Getting Back Into the Groove of Reading (Without Forcing It)

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January surprised me in a good way. After a long stretch of not reading much at all, I finished two books this month. Not rushed, not assigned, not out of obligation. 

Just… read.

One was a re-read of A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas, a book I already knew I loved. 

The other was My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney, a psychological thriller that kept my attention in a very different way. 

Both were audiobooks, which feels important to say out loud. (I am a firmly audiobooks count as reading girlie.)

I’m still working on getting back into the habit of reading before bed, and some nights I still default to scrolling. But progress is progress, and this kind of progress feels genuinely good, gentle, sustainable, and earned.

What Helped Me Start Reading Again

Getting back into reading wasn’t about motivation or discipline. 

It was about lowering the bar enough that reading felt inviting instead of overwhelming.

I Let Myself Re-Read a Comfort Book

Re-reading A Court of Wings and Ruin removed all pressure.

• I didn’t have to learn new characters or a new world.
• I already trusted the story to hold my attention.
• It reminded me what it feels like to get lost in a book.

Re-reads can act like a bridge back into reading,they reconnect you with the feeling, not just the habit.

I Chose a Completely Different Second Book

After the re-read, I didn’t try to replicate the same experience.

• My Husband’s Wife was fast-paced and tense.
• The audiobook format made it easy to keep going.
• It fit naturally into walks, chores, and quiet evenings.

Switching genres helped keep things fresh and prevented burnout before the habit even had time to form.

I Let Audiobooks Count (Because They Do)

Audiobooks were the key that unlocked consistency.

• They lowered the friction to start.
• They fit into my actual life, not an idealized version of it.
• Or they helped me associate reading with ease instead of effort.

Reading doesn’t have to look like sitting silently with a physical book to be valid.

Progress Over Perfection

I haven’t fully rebuilt my nightly reading habit yet. Some nights I read. Some nights I don’t. But I’m no longer telling myself I’ve “failed” at reading.

Instead, I’m paying attention to what is working:

• I’m finishing books again.
• I’m thinking about stories outside of dedicated reading time.
• Or I’m feeling excited about what I might read next.

That matters more than rigid routines.

How to Get Out of a Reading Slump

If you’re in a reading slump or trying to find your way back to books, here are a few things that may help.

Start smaller than you think you should

Instead of aiming for chapters or long reading sessions, give yourself permission to read for just five or ten minutes at a time. Let yourself stop when you want to, without guilt or mental bargaining.

The goal isn’t endurance, it’s ease. Consistency grows when reading feels accessible, not when it’s treated like another task to power through.

Re-read something you already love

Familiar stories remove the pressure of choosing the “right” book and reduce decision fatigue before you even begin.

Comfort reads help rebuild trust with reading as something enjoyable rather than performative, and nostalgia can be a surprisingly powerful motivator when your attention feels fragile or scattered.

Experiment with format

Reading doesn’t have to mean sitting still with a physical book. Audiobooks, ebooks, or a mix of all three can help you meet reading where your energy actually is.

Try listening while walking, cooking, or folding laundry, and allow yourself to switch formats depending on the day. Matching the format to your capacity makes reading feel supportive instead of demanding.

Choose books that match the season you’re in

Heavy or exhausting seasons often call for lighter, faster-paced stories that don’t ask too much of you. Momentum matters more than literary merit when you’re trying to get back into a rhythm.

There’s no moral value attached to choosing “challenging” reads, the right book is simply the one you can return to.

Let reading be imperfect 

Skipping days doesn’t erase progress, and reading slowly still counts as reading. You don’t need to prove your seriousness or earn the title of “reader” through discipline or volume. Showing up imperfectly, again and again, is more than enough.

Final Thoughts

Getting back into reading didn’t happen because I tried harder, it happened because I softened my expectations. 

I stopped asking reading to be productive or impressive and let it be supportive instead.

If you’ve been missing reading but struggling to return to it, this is your permission to start gently. One format. One familiar book. And one small pocket of time.

You don’t need to be the reader you used to be. You just need to meet yourself where you are now.

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