Discussion Post - Reading Burnout

 

I know I don't do a lot of these discussion posts here on Bookish Whispers, but this one has been on my mind for a couple of days. So I thought why not write a post about it. Put it out into the world in case someone who needs it stumbles across it. Because at the end of the day, we read to relax, unplug form the world, and escape.

Which I've struggled with this month, and I don't want to call it a slump. Not when so many books sound good. I have great books sitting on my TBR cart, in my library stack, and on my Kindle. My problem, they want to read. 

Lately, reading has felt like a chore. I think I need to do content, and I already have a full-time job that requires my full attention when I'm clocked in. The last thing I want is for my reading time to feel like it's also a job. Because I don't owe anyone content. 

On top of that feeling, last week wasn't a great week for everyone in my house. I haven't really been able to focus on much. 

So, I've been calling this reading burnout. Because last month I read nine books and over fourteen hundred pages. This is a lot for me, and a lot of those books hit the middle road for me. I felt like maybe I just needed a break from my TBR, and let myself obsess over something.

Recharge so that when I picked up my next read, it didn't feel like a chore. So I opened a new puzzle and let that drive me insane for a couple of days. I marathoned old favorite tv shows because who knew Pluto had reruns of the CSI series. I watched a lot of CSI: New York. To this point, I finally started to see episodes for the second time.

But, all of this was a good idea because on Monday (my day off) I dipped my toe back into reading. I had some great Graphic Novels I got over my birthday, so I picked those up, and I spent the entire morning reading! I actually spent a good chunk of my "weekend" reading. So taking a week to breathe and give my brain a break was the best choice for me.

I just wanted to remind people it's okay to take a break from reading, or whatever hobby you are passionate about. Because you can always pick it back up. At my job we use the quote: "The rules are made up and points don't matter." I work in a pub kitchen so we cook with our hearts and emotion when we make dishes. I feel like that applies to reading. We read with our hearts and our emotions. Books speak to readers in different ways.

So maybe that book I DNF'ed wasn't bad, I just wasn't in the head space to read it. Maybe I needed a break and smaller reads. Because now, despite taking a break, I feel like I'm keeping on track with my reading goal. Even though it doesn't matter if I hit that goal or not. 

Because at the end of the day, it's just reading. It's just a blog, and I don't want to disappoint anyone who is following it. Anyone who comes back day-after-day, and blesses every single one of them does, but sometimes I just need to curl up with my fat cat and watch crime shows. 

To the point, my roommate hears the theme song in her sleep. Seriously she's put up with a lot this last week, she's the best!

But, yeah, that's my hot take on reading burnout. Sometimes I think as bloggers and avid readers, we get so focused on our challenges and goals that we don't realize we might not be enjoying what we're reading. Breaks are important in all things.

So remember: Reading is supposed to be fun, and... 

HAPPY READING!!