Beyond the Blurb | Why Reading Slumps Start and How to Fix Them

Morning, everyone!

This week, I needed a prompt hiatus from blogging. Lately, I have been doing great with my blog, but I haven’t been all that upfront about struggling with my mind. You see, my mental illnesses have gotten progressively worse. Why? Being a full-time caregiver and a part-time employee with zero help from family has caused me to burn out. I hate admitting that because I know that’s some kind of failure on my part. Or perhaps I’m wrong, and it’s no failure at all. I don’t know.

Then the dreaded reading slump hit. And I knew I was in trouble. I know many book bloggers have talked about this topic, but I wanted not only to give you advice but also to offer up reasons why you fall into a slump and how to avoid it.

So let’s talk about why reading slumps hit us readers and how we can kick them to the curb.

 

Life Is Causing Extreme Stress, so You May Not Feel Up to Reading

Reading should be a hobby, a pastime, not a chore. I know I’ve stated that before. But you need to remember that though. It’s a hobby and shouldn’t cause more stress. Even if your Goodreads Reading Challenge is in the red, or it’s in the black, don’t let that dictate when you should or shouldn’t read. You decide, not that challenge, not your blog.

If you’re not up to reading, that’s okay. You can always go back to it when you feel better.

 

You Take On Too Much in Your Life

Taking on too much responsibility will burn you out. Trust me. So don’t let reading be another task you’re requested to do. There’s no reason to get to that point. Having more responsibilities will wear you down. And you can’t let yourself fall into this situation.

 

You’re Bored with the Same Old Thing

It happens. All the time. And more times than you care to admit. So if you’re bored with a genre or an author, then that’s okay though. I sometimes find too much familiarity in certain genres or series. And I fall into a slump.

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Find Something New or Go with a Series/Book You Adore

So if you’re in the situation, then find something new. If you don’t read a particular genre, perhaps find a book there that might interest you. If that step doesn’t help you, then go with your tried-and-true series or book you love reading. In the last week, I’ve started three different books. The fourth one is what stuck though. So even though I’m reading it much slower than I’d typically read a book in this series, I know I’m beating this slump.

 

Don’t Force Yourself to Read, or You’ll Regret It

But don’t force it though! Why would you do that when you know it’d cause more harm than good? I tried, and I hated the whole reading experience. Going from one book to the next isn’t good. And you won’t focus on the book you should be reading. So again, don’t force yourself into reading.

 

Give Yourself Some Time Off and Don’t Blame Yourself

So it’s okay if you’re not up to reading. If you need to take some time away, go ahead. There’s no reason not to take off time. Go do it. Don’t let guilt or blogging responsibilities get in your way of doing so. Your readers and followers want you to love reading books, not constantly put yourself in a reading slump because you think you need to read.

Do you fall into reading slumps? How do you get out of them? Do you have any advice I haven’t mentioned that you think will help fellow book lovers? Let’s chat, bloggers!