I was never an avid reader. I enjoyed some Hardy Boys and Enid Blyton from my school library, but once I hit high school, all that was replaced by boring textbooks. Literature left me or maybe I left it. My reading habit died in school, buried under exams, college, and the pressures of building a career. Somewhere along the way, reading became associated with textbooks and obligation rather than joy.
Years later, my boyfriend (an avid reader) gifted me a book on my 22nd birthday. And I was mad! Who gives a book as a gift?. That gift did nudge me back into reading, but I only read one or two books a year.
It wasn’t until my early 30s that books became a regular part of my life. Now, I read atleast two books a month. It took me 13 years to get here. (Not that it should be the goal, but it’s a good place to be if one likes books)
After a long day or when I’m feeling overwhelmed, bored, or restless, I’ve discovered that reading is the most convenient way to relax and calm my mind. I know many of you want to do the same i.e. choose a book over a screen but feel too drained to focus, even though you love the idea of reading. I was exactly there myself.
At first, I tried reading my partner’s collection of classics—Dostoevsky, George Eliot, Albert Camus (I was bored to death). These were thick books, with difficult English and topics that didn’t interest me, which only pushed me further away from reading.
The first blocker was that “I’ll never finish this” feeling when you pick up a thick book. Then there’s the self-imposed pressure to read “important” books, award winners and classics, even if they don’t interest you. Over time, here’s what finally helped:
1. Read for Pleasure, Not Status
Reading is for your enjoyment, not to impress anyone. Read what interests YOU, not what you think you “should” read. It could be anything—mystery, romance, graphic novels. The goal is to weaken the screen’s dopamine pull by channelling your mind toward the antidote: a book.
2. Browse Before You Buy
Go to a bookshop or platforms like Goodreads and FiveBooks.com for getting a quick glimpse of a book. Sometimes I order books straight from Amazon (there’s no bookshop where I live, my dream is to open a book café someday). If I’m not sure, I read a sample on Kindle or Google Books before deciding to buy.
3. Start Small
If you’re a beginner, start with shorter books (under 250 pages). The satisfaction of finishing a book is very motivating for picking up your next one. Try reading for 20–30 minutes before bed, or just 2–3 pages, whatever suits you. This keeps screens away and often leads to better sleep. Keep your current book with you; you’ll be surprised how many reading opportunities pop up throughout your day. Especially when you’re outside, it’s a great way to avoid reaching for your phone.
4. Go Easy on Yourself
Don’t buy a ton of books or make a huge reading list. Don’t put yourself under pressure or fall into a guilt cycle. If you don’t like a book, stop and pick another. You can leave a book whenever you like, that’s the beauty of free will. (It took me a while to accept this!)
Beginner-Friendly Recommendations
Here are some light fiction and non-fiction
- Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
- Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
- Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
- When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- Factfulness by Hans Rosling
- The Mother by Geetanjali Shree
- Kokoro by Natsume Soseki
At the beginning of your reading journey, what book helped you fall in love with reading?
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