My number one tip is don't be afraid to DNF. (DNF stands for Did Not Finish.) I used to be someone who wanted to finish every book I started and I always held out hope a book would get better, but I read so much more if I just give up on books I'm not enjoying. Now that I DNF things more quickly it keeps me from getting into reading slumps.
this post was submitted on 03 Jul 2023
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Audiobooks.
I swore them off for a decade and I regret it so much. I've been reading for fun for the first time since I started my undergrad, and it's been amazing.
Say all you want about the "nostalgia of holding a book", but a book in your ears is better than none at all.
I spend so much of my free time listening to audiobooks nowadays. And it feels like a bit more variety having audiobooks, physical books, and ebooks available depending on mood.
Audiobooks are a weird medium for me where I'm not really sure what to do with my body while listening to them. I get easily distracted if I try to do something else like cooking or knitting, and I get fidgety if I just sit and stare at a wall. My mind just wanders and I can't lose myself in the story like I can when eyeball reading. I listen to podcasts on my walk to work, no problem, but I need to focus 100% on books or I don't process them at all.
Yeah, it took me awhile to train my brain to focus on them. I have to do something that requires almost no thought to basically keep my hands busy without distracting me from focusing on the book.
I'm 1000% pro-audiobooks. I listen to them when I wash dishes, drive, or play certain video games.
I'm not voracious by any means but recently I have been enjoying combining a book with my other hobbies. Sitting outside tending the grill? Grab a few pages. Going on a weekend camping trip? Might as well bring a novel along. Change of pace / scenery from hectic daily life also seems important to this.
I think that's an excellent tip. That's how I got back into reading. Instead of trying to set aside an hour or two for reading I just started carrying a book around so I could read 10 pages here or there when I would have otherwise been looking at my phone or staring into space. It's a really easy way to read more without taking time away from other things. I get reading in when I'm standing in line or in a waiting room or waiting to meet up with a friend.
Climb into bed and read until sleepy. That'll ensure at least a few pages!
Obious tip: it helps to have more free time :) I find that when I'm between projects, I go through books really fast.
Other than that: pick a book you enjoy. If you are still struggling after 5% read, throw it out and find a book that interests you more.
Apple books on the ipad
Before I had kids I'd basically have to have a free day to be in the 'right mindset' to read. I needed to be relaxed, and free from nagging thoughts...
After having kids I'll read when and wherever I can, which means I spend most of my lunch break (30 mins) reading. Five days a week that gives me a few hours, and then if I'm super lucky I'll fit in an hour after the kids have gone bed.
Before Reddit pissed off the Apollo community, they pissed off me. As a result, I downloaded the books app for my phone and put it where my Apollo app was on my homescreen, then I downloaded a bunch of epubs and loaded the app with them. Reading on my phone isn't as good as a real book or an ereader, but it goes everywhere with me and therefore so do the books. Being on Reddit for so long, I pretty much have the muscle memory of opening Apollo when I am bored programmed into my lizard brain, so I end up opening the books app. Also, since I am not carrying physical books around, I find myself reading a bunch of books at the same time. I pretty much always am in the middle of a science book, a cooking book, a novel of some sort, and a book about playing pool.