Build a Reading Routine with me!
How I get out of slumps and read ~5 books a month :)
Okay, how do we start this…
P.S. If you're here just for the reading tips and routines, feel free to scroll down to the section titled “Here’s what’s worked for me.” No hard feelings. But if you’re into messy beginnings and real stories, start right here.
I shared in this edition how and when I started reading, and that I’ve had an on/off relationship with it.
I shared in this edition how and when I started reading, and that I’ve had an on/off relationship with it.
I took the challenge in June 2024 to read one book a month starting July.
In July, I started with The Silent Patient. Great start. I loved it and finished it within the month.
In August, I picked up A Man Called Ove but couldn’t get past chapter 5. So I switched to The Palace of Illusions, which I enjoyed. After that, I came back to Ove and finished it. I also read the book my friends had gifted me. So August ended up being a solid month, even though it didn’t start that way.
September was slower. I read only one book, a very light read.
The first month of any new habit feels exciting. You’ve set a goal, you’re motivated, and you want to keep pushing yourself.
But slumps still happen.
Eventually, with a lot of breaks and jumping between books, I ended up reading 11 books in 6 months.
Then came 2025. I took a challenge to read 30 books this year!
I finished my first book, The Forty Rules of Love, in 10 days. I loved it.
And then I didn’t read anything for a while.
I picked up a book that didn’t make me want to come back to it. I tried others, but left them DNF. I also didn’t have time. I was busy with personal stuff and couldn’t figure out when to read. (Well, if I’m honest, I didn’t make time because the books just didn’t pull me in.)
Cut to June 2025. I’m on a 44-day reading streak.
Because I built a routine. I paid attention to what worked for me, what didn’t. How many chapters or pages does it take me to want to pick the book again.
This is a long intro, I know, but I want you to understand these aren’t tips I found online. These are things I’ve actually tried, messed up, and figured out.
Here’s what’s worked for me:
Waking up early
I know it sounds cliché, but it’s helped. After my usual routine (brushing, bathing, cleaning etc.), I make a cup of lemon honey water (been doing this for 5 years) and pick up my book.
I read while sipping the water. Since it’s hot, it takes at least 10 to 15 minutes to finish, and that gives me 10 to 15 minutes of reading time every morning.
Now, if I don’t read in the morning, it feels off.
Keep your books handy
I read this in Atomic Habits back in 2022 and have tried to stick to it. When books are within reach, you’re more likely to pick them up.
I always keep the book I’m reading on my desk, next to my to-do list.
If I move rooms or work from the terrace, I carry it with me. Not necessarily to read, but just to have it nearby.
So when I’m waiting for a task to move forward or for someone to join a meeting, I sneak in a page or two. That’s added up over time.
When I started reading again in May, I picked Eat Pray Love. It was tough at first. What helped was downloading the PDF and keeping it on my laptop and phone, along with having the physical copy.
Every time I reached for my phone, instead of Instagram, I’d open the book. Same on my laptop, so I could read a few paras between work.
Uninstall distractions
I uninstalled the apps I was wasting time on. We all have those moments where we just need to check our phones. You tell yourself it’s just one message, one story update, and half an hour later you still haven’t replied to that message.
When those apps aren’t there, your go-to distraction is gone, and that’s when having a book nearby really helps.
I first tried using app locks. Didn’t work. Then I uninstalled them. That didn’t last either. Eventually I ended up deleting my Insta account. You don’t have to go that far.
Just make sure your environment nudges you to read. Follow book creators, other readers, book clubs, even authors. Curate your feed to make reading feel like something you want to do.
It’s okay to leave books unfinished
Most of my slumps happen because the book I picked just isn’t working. And when that’s the case, I’ll do anything but read. Even staring at a wall feels easier.
This was my progress mid March!
I couldn’t finish Men with Women too, lol.
I used to think I had to finish every book I started. But that’s not true. Yes, give it a fair chance. The first 40 to 50 pages can be slow. But if it still doesn’t work for you, let it go.
You can always come back to it later. I’ve done that with Piranesi, A Man Called Ove, The Book Thief (which is now a favourite), Men Without Women, and more. I’m glad I returned to them, but only when I felt ready.
I still haven’t picked up Piranesi, and that’s okay.
Read before bed
If mornings don’t work for you, try reading before bed. I don’t have a nightstand, so I keep my book beside my pillow. Even reading one page before switching off the lights makes a difference.
The 3 am scroll can wait 10 minutes. Just start with a page. It’ll build over time.
You can also find little pockets throughout your day, like on your commute, while waiting for someone, or while your tea brews.
Just one more paragraph
I don’t stop reading at the end of a chapter. I try to read the first paragraph of the next one, too. That one paragraph often pulls me in enough to keep going.
Even if I don’t continue, when I come back, I’ll have already eased into the next chapter. Sometimes I re-read it, but it’s worth it.
Intent matters
Reading won’t become part of your life unless you make it part of your life. It really comes down to intent.
If you want to read more or get out of a slump, start making space for it. Cut out distractions. Carve out moments. If you need support, ask your friends to keep you accountable, or better, read together. Watching their progress might nudge you to keep going.
One of my friends read 22 chapters when we started Eat Pray Love in May.
It’s easy to say, I was busy today or I had this or that. There will always be this or that.
It’s up to you to decide how much reading matters to you.
I’m currently reading Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (about 60 percent in). I’ll share a review once I finish it.
Next up: Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Oh, which reminds me of another tip.
Bonus: Keep your next two reads ready
If you get stuck with one book, you shouldn’t lose another day just figuring out what to read next. Keep at least two upcoming picks in mind so you can jump right into the next one.
That’s it for now.
This is the current progress of 2025. It felt almost impossible to finish the challenge at one point, but now we believe we can!
Let me know what’s helped you get out of a slump, and if anything here resonated with you.
Leaving you with this, from my current read.
Until next vibe!
Loved reading this, great issue Nikita!!