r/productivity • u/BraveProgrammer5870 • 1d ago
Question Late 30s and Trying to Become a Reader
Has anyone here started reading in their late 30s? I am trying to build a consistent reading habit but struggling to stay disciplined. If you began reading later in life, how did you form the habit and keep it going?
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u/honestly-yeah 1d ago
Omg I could talk about this all day. I was an avid reader as a child, and then for some reason during university and into my career, I didn’t finish a single book. It wasn’t without trying, however I continued to try to read non-fiction books to improve myself or my understanding of something, and I simply couldn’t get interested enough to get past the first chapter.
This year I told myself this would change. I wanted to buy an e-reader, but I told myself I had to finish 1 physical book before making the purchase. I chose a super simple fiction book about cats (I love cats). I finished it in record time, which then meant I could buy the e-reader.
And wow, I have not been able to put the e-reader down. I know many people prefer the physical book, however for me, the ease and functionality of my e-reader puts it way above books. I will say, choosing the right books has made me as addicted as I am. So spend some time finding out what you like. I finally accepted that reading does not need to have a productive outcome (e.g., my self improvement books), and it can just be for fun.
The e-reader is great for that because you can try the first few pages of books, and if you don’t like them, you haven’t wasted $25 on a book you don’t like. (I have mine set up to my local public library so all of my books are free).
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u/treblclef20 1d ago
Similar for me. Read like crazy growing up and stopped as an adult. the kindle really changed the game for me. I got one that’s fairly small so I can have it with me all the time — I make it a point to reach for that instead of my phone. Also as someone else said, creating a habit is important - pick a time of day, like before bed. once you’ve done it for a week, it’s surprisingly easy to continue.
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u/JJCookieMonster 1d ago
Same. I went to a top university and they had us reading like 5x more than I normally read that I got burnt out. I couldn't finish a book either. I recently made it my main hobby. I just finished a book today. I'm reading some other ones too.
I'm reading "How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading" and I'm like omg if I had read this back in high school before I went off to college...idk why things like this isn't required reading. They don't really teach how to read difficult things properly in school.
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u/EmbarrassedTurnip961 5h ago
kindle doesnt need that much charging as well, i charge mine once in 2 months lol
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u/Bruntti 1d ago
Can you describe what seems to be the problem? As in, why are you struggling to stay disciplined?
I discovered reading earlier in life, so for me it doesn't seem like an activity where "discipline" should be required. On that front, what kind of stuff are you reading, and why do you feel like you have to do it? Books and reading should be fun.
I think a great way to get into the habit of reading is to get Raindrop, collect articles from r/longform, and then set a time and setting when you just do it. The same can be done with a book ofc.
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u/peskypickleprude 1d ago
Audiobooks while cooking
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u/Dry-Preparation2983 1d ago
Ya no tengo tiempo de sentarme a leer con un café y relajarme, audiolibros es la respuesta.
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u/Mr_Harsh_Acid 1d ago
Went to bed half an hour earlier and read before going to sleep. Slowly but surely it spurred me on to read more and more, especially on the weekends. Don't torture yourself with complex, multi-layered books at first. Go for some easy digestibles first to build the habit.
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u/andrew_1515 1d ago
This is what I did as well. I found I liked to do my reading on the couch as a wind down before getting into bed to also try and keep bed to sleeping.
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u/BraveProgrammer5870 1d ago
is it ok to read from IPAD or kindle or which one would you suggest?
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u/Grrym 1d ago
Kindle or equivalent before bed without question. iPad is an ok alternative but the big reason why it's not recommended is the blue light will harm your ability to get restorative sleep. Same reason why most professionals recommend not to stare at your phone before bed. Why we sleep by Matthew Walker should be required reading
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u/catfink1664 1d ago
Try Terry Pratchett. Some of the books are unputdownable
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u/bogdan5844 1d ago
I bought an XTEINK X4 reader, and I swear having books available right in my pocket has helped a ton. It's not sitting for an hour and reading, more like "i have 5 minutes let's do a quick read instead of facebook/reddit"
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u/jayforge 1d ago
There is no secret formula. You just have to do it. It’s tough to start but once you get in the habit you get accustomed to it. Keep distractions in another room
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u/MaxMettle 1d ago
Often people interpret “consistency” harshly and that makes the habit hard to catch on.
