Reading Slumps Are Not the Enemy
Was the title triggering? Is this a hot take? Or an unpopular opinion? One thing’s for sure—I don’t feel like I hear a lot of talk like this over on bookstagram. Honestly, it seems like we’re either avoiding the conversation about reading slumps or being inundated with posts giving the top tips to get out of one. But neither of these strategies are helping. One leaves me feeling like I’m the only one struggling in this way and the other just burns me out even more.
So, is there a better way? I think there is, but it involves something potentially controversial. I think the better way is . . . learning to embrace our reading slumps. **waits for gasps and the clutching of pearls**
Here’s the catch—we can only embrace our reading slumps when we no longer see them as the enemy. When we recognize that they aren’t here to rob us of our favorite hobby and steal our joy, we can see the opportunity that they provide. To assist with this, I’m sharing four L’s (learn, listen, lean, and love) to help you find some hope while navigating your next reading slump.
1. Learn to recognize the signs.
I can feel a reading slump coming on. My interest in picking up a book or listening to an audiobook starts waning. My pace starts to slow down, and it takes me longer to finish a book. I have a hard time sticking it out on a book that doesn’t draw me in immediately. Any of these ring true for you? Knowing the telltale signs of an impending reading slump for you can help you to act in a way that’s helpful instead of potentially harmful to your reading life.
2. Listen to your brain/body.
Trying to push past your reading fatigue to continue plowing through books at the same speed—worst idea ever! First off, if you’re in a slump, are you really enjoying them anyway? But beyond that, perhaps your body is trying to convey a message. I mean, most of you who follow me over on IG are grown. You’ve got jobs or spouses or kids or school—or a combination of them all. You’re reading in the margins of a full life. And we’re human beings—we aren’t limitless. Sometimes our margins need to be free and clear for a season. If we want our good thing (reading) to stay a good thing, let’s take a break when our body is telling us we need one.
3. Lean in and adjust your reading accordingly.
Think about what happens when you lean in to listen to someone speak. It’s usually because you want to pay really close attention and not miss a single thing. Similarly, this step is all about seeing what you really need and making the necessary adjustments. For me, a book reviewer with commitments to publishers, this means finding a way to embrace the slump while continuing to read. Since I know I’m less likely to just pick up a book, I recently made a schedule with manageable chapter goals that has me reading five days out of the week. When I’m not slumping, I can read daily. In my current state, I’m giving myself two days off. A reading slump doesn’t always mean you have to put down all books for the foreseeable future (although it can and that’s fine too). Flexibility along with a bit of trial-and-error can help you weather the storminess of your slump.
4. Use it as an opportunity to explore other loves.
This is my favorite step! Taking a break from one of your deepest loves for a season doesn’t have to be a total bummer. It could be a great time to get back into something else you love. Enjoy puzzles? Grab a couple of new ones and spend your free time stimulating your mind that way. Love to knit or sew? Grab a pattern or two and some fabric that makes you giddy and go to town. Aren’t sure what else you love? Use this time to do some exploration. If you’ve got friends with a hobby that interests you, see if they mind sharing some supplies and teaching you how it’s done. This could be a great time to rediscover old loves or find some new ones. (I’ve got this post with additional ideas on IG!) Your books will be there waiting when you’re ready to dive back in!
I’m a huge advocate of rest and reading slumps are often a way that our brain is telling us it needs a break. I hope that I was able to convince you embracing the slump is a much more effective way of navigating it than ignoring or pushing past it.
Let me offer this last little bit of encouragement. Do you identify as an avid reader? Is reading your favorite hobby? Listen closely—you’re a reader whether you read 6 books this month or you were too tired to open one. It is not incongruent to be a reader and to need a break from reading occasionally.1 So, if there’s any imposter syndrome associated with that, I hope you can let it go. Shaming ourselves into reading is toxic. Let’s read for the love of reading when we can truly love it again—after resting.
Reading: I’m a Christian—Now What? by Aaron Armstrong and The Roads We Follow2 by Nicole Deese (pub date: 4/30/24)
Enjoying: spending Friday nights watching reruns of the ’80s sitcom 227 (I’d usually be reading, but I’m embracing the slump)
Anticipating: my 3-week booksta break in early May (again—practicing what I preach)
Listening to: Positively Penelope by Pepper Basham on audio (slowly because . . . reading slump)
Until next time, friends!
I’ve got a reel on Instagram that gives a similar reminder. I’d love for you to head over there to save it for days you forget and share it to encourage other readers!
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Brandi! It’s like we’ve been hanging out together in this because I relate deeply to this. I actually bought a puzzle the other day to do something else while in a reading slump and also started rewatching a show I have enjoyed instead of reading at times.
My husband pointed out recently that he thinks I’m burned out with reading based on how I was talking about it, especially books I needed to read for review.
He was right to an extent. I was reading too many drier reads (like some theology books can be at times) and also too many books for review at least for the season I’m in: I needed a change in my commitments, book choices, and greater lenience in how often I read.
So I’ve reduced the number of review books I’ve committed to for now, and at times I’m instead requesting books that don’t need a word-for-word read-through (remember also how Crossway allows features vs reviews so in that case any book could be chosen and read later).
This definitely took the pressure off that was affecting my burn out AND has enabled me to focus on my personal TBR which puts me in a better mood. 😂
Changing up genres and author writing styles has helped. For example, I am about to complete a Christian nonfiction book with a descriptive, personal, and reflective style of writing I absolutely love (vs instructional or informative, though it has those qualities embedded in it in a different way as well), and I ended up writing a review merely out of enjoyment of the book. 😃
Goodness, I wrote so much in this comment; maybe I should put this on my blog sometime and feature a quote or two of yours along with a link to your very helpful post here too. 🙃
Very insightful thoughts here friend! Looking forward to more content like this from you 💕