
Focus is a subtractive, not an additive, process. Your brain doesn’t want to read because there’s something else it wants to do instead. If you put down the book and pick up that other thing, you’re basically giving that part of your brain a reward for distracting you.
When your mind wanders, let it wander… but *just* let it wander. Don’t put down the book, don’t pick up that other activity. If you don’t give yourself that other stimulus your brain wants, eventually your thoughts will wander back to the book.
Link your reading with a specific activity, like drinking a cup of coffee in the morning, or finishing brushing your teeth after dinner. And start really small. Read one page or three minutes and only go longer if you really want to. But try not to miss a day, because you want to build the habit and train your brain to expect reading.
If you find you’re not enjoying the book switch to something else until you find what you really like. I usually recommend finding books that are similar to the TV and movies you enjoy. And try short stories – they can be rewarding because you get to finish something quickly. Don’t give up, any new skill takes time to develop.