Lets Talk Bookish

Let’s Talk Bookish: The Motivation to Read

Dini @ dinipandareads28 Comments

✨ Welcome back to another week of LTB! ✨

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and co-hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits and myself! In this discussion meme, participants get to talk about certain topics, share opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts! Learn more about LTB, past topics and future topics HERE.

This week’s topic is:

Motivation to Read

Suggested by: Jillian @ Jillian the Bookish Butterfly
Prompts: How do you motivate yourself to sit down and concentrate on reading? Do you have a set reading time/schedule that works best for you to focus? Do you have tips/tricks that you would recommend others try?

How do you motivate yourself to sit down and concentrate on reading?

How do I motivate myself? I know this probably won’t be very helpful to many people, but I just do it. Sure, sometimes I would rather be gaming, doom-scrolling, or watching something rather than pick up my book, but deadlines must be met, buddy reads must be caught up on, and challenges must be completed! 😂 I don’t have much time to read every day, so I have to take the moments I can and give them my full attention. Of course, it doesn’t always go smoothly, and sometimes it takes me a moment to get settled and for my focus to absorb what I’m reading, but I try. I guess I’m lucky I don’t have many external distractions at home, so when I tell myself it’s time to sit down and start reading, I can do so mostly uninterrupted.

Do you have a set reading time/schedule that works best for you to focus?

As a 9-5 girlie, I spend the majority of my days sat plugging away in the office, so I have very specific times for reading. I can’t say that they work best for me to focus, but mostly, these are the only times I have to read! I get in a good amount of reading during my morning commute, and since I recently started going to the gym after work, audiobooks have been getting me through my workouts! Other than that, my fixed reading time is in bed before knocking out every night—and sometimes my insomnia can get the better of me, so I spend quite a few “sleep-waking” hours reading.

Do you have tips/tricks that you would recommend others try?

It goes without saying that everyone has their own thing that works for them, and what works for someone might not work for another. At the very least, I would recommend trying a different genre or format. Switching up genres often helps me figure out what I’m in the mood for by getting me out of the slumpy feeling, and the same goes for switching up formats. I love reading graphic novels/manga/ webcomics when my brain is too tired to absorb a whole bunch of words. I also find checking out novellas and short stories, as well as audiobooks, helps me get into a good reading groove that makes me want to keep reading more after.

I also often put down books “for the meantime” when I’m reading something that I know I’d like if I picked it up at a different time, but that just isn’t working for me at that moment. I’ve (finally) convinced myself that it’s okay to put down something I’m not enjoying without calling it a DNF either!

I also enjoy reading a chapter or two from a range of books (usually 2-5), seeing which one reels me in the most, and then continuing with the ‘winner’. I don’t know about you, but sometimes my brain wants to read everything all at once, which contributes to my inability to focus, lol. This helps satisfy whatever my brain is buzzing for when I don’t even know it myself!

My final tip might seem counterproductive, but if all else fails, don’t push it. Don’t keep trying to force yourself to read because it will likely only make you feel worse or more slumpy (speaking from experience). I know you want to read the book, but if you’ve tried different things and you still can’t focus on it, give yourself a break. Focus on something else for a little while, whether that’s tinkering with another hobby or trying something new, and then come back to your read at a later date/time. Sometimes it pays to step away rather than to force yourself to sit through something when your mind is really not into it!

Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers who joined the discussion this week! 👇🏽

Lin @ Lin’s Perspective
Felice @ Tea and Cats and Books
Emma @ Pages of Emma
Elle @ Unwrapping Words
Lost @ The Chronicles of Tick Tock
Yolanda @ Past Midnight
Julie @ Bookflowerpath
Rachael @ The Green Tea Librarian
Leyre @ Read You Leyre
LaRonda @ Flying Paperbacks
Jhohadli
Aria @ Book Nook Bits

If I’ve missed your post this week, don’t hesitate to let me know in the comments, and I’ll add you to this week’s list of community posts ASAP!

How do you motivate yourself to read? Do you have a set time that works best for your reading focus? What’s your top tip for other readers?

28 thoughts on “Let’s Talk Bookish: The Motivation to Read”

  1. This is such a relatable and thoughtful reflection on reading motivation! I really love your flexibility and self-awareness—especially the part about allowing yourself to step away from a book without guilt. That balance between structure (like commute and bedtime reading) and giving yourself grace is so important. I also agree that switching genres or formats can really break a slump and reignite the spark for reading.

    Feel free to check out my post on this topic too:
    https://wp.me/pdHDpe-2Ny
    Would love to hear what resonates with you there!

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    • Thank you! I think it’s important to have that self-awareness, even if it takes a long time to get to the point where you allow yourself that grace. Reading is supposed to be a fun hobby—not a chore or something you dread doing! If it feels that way, I don’t think you’re doing it quite right… 🤭 I really enjoyed your post this week. Thanks for joining in on LTB!

