Translation: Sindri Snær Jónsson

As a child I read very many books, but life seemed to get in the way as the years went by. I had increasingly less time to enjoy reading, and little by little, I stopped reading recreationally. I decided to get myself together and discover my joy for reading again, yet this turned out to be more challenging than I thought. My attention span was not at its best, and I had little patience to sit with a book in my hand for an extended period. For this reason, I decided to start a kind of reading challenge and set specific rules and goals for my reading. This led to me getting back on track, and in only two years, I went from reading no books each year to reading dozens. Here I’ll share with the readers of The Student Paper how I started reading again.

Numbered goals

It can be tough to start reading again after a long time spent reading little to nothing. Therefore, I think it's most important to take baby steps initially. This applies especially when setting goals. Realistic goals are better than setting the bar too high. Remember that it is far better to reach your goals early on and exceed your expectations than having ten books left for the yearly goal when you go on a winter holiday in December.

Secondary goals

Goals that can be numerically measured are more accessible and can help us succeed. However, it has also helped me to have secondary goals while reading. Such goals could be to read all the books published by a specific author, finish a whole book series, or learn as much as possible about a subject. This is not necessary, but having a framework for your reading challenge can help you out when the going gets rough. I personally have spent many hours wandering aimlessly through the library because I couldn't choose anything. In those cases, my secondary goals helped narrow down my options, and that's always a relief.

Endurance exercises

Reading mainly revolves around endurance. It's not easy to sit for hours on end, flipping through pages if you haven't done it in years. That's why it's important to train your attention span slowly. Set small weekly or daily goals. Try reading for at least 10 minutes every night for the first month, and see if you feel a difference in how you focus afterwards. In this case, I'd recommend reading short books to start with. Don't start by reading a 500+ page tome written in the 18th century if you're just starting to read again after a reading pause. That's only going to end in disappointment.

Read entertaining books

What matters more than the length of the book are its contents. Nothing kills one’s interest and attention when you start to read again than reading a boring book. Find what works for you. Could it be crime novels, romance, comedies, or biographies? Also, don't be afraid to follow the "50 pages rule": If the book doesn't enthrall you in the first 50 pages, then it's fine to return it and start reading a new one. You don’t have to finish a book you don't like for anyone.

Find a friend

It's a good idea to make a book friend. You don't have to read exactly the same books at the exact same time, but it's fun to talk about books with someone every now and then. Reading can be a very isolating hobby, but it doesn't have to be. There also exist a lot of book clubs that you can join. Check out your nearest library or follow along on Facebook. You could find a fun group of fellow readers.

Try listening

Some books are hard to read, which makes it hard to focus. In my experience, this is especially true of classic books and literature. It has helped me to listen to those books, either while I'm reading or while doing something else. If you've been struggling with the same book for a long time and really want to finish it, it could help to listen to it. Listening to a book is worth the same as reading it, so don't be convinced otherwise.

Libraries

Lastly, I want to dedicate some space to wax eloquent about libraries. They're fantastic. They cost little to nothing per year and grant you access to a myriad of different books. Most libraries also host many different and exciting events and offer good services. For instance, I found out last year that my local library offers to lend booking forms and sewing machines to its patrons. I encourage you wholeheartedly to check out the services that your local libraries offer and I also want to mention that a library card from one library in the capital area can be used everywhere else. Imagine all the books that are waiting for you… Now get going to the nearest library and fetch a good book.

How to Start Reading Again