How I Read So Much & Got Back Into Reading 

I actually found that the busier you are the more things you find the time to do, because you consciously trying to find time for doing something you actually love. Not one time I simply slumped when I had a lot of time (during a vacation for example), just wandered around doing absolutely nothing productive because I felt like I have tons of time!

I think it's interesting how people think I read loads and I don't read anything like some booktubers, who I am always slightly envious of. Interesting to hear your chat about when you weren't so much of a reader I stopped from 16 to about 22/23. I schedule in reading time. I get grumpy if I don't read enough. Never thought I would say this but I miss commutes for the reading time. My bus is too quick. Ugh. Lol. Totally agree it's not the number of books you read, it's just about reading when you can and enjoying it. Great video as always Jean.

I go through phases I read like 5 books a month and then I get tired and stop reading for a while!

I think that not comparing yourself to someone else is the best advice there is! I've had a month of reading exactly what I wanted to read & I read so much more & enjoyed it so much more! I can't praise audiobooks highly enough too for allowing me to read when my eyes are too tired or my hands are too busy 👍🏻

This video has come at the perfect time! I used to read loads as a child/teenager but I found myself not reading when I went to uni. I'm halfway through my Masters now and I'm making a conscious effort to read every day, and I'm really enjoying it! I find it helps me to focus more on my other commitments as well because I'm actively planning how to use my time/fit some reading in.

My favourite reading time is when I'm sat on the loo. Sorry, but It is what it is :) I have a little book stash and I can easily be sat there for an hour. Maybe it's a guy thing? I dunno. If I'm reading a large 1000 page book I see it as a challenge. If it's something like LOTR then a couple of chapters a night, and it's done. I find if you're not enjoying a read then it's handy to go back to an emergency book that you love to keep you in the reading mood. Right, I've covered everything :D

I try to always remember to take a book with me (physical or ebook) when I leave the house, just in case I have downtime. That way if I'm stuck in the waiting room at the doctors office, or waiting in the exam room for forever, or when I'm at the movies waiting for the movie to start, I'm prepared and can squeeze in a little more reading time into my day.

I call myself a seasonal reader because once Fall weather hits I'm indoors more than I am in the Summer all the way up to late Spring so there is naturally more 'free' time to read. Than once Summer comes around I am back outdoors and don't allot much time to reading. I will admit I do get into reading slumps and just accept it as my way of taking a mental break from reading, and once I sense that desire to want to get back into it I start to do as you suggested I'll browse goodreads and booktubers. Their excitement over a book gets me enthused to read again, and also exposes me to titles I may of never come across if it weren't for those mediums. I also found a way to read multiple books at a time (i used to be a one book at a time sort of person) without getting confused or overwhelmed; it also has the added bonus of refueling my desire to read rather than burning out. Sometimes when I am reading an epic my brain just wants to shut down but I still want to read. I found I can juggle more than one book if I remember to read something in a different genre and vary it on focus intensity. For instance when I was reading 'Gardens of the Moon' I would take 'mental breaks' by reading a paranormal romance novel in between. Here are a few tips I have for coming back from a reading slump. 1. Browse titles and read/watch reviews 2. Start with something light and fun 3. Try a different genre 4. Know when to DNF. Life is simply too short to force yourself to read something that you're not thoroughly enjoying.

What prevents me from reading as much as I want to is obsessive-compulsive behaviour. I get very bogged down in making sure I've understood and comprehended every single word in a book, to the point where I re-read certain sentences over and over and it really slows me down. So that can be pretty discouraging, but I just keep picking my book back up! As you said Jean it's all about the joy of reading and if reading genuinely makes someone happy then they shouldn't give up! Whether you're like me and have to get over some obstacles or if you're busy and can't find the time, you just have to keep making gestures toward reading! Always pick books back up! :)

This is so inspiring, yesterday I just bumped into your channel and became very motivated to read again. And I must say, you have an excellent taste in stories and I am most excited to read them. Thank you. Your channel has reminded me as well as opened my eyes to the infatuation and fascination I have with literature.

