Some of us are prone to hyperfixation and severe burnout after a period of strong progress or productivity. Naturally, these peaks and valleys in our willpower and mental state also apply to our reading habits, sometimes leading to weeks or months of burnout or reader’s block.
Below is some handy advice for combatting this annoying mental fatigue, I’d suggest you give them a try!
1. Try Shorter Books
Whether it be novellas, short stories, or even micro-fiction, shorter media takes less commitment and time; yielding the satisfaction of reading and finishing books without the slog you’re subconsciously trying to avoid.
You could also try some of Reader’s Digest’s condensed books, which cut and shorten a story to roughly one hundred pages or fewer. In a somewhat amusing manner, you can think of them as fat-free books, devoid of extra detail and designed to be finished within one or two reading sessions.
2. Try a Different Format
Whether you read digitally or via physical print, it can sometimes feel exhausting. For digital readers, sometimes reverting to paper is good for your eyes and attention span; physical readers can also consider digital books.
Although, if it really is the reading aspect that you struggle with during burnout, then why not try an audiobook? All you have to do is pay attention and absorb the story that is being told to you, there is no sense of page counts, complex words, or having to pace everything manually — you simply relax and listen.
Audiobooks are especially good when feeling particularly exhausted or drained. Don’t knock them just because they aren’t your preferred format (and trust me, they aren’t mine either).
3. Re-read a Book
It may seem dumb to even consider doing this, but it actually works. Going over a story you’re familiar with and can remember details about takes away a lot of the pressure to constantly pay attention. It also trains your brain and mind to get back into the habit of reading and taking in words from a page.
Besides, once you feel you have conquered your burnout, you can simply stop midway through and set the book aside. You’ve already read it before.
4. Try Some Poetry
Poems are still classed as reading, and they pick at your brain whilst doing so. Some are amusing and humorous, whilst others are quite grim or melancholic. It doesn’t really matter what poems you choose to read, just as long as you are reading them.
A typical poem usually takes less than a minute to read, and whole anthologies can be enjoyed within the hour. At the very least, teasing your desire to read with some thought-provoking words will likely be beneficial to ending the burnout period earlier than expected.
5. Ride It Out
Sounds like a defeatist mindset, but it really isn’t. Taking your time and coping with your hobbies is up to you. Even as someone who operates a blog about book reviews, I’m not always reading or in the mood to read.
Burnout can come and go. You can wake up and feel highly motivated one day, then crash and procrastinate the next. Reading is simply about finding the time, peace, and willingness to commit to a quiet, solitary activity.
Sometimes stepping away from something is the best option, and often brings the enjoyment factor to light after a little while away. Speaking from my experience, I am prone to reading burnout every few months — frequently taking weeks or more away from any heavy reading.
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