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  2. This is similar to me. I have a full time job, so my set reading times are kind of just . . . when I am not busy. So mostly the evening. I also just don’t read if I don’t feel like it. Sometimes I Just need to find the right book to be motivated again.

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    • Yeah, it seems that most everyone reads in the evenings 🙂 It’s nice to have that routine and something to look forward to after long (and tiring and stressful) days! I also agree that sometimes it takes the right book to feel motivated again. It helps to shake things up whether it’s by switching up genres or getting a taste of a couple books before landing on one that really hits!

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  4. for me one of the biggest motivations has been stepping outside of my usual categories (its been lots of YA, so i’m reading something else for now), i also think staying off my phone has been a big help 😂

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    • Sometimes it does pay to shake things up a bit, even if that means reading something from your third or fourth go-to genre. 🤭 Putting away my phone or turning it on silent and tucking it away somewhere I can’t see has made a world of difference to my reading! I love disconnecting lol

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  5. Sounds like having a little accountability to a tour or buddy helps you buckle down. I always have certain times I like to read, and I will read during those times unless there is a situation that keeps me from it.

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    • It surprisingly helps a lot! I’m not looking to do them every week or anything but they’ve done a lot to help me keep my focus this year especially. Also, having said that, I don’t think I’d particularly mind doing one weekly because I quite enjoy having someone to discuss my thoughts/feelings with as we go through the book! 😂 It’s nice to have a solid reading routine!

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  7. Puttying down books “for the meantime” is such a good way to put it! I also have books that I’ve put down, knowing I’ll probably enjoy them more another time

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    • Yes! It’s not DNF forever, just for now 🤭 I do it quite often actually, especially when I know that it usually ticks all my boxes and I’m just in a weird reading funk so I can’t get into it. That does mean the TBR pile hardly ever shrinks though, ahha

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  8. I’m honestly finding it harder and harder to stay motivated to read. I feel like short form content is kind of destroying my attention span. I am trying really hard to stay away from TikTok and Reels just so that I can focus more on reading. Spending 14 hours doom scrolling kinda sucks when I could have spent that 14 hours reading books.

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    • I’ve been feeling that pretty regularly throughout the year so far and I think it just clicked that a big part of it is probably because I’ve started going on social media more. I was actually quite inactive on social media (except for Twitter) for the last 4-5 years now? It helped my mood and reading massively! Sometimes I just need to force myself to put down the phone and pick up my book. I always feel much better when I do. I hope you find a way that works best for you and that you find your motivation to read picks up again soon 🙂

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  9. I really love your last tip! It can be very hard to step away from reading when it’s something we love so much and are, in theory, so excited about our TBR’s and all the new stories awaiting us. But when you force yourself and it’s not working, it can easily lead to book slumps and taking some time away might be the answer!

    It’s a good reminder that we are not less of a reader if we are taking a break from it

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    • Yes, it’s exactly what you said: “we’re not less of a reader if we are taking a break from it.” I think with being on social spaces with the book community or even just having a book blog, it kind of puts this pressure on you to constantly be reading to churn out content and “miss out on all the good books”. It’s self-pressure though and I think an easy trap to fall into! It actually took me a while to be okay with stepping away when I needed to and not feel guilty about it, which is kind of ridiculous really, but it does happen, lol.

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  13. My set reading time is the first 30 minutes after I wake up (when it’s a work day, and not a Tuesday). And then I read while I’m waiting for my daughter after school. And while my commute is short (under 10 minutes most days), I tend to listen to an audiobook then because there’s nothing good on the radio at 0430 (yeah I work stupid early hours)! Of course, I’ll also listen to an audiobook when I’m making dinner, washing dishes, or doing any kind of chore.

    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!

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    • Getting in the reading you want anywhere you can is awesome 🙂 It’s great that you have a steady schedule—I’m much the same and I always feel a bit thrown off when my day doesn’t start off with reading on my commute! 🤭 I’ve always struggled with focusing on audiobooks when I don’t have the words in front of me, which is why I’ve got so many sitting unread in my library. BUT I’ve surprisingly discovered I can focus while I’m working out and tuning into my book so it’s perfect! Doing all the chores while listening to an audiobook is the level I aspire to lol

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      • There are times I’ve zoned out while listening to an audiobook. If that happens, I either go back a bit to see what I’ve missed or just keep going. But to me that’s a sign I need to stop and do something else. I used to go for walks and listen to audiobooks, and that helped me stay focused.

        Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!

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  14. I’m probably the wrong person to answer this question. I have been a reader for as long as I remember and don’t need anything to motivate me. I just love reading and do it whenever I can. Whether it is listening to audiobooks while multi-tasking, or reading in my chair or outside in the sun, I just to it.

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