Hearing that you barely read anything through your first years of uni is really comforting. I'm in my second year now and it's slowed down my reading DRAMATICALLY. I now take an American Lit course that has me reading seven novels (some of them pretty chunky) over the next few months, which may seem do-able but all my other courses have pretty intense reading lists as well and I'm kind of freaking out about it haha. SO this video came at a perfect time for me, thanks a lot!

I had the same issue when starting university. Back then I decided to start a book blog with my best friend and it was so helpful. I love reading. I have that same calming feeling when I read at night. It's just the best hobby ever. :D

Believe it or not, I actually get up earlier before my working day, and read for an hour before preparing to get ready for work & family life....it works for me, although people think I'm crazy getting up at 5-5.30am just to read!,

Like many, I read pretty extensively in high school, but as soon as university started my read list shot down to an all time low (5 books, almost all done in the summer, almost all short). I never lost the desire, but the change in environment and time really impacted my reading. I've gradually gotten better at prioritizing it, this year really doubling down, and am pretty happy with the results. Definitely true about the "long book vs short books," thing; last year I read a massive 2.7k pager that took several months, whereas this year I've kept it to 300ish.

I'm quite busy with university but what really helps me to read a lot is to bring a book with me on the train (I have to travel by train to university almost everyday for about 50 minutes). This has helped me so much to read more! :) Great video!

Having child does it to you.. Thankfully I bounced back, but I read so much less then I used to! But reading is me time and I need it recharge.

Sometimes for me it's just a matter of getting into the rhythm of it reading again---so re-reading a trusty favorite awakens the reading bug. Then onto Goodreads/booktube to suss out a new one

The same thing definitely happened to me when I went to University and then one of my friends introduced me to booktube, I set a reading goal on Goodreads, and the rest is history!

I read almost nothing in my early teens. I read tons of books as a child but once I grew to old for children's books I just stopped reading altogether. I never liked YA books, I don't know why. When I was about 16 I discovered nonfiction books (when I got my hands on a biography of Emma Hamilton that my mother had bought). Since then I've taken up reading again even though I'm not at your level with the sheer number of books per year. I guess the key to ending my reading slump was to find out which books I like and not trying to force myself to read what everyone else seems to be reading. What motivates me to read is getting books from the library and knowing that I only have a maximum time of 3 months to finish them. I loved your video! :) Reading even though you're busy with uni is so important, I'd go crazy if I didn't!

Jean, thankyou this is a very good video. I admire how much you read, also you know so much about Greek mythology which I love. My husband is Greek and he comes from a small Greek island in the agean sea called Astipalea and I love it there .

love this video! My story is kind of similar, I used to read a lot when I was younger, but when I went to Uni I really just stopped reading and couldn't really motivate myself to want to read, and it wasn't till almost 3 years later that I really got back into reading. For one of the courses I was taking about Societies and cultures in the English speaking world we could use our own book about English culture and it got me really excited to figure out what book I wanted to read (which is how I stumbled upon your channel :P ) and just listening to all these booktubers (who I didn't even know existed) talk about all these books made me really interested to want to read more. I would say one tip I have is to look into booktubers who like books & genre's you like - and don't feel like you have to like a book because they like it.

Another good time to listen to audiobooks is while doing chores like dishes or tidying up. I listen to about 2 audiobooks a month, mostly during my commute to work and while doing chores. I also try to take half hour walks each day so that I can listen to books more and get outside a bit and exercise. Happy Reading!!

I always read a lot but stopped in about 8th grade. I now am in 10th grade and started to pick it up again this year. In January I started by reading shorter books. I read a total of 4 books and read about 17 pages a day which isn't a lot. In February I already was more into it I guess so I read 8 books and had an average of 42 pages per day, still many short books. I hope to read even more this month as I hope to have a bit more time, but I'm happy with what I read already. I'd recommend to just start reading and see if you get into it.

Starting university throws a lot of people off their reading track. Especially when youre degree relies heavily on reading. For me therewas no recreational reading for about there years. Then you learn to balance it out. Also Back when i spent two hours a day on the train travelling to and from work in Melbourne i used to read one/two books a week (depending on the length of the book). Now that i drive to work, moved into my own house where theres ALWAYS things to be done and got a puppy who for a long time didnt understand that books were for reading and not eating, i find that i have to schedule 'reading time' - its one of my new years resolution. So far so good. Ive read 7 so far and im loving the me time

My problem is that I waste my time listening to music (from and to work/Uni) or I get sucked reading stupid articles on the internet 😩

I actually read physical books while I'm walking to and from work haha 😂 probably a bit weird but oh well!

