How Am I Going to Get Out of My Reading Slump?

Hello! Today, I want to talk about something that has been affecting me for nearly a year now; and that is the dreaded reading slump. Last year, I put out a post about my tips on how to get out of a reading slump. This helped me remind myself of the things in the past that helped me get out of a reading slump.

I need that reminder again.

This year, 2022, has been my absolute worst reading year in a very long time. This year, I laid out a bunch of reading goals for 2022, one of which included read 100 books. Currently, in the middle of September, I have read 14. This is obviously nowhere near the 100 books. I love setting myself a goal because it is a lighthearted thing for me; like last year, I had the same goal but I didn’t reach it. Last year I read 69; the year before that 61; and the year before that 101. So, I have only hit the goal of 100 once before! However, I have never been this far off.

I know I will get loads of comments that will tell me that the goal is only a number, and to not get too bogged down by it. I just want to reassure you, I am not! However, I do want to read more. I haven’t finished a book since the beginning of June. April was my best reading month this year, and that was only because I was off sick with Covid, and had time. I need to find a balance where I can read whilst keeping up with my busy schedule.

What is all of this to say? Well, I want to get out of my reading slump for once and for all. Being held accountable is something that really helps me keep on track. So, as I have for the longest time, I will be using my blog to hold myself accountable and to get me back doing the things I love. I miss reading, and I miss blogging too! This year, I have also been awful at keeping on top of the blog; so as we enter the last few months of the year, I want to improve on this!

Now to answer the title question:

How am I going to get out of my reading slump?

• I am going to explore more genres – I tend to stick to fantasy and romance books, however they haven’t been able to keep my attention this year, so something clearly needs to change
• I am going to read whatever I feel like, instead of reading the books that I feel like I should – what I mean by this, is that I don’t want to be filled with the pressure to read the books that have been on my shelves for ages, if I don’t feel like reading them at the moment
• Allow myself to read books I don’t physically own – I tend to get caught up on only reading books I have a physical copy of. But I want to allow myself to read e-books or listen to audiobooks that I don’t have a physical copy of
• Try to keep a weekly update on the blog – I want to do a weekly update on how I am getting on with my reading and whether I have been able to read that week; I also might extend this to posting more on TikTok too
• Set aside some time in the evening to read – I am going to start off by just having 10 minutes set aside for me to read, and then gradually increasing this until I find a good balance of time to read, and also resting

I think this is a good place for me to start! If you guys have any other suggestions, please let me know in the comments! I really want to get out of my reading slump, so all of the suggestions are welcome.

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