By Krysten Jackson

Oh no! After reading for what felt like endless hours, you’re burned out and picking up a new book feels like a chore. You used to read books by the shelf full but now you can’t get passed a paragraph without your mind wandering. Your book collection continues to grow, but, for some reason, the ratio between books read and books collecting dust is getting wider and wider.

You’re me! Or someone like me, and you want to get back into reading, but you’re not sure where to start. Luckily, I’ve started my journey back into the literary world and have some ideas that have worked so far. Here are five ways you can get back into reading!

Reread a book

Okay, maybe this sounds silly. You say you’re having trouble reading so the solution is to just start reading? But wait, rereading a book is a good way to figure out what kind of books you like to read, and what else to look for. Find a book that you remember enjoying, a book you couldn’t put down, even if it’s something you haven’t read since middle school. Then, see what you liked about it. The characters? The writing style? The length of the book? This is a good way to find a starting point.

Recently, I reread Patricia Smith’s Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah.

Pick something out of the way

Maybe what you need is a change of pace. You’ve read one too many sci-fi novels and now it’s time for some down-home romance, maybe even something about sports. Picking something out of your normal set of interests can be refreshing and open you up to an entire new library of books.

For me, I don’t normally read a lot of ethnographical texts, but I’m definitely going to pick up E. Patrick Johnson’s Black. Queer. Southern. Women. soon.

Start a reading ritual

If you’re like me, then having a routine is a good way to get you to start something. Scheduling a time and having a little series of activities you do before, during, and/or after reading can be a good way to get back into the habit. Say, every ten pages you get up to walk around.

I like to light a candle. When it’s lit, that’s my time to read, and when I’m done, I blow it out.

Make a game of it

Reading should be fun. Games are fun. Try combining the two! I like to chase the little percentage bar at the bottom of my e-reader. How fast can I get through the next 10%? And then I log it on Goodreads with a few notes to keep track. You might want to avoid making the stakes too high, though, or you risk adding too much pressure and not enjoying the book as much as you can. Just have fun with it!

Take a break

Maybe, in the end, what you really need to do is just take a break from reading. Reading can be pretty exhausting, especially when the writing is so good you get totally immersed. If you’ve read a lot and then struggle to get through your next book, it might be time to put it down and not read for a while. Let your mind relax with a movie or a TV show, and then get back to it!

These ideas have worked for me, but maybe you have some different methods that work better for you. What are some tips you have for those of us trying to rekindle our love for books?

Krysten Jackson is a Chicago-based writer and recent graduate of Northwestern University. When she's not reading, she spends most of her time thinking about weird language quirks. You can keep up with her activities on Twitter @applekrys.

Five Ways to Counter Book-Burnout