I had a similar "reading break" when I started university, though in my case it was getting worse with each year. I've always kind of had that excuse in my head that I'll go back into the habit of reading when I graduate. Didn't quite happen like that. It took me some time and I still feel like I've forgotten how to read properly because now I read painfully slow but I'm still happy to read and going through 15-20 books a year sounds pretty good to me. What helped me getting back on track was reading during my commute to work (at least at first, when I was having a 40-45 minutes trip to work each day, which is now reduced to 10) and mainly realising that if I want to fit reading in my daily schedule, that means I shouldn't be picky on the place and time and always have a book with me. Also setting a Goodreads goal proved very motivational (however strange it may sound) and discussing books with someone else.

I didn't get into reading until I was about 15 and since then I loved it. Growing up I really couldn't get on with it. After leaving sixth form i was still reading at least a book a month (I'm quite a slow reader but I dont mind) and then I started in a full time retail job and ever since I lost my way with reading and lost track. I've maybe read about 4 books in the last two years :'( and it's something I really need to get back into and have been trying to for a while, I even tried to make myself a little evening schedule where i dedicated an hour everyday to reading and that didn't work because I felt forced to do it. But I've actually found I prefer to read in the morning (and I'm not a morning person) but I love sitting on the sofa, cup of coffee in hand, hit mute on Jeremy Kyle (can't stand all that yelling in the morning) and then I read at least a chapter :) but I haven't done that for a while :/ this a great video, rather encouraging and motivating 😊

I need to start doing this again, but a tip is to always have a book with you, then if you have a five minute wait then you can read. It doesn't seem like a lot but you probably do have four or five five minute waits per day so that is like 20 minutes. I have actually just convinced myself to start doing that again, especially since I have so much assigned reading for school, I can get a little done here and there.

Like you, I stopped reading when I was in school. I think it's because you're forced to read books you don't really care to read. Changes in your lifestyle definitely makes things a lot more difficult, but I think like you said, if you don't enjoy what you're reading you won't be motivated to read. Last year I burned myself out because I was so focused on setting huge TBR goals and never meeting them. Now I just read what I love and I find I m naturally reading more this year than when I was forcing myself to read stuff I didn't like just to meet the numbers.

I find that I read most during exam time, because then I actively seek things to relax that I can do from home. So being busy and reading is not an impossible combination at all! It just gets harder over the summer because I work on summer camps as an English teacher and I get so exhausted that I just can't focus on reading anymore. And like you say: commuting is great for reading! (But not when the people next to you are having a loud conversation and you just can't not listen.)

Really great tips I seem to average at about 4 books a month depending on size, being on Booktube definitely helped me read more and I'm the same it's because of Booktube that I got back into reading and enjoying it

I definitely became more of a reader after I graduated high school. I would read (most of) the books that I was assigned for class, but I wouldn't read that much outside of school. When I went to college, I still didn't read that much outside of school, but in the summer between freshman and sophomore years I started reading more in the summer, mining my parents' bookshelves for anything that sounded interesting, but once I started school again I would only read maybe one book per quarter outside of class. I think I slowly but surely made more time as I started doing it more often. I would say that one thing that helps is not setting a crazy goal for yourself right off the bat. Like instead of the 50 book challenge, maybe consider the 12 or 6 book challenge just to slowly carve out the time and develop the habit. This summer after I lost my job, I fell into a mini-reading slump. Because I didn't have a commute to read, I was reading less, and because I felt upset, I didn't really enjoy the things I used to. So, once I finished the book I was working on, I went to the library, and I picked up four shorter-length books, and I completed them within the space of the next month, reading about one per week. It was a mini-reading blitz, and changing subjects so quickly really got me excited again to start looking at more books and different genres that I wanted to explore. If you're trying to get into reading or back into reading, I would suggest doing something similar and looking at books that are around 200 pages or fewer. You'll finish those books faster and trick your brain into thinking that you are accomplishing more than if you were to trudge through a 400 page book (even if it's one you're genuinely interested in).

