How to Get Back Into Reading When You’ve Lost Your Reading Habit

You used to read regularly.

Maybe you finished a book every week. Maybe you always had a book beside your bed. Maybe reading was simply something you did at the end of the day.

And then, somehow, you stopped.

A few weeks became a few months. Your unread books started piling up. You bought new books but didn't open them. Every time you tried to start reading again, your phone won.

If that sounds familiar, you're definitely not alone.

The good news is that getting back into reading doesn't require a huge reading goal or a complicated routine. You just need to make reading easy enough to start again.

Don't Try to Read 50 Books Immediately

One of the easiest ways to make reading feel like work is to start with a huge goal.

You decide you're going to read 50 books this year.

Then you look at the number, realize how much time that would require, and suddenly reading feels like another task you need to complete.

Forget the number for now.

Your first goal can simply be:

Read a few pages today.

That's enough.

Once reading becomes part of your routine again, you can increase your reading naturally.

Start With a Book You Actually Want to Read

This sounds obvious, but it's one of the most important things you can do.

Don't choose a book because you think you should read it.

Choose something you're genuinely curious about.

Want a thriller? Read a thriller.

Want fantasy? Pick fantasy.

Want romance? Read romance.

Want something short? Find something short.

Getting back into reading isn't the right time to force yourself through a 700-page classic you've been avoiding for three years.

You need momentum first.

Pick an Easy Book

Your first book after a long reading break doesn't need to be the most challenging book on your shelf.

In fact, a shorter, fast-paced book can be a much better choice.

A mystery that makes you want to know what happens next can help you rebuild the habit faster than a slow 600-page novel that requires intense concentration.

Once you're reading regularly again, you can always move toward more demanding books.

Set a Small Daily Reading Time

You don't need two hours.

Start with 10–15 minutes a day.

You could read:

• after breakfast
• during your lunch break
• before bed
• while drinking your evening coffee
• during your commute, if you're not driving

The specific time doesn't matter as much as making it consistent.

The goal is to make reading something that naturally happens during your day rather than something you have to remember to do.

Keep Your Book Where You Can See It

This sounds ridiculously simple, but it works.

If your book is hidden inside a drawer, you're less likely to pick it up.

Keep it:

• beside your bed
• on your desk
• next to your favourite chair
• inside your bag
• wherever you normally spend your free time

Make the book visible.

When you have five minutes, you might actually pick it up.

Put Your Phone Somewhere Else

Sometimes the problem isn't that you don't want to read.

It's that your phone is much easier to reach.

You sit down to read.

You check one notification.

Then Instagram.

Then WhatsApp.

Then YouTube.

Suddenly 30 minutes have disappeared.

Try putting your phone across the room while you read.

You don't have to completely disconnect from technology. Just create enough distance to make opening your book easier than opening another app.

Stop Reading Books You Don't Enjoy

This is an important one.

You are allowed to stop reading a book.

If you're 150 pages into a novel and still don't care what happens, you don't have to finish it simply because you started it.

There is no prize for finishing every book you pick up.

Sometimes the fastest way to get your reading habit back is to stop forcing yourself through books you don't enjoy.

Don't Worry About Reading Speed

You don't need to read 50 pages an hour.

You don't even need to finish a certain number of pages every day.

Read at your own pace.

If you only read five pages today, that's still five pages you wouldn't have read otherwise.

The goal isn't to become a faster reader.

The goal is to become a reader again.

Try Different Genres

Maybe the genre you used to love isn't working for you anymore.

That's okay.

Try something different.

If you've been reading fiction for years, try nonfiction.

If fantasy isn't holding your attention, try a thriller.

If long novels feel difficult, try short stories.

You might discover that you haven't actually lost interest in reading.

You just haven't found the right book recently.

Don't Turn Reading Into Homework

This might be the most important point.

Reading is supposed to be enjoyable.

You don't need to highlight every important sentence.

You don't need to take notes.

You don't need to post every book on Instagram.

You don't need to remember every character.

You don't need to read what everyone else is reading.

Sometimes you can simply sit down and read.

That's enough.

Build the Habit Slowly

Once you've started reading again, keep the routine simple.

Try something like:

Week 1: 10 minutes a day
Week 2: 15 minutes a day
Week 3: 20 minutes a day
Week 4: Read whenever you have time

Don't worry if you miss a day.

You haven't failed.

Just pick up the book again tomorrow.

The goal is consistency, not perfection.

Final Thoughts

Getting back into reading doesn't require a new personality, a massive TBR, or a strict reading challenge.

Start with one book you actually want to read.

Read a few pages.

Put your phone away.

Stop books you don't enjoy.

And most importantly, don't turn something you love into another obligation.

Sometimes you don't need to read more.

You simply need to find a book that makes you want to keep turning the page.

Looking for that book? Explore BookPangs and find your next read from a wide range of books available worldwide.