When I was much younger, somehow I remember myself devouring books at a much faster rate. I find myself feeling somewhat ashamed of myself for how much less I'm reading these days, and "read more" always makes it into my lists of resolutions and goals. Recently I've been trying to get back that spark for reading, so I'm making this post as an exercise for myself as well as to share with you guys some ideas and methods to consider if you've ever felt this way too.
put away that phone
Time flies about twice as fast when I'm on my phone, compared to when I'm reading. The seconds seem to literally trickle though my fingers when I'm on social media, and suddenly and hour or two has been chipped away from my life and I have nothing to show for it. This doesn't mean that my interests online are worthless, but when I start to realize that all I've been doing is mindlessly scrolling for the past hour- yeah, I should've spent that time reading instead.
I also have this extreme fear that social media is ruining my attention span, but research is still split and paranoia about it won't do any good either- moderation is key.
it's not you, it's the book
Some books are just harder to read than others. Sometimes it's because they're classics and the language used and it's flow makes the book hard to trudge through, no matter how beautiful it is.
Other times it's because you're dealing with something like a Murakami book, where is gets so absurd at some point and deep at others, that you need a breather after each chapter.
If you feel like you're stagnating, it might be because the book you're trying to get through is one of these. Especially if you're the kind to stubbornly refuse to start a new book before finishing your current one. Realising what kind of book you're reading may help you be kinder to yourself about taking your time.
The solution which usually works for me is to resort to "lighter" reads, oftentimes rereading sections from some of my old favourites (this is why my copies of harry potter and the hunger games look horribly run down) or finding lesser known books from the local library that deal with a subject matter easier to digest.
busy life? try audiobooks
Our modern lifestyles seem to be doing their best to eradicate reading. Audiobooks are a good solution, if they work for you. They don't require a physical medium, so they're more efficient in that aspect, and they allow your eyes (which may have been straining to focus on a screen all day) a nice rest.
They're good for busy people because you can get through a book while getting through more menial mechanical tasks, like chores and laundry- two birds with one stone.
maximize time
On trying to analyze what in particular I used to do to manage to burn through books so fast, I've found that I used to waste much less time.
Depending on your lifestyle, there may be more "empty" time in your day that you realize. For example on the bus, during meals if you eat alone, before bed, when you're bored during certain events and just end up sitting in the corner on your phone, etc.
get the most out of it
Either by scribbling in the margins of the book (that felt sacrilegious to type) or by writing in a bujo or journal dedicated specifically to books, writing down your thoughts during and after reading a book will help you digest it. You can also write down any preconceptions or expectations you have for the book. This helps you process the book and discern the specific ideas that you understood through the book.
It's also cool to read these reviews/logs/whatever you want to call them after rereading those same books in a couple of years, it may offer insight into how your perspective on life has changed and grown.
That's all I've got! I'd love to hear if any of these has helped you, or if you have any ideas/experiences you'd like to share!!