What to do when you're feeling pressured to read

 

Hello!

I'm here to talk about the pressures of reading...

To some of you this might not mean much but I've seen a few people talking about it on Instagram so I thought I would share my thoughts. 

I'm not sure if it has an actual name so I'm just going with 'reading pressure' for now.

LOTS of us love to sit down and have a good read, whether that be in the day or at night, but it's when we don't read that we seem to face the problem. 

This problem is feeling like we are the worst human beings for simply not picking up a book as much as the next person is. Or reading 10000x slower than our friends in the Bookstagram community. 

But I'm here to tell you that we don't need to feel like this! Everyone has different commitments in their lives - some are parents, some are students, some have busy jobs or take part in activities and hobbies etc. 

Some of us might be experiencing what we call a reading slump on Booksta - a period of time when you aren't reading because you don't feel like you want to or like you can. If you don't happen to pick up a book, that is absolutely okay! 

Here are a few tips I've put together to help you feel less pressured to read: 

1. Read when you want to, not when you don't - Sounds obvious but it's easy to fall into the trap of reading because it feels like EVERYONE else is. I've found that picking up a good book when you're really in the mood for it is much better than just flicking through pages and not taking the words in because you feel like you have to be reading at least a little bit. I tell myself that I'll put the book down and only pick it up when I fancy reading it. 

2. Don't compare yourselves to others - A common phrase used in everyday life that can be applied to your reading habits too! If someone is able to zoom through a 300 page book in a couple of days but it takes you a week or two, DO NOT feel bad about it. That person could have a couple of days where they're doing absolutely nothing whilst you're at work for 8hrs a day, for example. We don't know everyone's situations and being you is cool enough so go with the flow but go with YOUR flow!

3. Speak to others about it - There's a good chance they could be feeling the same as you. Ask them what helps them get out of a reading slump or how they forget about the pressure to read. They may even give you some book recommendations - sounds like a win win to me!

That's all from me today. 

I hope this post helps you realise that the amount or how quickly you read really doesn't matter. I think enjoying the book is a way better feeling!

Take care, 

Kate x

Where to find me: 

Instagram - @katereadsx