How to start reading again

Start with pleasure, not with obligations

The fastest way to stop again is to begin with a book you think you should read. Start with one you are likely to enjoy:

• a book or author you loved as a teenager;
• a genre you used to read, such as fantasy, crime or romance;
• the book behind a film or series you liked;
• a short novel that people around you are talking about.

Classics and big important books can wait until reading feels natural again.

Keep the first books short

A 600-page novel is a big commitment for the first month. A book you can finish in a week or two gives you the feeling of getting somewhere. Short novels, story collections, memoirs and graphic novels all count.

Read a little, often

Ten minutes a day is enough to begin. It is easier to keep up than an hour on Sundays, and the minutes add up: ten a day is about 60 hours a year. Pick a moment you already have, such as the commute or the time before sleep. The guide on how to find time to read has more ideas.

Expect your focus to come back slowly

If you have not read for years, your attention may wander after a few pages. That is normal and it improves with practice. Put the phone in another room, reread a paragraph when you drift and stop while it is still pleasant.

Do not be afraid to change books

Not every book you pick will work. If one feels like homework after a few chapters, set it aside and try another; that is part of finding what you enjoy now. More in the guide on when to stop reading a book.

Make it social if that helps

Ask friends what they are reading, follow a few readers whose taste you share or join a book club. Talking about a book gives you a reason to finish it. The guide to questions to ask about a book works for a club or for one friend.

Let Pagetime keep you going

In Pagetime, add a book and start a session; the timer runs on the Lock Screen while you read. Set the daily goal to 10 minutes at first and raise it later. A “Time to read” reminder can arrive at the time you choose, and a streak freeze covers one missed day per calendar week, so one busy day does not undo the week. Put the books you would like to try on the “Want to read” shelf.

The free version holds up to 5 books and includes 20 page scans with text recognition in total. Deleting a note does not restore a used scan. Notes and the timer work offline without an account; sync is free after signing in. A subscription removes the book and scan limits and unlocks your full stats history, year in review and folder export. Pagetime is coming to iPhone and Android; you can leave your email below to hear when it is available. Until then, take a book you once loved off the shelf and read the first chapter tonight.

This independent guide is published by Pagetime and is not authorized, sponsored or endorsed by Apple Inc. or Google LLC.