You want to read. You really do.

But every time you pick up a book, nothing sticks and suddenly scrolling feels easier than turning a page. Relatable?

If you’re in a reading slump, you’re not failing at reading.

You’re just tired, overstimulated, or out of sync with what you actually need right now.

Here are eight gentle, realistic ways to get out of a reading slump — without forcing yourself to “try harder”

First things first: being “stuck” is completely normal

Reading slumps aren’t a sign that you’ve fallen out of love with books. They’re usually a sign that:

your brain is tired
your life is full
or your reading habits haven’t caught up with who you are right now

Trying to push through with “should” reads often makes it worse. So let’s start by taking the pressure off.

You don’t need to choose the perfect book. You just need to choose the next one.

1.Stop asking “What should I read?”

This is the fastest way to stay stuck.

Instead of asking what you should read, ask:

What do I have the energy for right now?
Do I want comfort or challenge?
Short chapters or immersive world?
Something familiar or something new?

Your current capacity matters more than your reading goals.

A quiet, easy book read at the right moment will always beat an “important” book you never open.

2. Choose mood over genre

When you’re in a slump, genre matters less than mood.

Ask yourself:

Do I want cosy or fast-paced?
Familiar or surprising?
Emotional or purely entertaining?

Matching a book to how you feel right now makes it much easier to actually start and keep going.

3. Re-read something you already love (yes, it counts)

Re-reading isn’t cheating. It’s a shortcut back to reading joy.

A familiar book:

removes the pressure to “get into it”
feels emotionally safe
reminds your brain that reading can be comforting, not effortful

Often, one good re-read is all it takes to restart momentum.

4. Lower the commitment

If long books feel impossible, believe that feeling.

Try:

short novels
novellas
short story collections
books with short chapters
audiobooks for walking or resting

Finishing something small can rebuild reading confidence surprisingly quickly.

Momentum matters more than page count.

5. Reduce your choices (decision fatigue is real)

If your TBR list is endless, choosing can feel paralysing.

Instead:

pick 3 books max
place them somewhere visible
promise yourself you can abandon any of them guilt-free

When choice is limited, it’s easier to be intentional.

6. Let someone else decide for you

Sometimes the best way forward is to stop deciding altogether.

This could look like:

following a trusted recommendation source (always happy to help!)
joining a book club (like the Busy with Books club 👀)
asking a friend to choose for you
letting a curated list guide you

There’s relief in letting go of control, especially when reading has started to feel like another task to manage.

7. Give yourself permission to stop if it’s not working

This one matters.

You are allowed to:

stop reading a book halfway through
put it down after 20 pages
admit it’s not for you right now

Not finishing a book doesn’t mean you failed. It means you paid attention to yourself.

Quitting the wrong book often opens the door to the right one.

8. Change the environment around your reading

Sometimes the problem isn’t the book - it’s the space.

Try:

reading away from your phone
creating a small reading ritual
giving yourself uninterrupted time
going on a reading retreat 🥰

Even small shifts can make reading feel inviting again.

A final thought

Getting out of a reading slump doesn’t require discipline or a new system.

It requires kindness, curiosity, and a little less pressure.

The right book will find you ♥️

8 Ways to Get Out of Your Reading Slump