Many people say they used to read more and would like to again. The problem is rarely interest. It is time, habit and choosing the wrong book. Here is a practical way back in.
Start with something you want to read
Forget the book you feel you should finish. Pick something you are genuinely curious about, even if it is short, light or a book you have read before. Momentum matters more than ambition.
Keep the book where you sit
Leave your book on the sofa, the kitchen table or by the bed. If it is in sight, you will pick it up in the moments you would otherwise reach for your phone.
Read for ten minutes
Ten minutes a day adds up to a surprising number of books in a year. Set a small target and let it grow naturally.
Use the in-between moments
Waiting rooms, train journeys and lunch breaks are good reading time. A paperback in your bag or a reading app on your phone turns waiting into something enjoyable.
Allow yourself to stop
If a book is not working after fifty pages, put it down and pick another. Giving yourself permission to stop keeps reading a pleasure rather than a task.
Talk about it
Share what you are reading with a friend or join a small book club. Talking about a book is one of the best reasons to finish it.