I have regular slumps in reading - normally every other month, unfortunately - but now I'm commuting to work I find it a lot easier to read on the trains and buses to and from. I also recently got a kindle, and whilst I was against eBooks (long story) I've actually really got into them lately. They do seem to make it easier to read when traveling. Same for audiobooks too - although I only listen to non-fiction audiobooks.

So late to this video, but recently (like the past 3 years actually) I have just been in sort of a reading slump. I studied English in university, but I'm not from an English speaking country (so forgive me if I still make mistakes 😅) and not all of my subjects were literary but most of them were, and every subject was so intense (british/irish/american literature/plays/movies(yes, movies), latin love poetry(which I have to admit kicked my butt, I did not understand anything, I feel like I was too young to get it), etc.) and when I graduated I was (and I guess I still am) so relieved that I not longer had to read so much that I kinda got out of the habit of reading. I've seen a lot of people praising audio books but I guess they aren't for everyone. I'm not a big fan of them, I get distracted very easily and I always feel like I'm missing sentences or paragraphs, and I have this need to keep the book open and follow with the reading so I know I've heard everything which ruins the purpose of the audio books (like if I have the book open and follow the reading, I can just read it myself). Recently, tho, I've been feeling like picking up a book again (and I have so many on my bookshelf that I still haven't gotten to) but the thought of reading a giant book is so daunting and whenever I start, my mind can't seem to focus and I read but nothing is actually going into my head. Now I'm just looking for some sort of inspiration to get into reading again (and I have a book that has been sitting in my tbr pile since 2013). This video is helping so much right now. Thank you for making it and giving us some inspiration! 🙏🙏

Thank you so much, that was so, so helpful for me!! Love your videos!

thank you for sharing your experience !

Thankyou Jean, you always are very helpful

Last year was the year of the reading slump. Though despite that, I managed to read 30 books. I am challenging myself to reading 50 books this year, and I also want to read more nonfiction than I usually read. Since my computer is in the shop I have an opportunity to do more reading.

I started college again this past week and after having a very successful reading year in 2016, I haven't read anything recreationally in the past week. I have SO much law literature to read and it takes me so much time... I'm just tired at the end of the day. It feels quite sad, because I LOVE reading but it has been put on the backburner for now.

I don't keep track of the number of pages, but I always try to read 2 to 4 chapters for an hour or two. When its a big book, like I just got East of Eden and The Secret History I try to get at least one chapter done. Most of the time for the bigger books I have to only focus on them.

I'm in a terrible reading slump, med school is killing me, I get home so tired I just want to sleep or watch some silly stuff on Netflix to unwind a bit 😢

Research shows that if you watch a back lit screen just before you go to bed you will find it more and more difficult to relax for sleep. so reading before bed is a great way to wind down. Unless of course you read on a tablet...

It doesn't matter how big the number of books we read. What I think important is, quality over quantity. :)

Completely off topic: did you get your hair colored or is the toner? It looks great! Okay, I'll resume watching the video now... ;)

Hi Jean! Great video! I hope I can apply some of your advice. In my case. as I have to read lot for work, prepare my classes and write...I feel like I don't have a lot of time for reading (for me, that is). And I don´t commute so I don´t have that extra time for reading. Any idea of how to do so? xx

I’m recently getting back into reading but this happens everytime I do always get disconnected and my mind gets distance or I drift away does anyone else experience this? :(

Just talking about reading makes me want to read more.

"700 page books" depends which book! War and Peace or Brief History of 7 Killings are easy, that long Hungarian one (it's up for longest book in the world) or Proust are both so boring..... i mean boring + long = impressive, but not for reading, for doggedness! The world's longest novel is probably The Story of the Stone and in the Penguin translation on Kindle it was gripping, except book 5

Hi ... can u suggest some of research or some books written on comparative basis of tamil literature and greek literature ???

I love that this video really came full circle on 'the joy of reading'. Was that on purpose? :P hehe

There is something weird going on with the angle of your shelves. Are you filming this in "the lair" of an old time TV Batman villain? KAPOW! :)

you are so beatiful girl