How I Dealt With My Reading Slump

For the last two weeks, I had been dealing with a reading slump. It didn't start immediately, at first I was reading The Secret of Gumbo Grove by Eleanora E. Tate but then I couldn't concentrate on the story. And it certainly wasn't due to the story which is interesting. From there, I decided to take a reading break. That simple break quickly turned into not being able to read a book at all which also quickly turned into a slump.

As days went by, it was frustrating because I realized my reading slump wasn't going away and I was starting to overthink it. Since I read a lot of books, I like to take reading breaks often to keep from getting burned out. However, I found myself in a slump which is rare for me and no matter how I tried to fix the situation, the motivation to read just wasn't there.

I knew how much I loved to read but I needed to relax and not let negative thinking make my slump even worse. So, everyday I would find other things to occupy my time such as watching TV and movies, drawing, etc. which made it easy not to think about the fact that I wasn't reading.

Accepting that I had zero motivation to read, I didn't force myself to pick up a book. It was hard at first because I like to read something everyday but this slump was making it impossible to focus. So, my decision not to pick up a book was the right call because trying to force myself to read would only add to my stress and overthinking as to why I couldn't seem to read.

My reading slump ended this morning and I'm happy to say it felt good to finally get back to reading. Taking the focus off of reading made it easy to get back to it. So, I'll have my review for The Secret of Gumbo Grove up sometime this week.

I know reading slumps are a common experience for us bookworms and avid readers. But it doesn't have to ruin our love of reading. When a slump happens, don't get discouraged. Take a break from reading and find something else to focus on. With the pressure and stress off of trying to read, it will make it easier for you to get back to it as soon as the time is right.