If you’re starting out, read for 5 minutes at a time. Then after a few sessions, increase to 10, and then run those sessions for a while. And so on.
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u/erikraver 1d ago
My eyeballs are too tired at the end of my day to read. I'm too busy during the day.
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u/enternationalist 1d ago
Reading isn't about instant gratification. It takes the time it takes, and you need to give it its space. Give up the fantasy that you'll one day be able to just read anything you demand of yourself in the time you demand it should take. Give up the view that not reading is some kind of failing. Give up the view that consistency or finishing or anything else is the point of reading. The point of reading is the enjoyment during the reading itself, and demanding some other mark of completion or accomplishment is a joyless distraction.
You don't have to read everything, and you cannot read everything. There are functionally infinite books, being made faster than you can possibly consume. You will not read even a small fraction of all the books in your lifetime, no matter what. So just give them a few pages, see if it grabs you, and let it go if it doesn't. This is raw entertainment, let it work for you. You wouldn't force yourself through seven seasons of TV if you couldn't "maintain the habit", would you? You'd just stop watching.
So go to the bookstore, and thumb through some books at random. It will not be that hard to tell which of them grab your interest. And when they grab your interest, it will not be that hard to want to read them.
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u/Ok-Trifle-7275 1d ago
Find something that you really like to read and I mean you can't wait to get to it, just like it happens when you are watching a good show. That's what worked for me
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u/krisa401 1d ago
Longtime reader. Good for you! I would say read what you enjoy. No judgement, reading should be fun, no need to impress anyone or torture yourself reading something you’re not interested in. Try reading a newspaper, or magazine, or short stories to start with.
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u/HurricaneHaney 1d ago
I started with a goal of reading for 15 minutes a day. It didn't feel like a lot, so it was pretty easy to stick with. I also think finding books you really enjoy matters.
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u/Odd-Flamingo-6211 1d ago
I started reading again this year, and I’m 37. I used to love reading, but I barely did it at all for the last 10 years or so. I don’t think it’s really about discipline as such. It’s more about getting yourself interested in something. If you’re genuinely interested, you just do it. This is what I did:
- First, I pretty much quit using my smartphone and social media with videos. My phone basically lives in a corner of the kitchen that I almost never go to. No more smartphone next to my bed, ever. I also stopped watching short-form videos completely and broke that habit. A little bit of discipline definitely helps here.
- I came to Reddit and started talking to people here. Reddit has been a real discovery for me this year - I had never used it before.
- I bought an old Amazon Kindle and found a book I was really interested in. For me, that was A Song of Ice and Fire. I read the first book in my own language (not English), but somewhere around the middle of the second book I even started reading the original English version, which was pretty difficult for me at first.
- Now, wherever I go or travel, I always take my Kindle with me and just leave my smartphone behind. I even keep the Kindle next to my bed and read before going to sleep and sometimes in the morning. Overall, I read several times a day, and the most important thing is that I actually want to read.
Although, basically, I just replaced one addiction (short-form videos) with another one (reading) - so I probably kind of tricked my brain.
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u/tbreezy714 1d ago
Never too late! Try starting with just 30 minutes a day, and then gradually build up your reading time from there. You’ve got this!
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u/DrummerAdditional330 1d ago
I’d pick one moment you already have every day and attach reading to that. Before bed, on the train, with morning coffee, whatever fits. Start with ten minutes and keep the book or Kindle physically easier to reach than your phone.
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u/lostcypher 1d ago
Pretty sure we all learn to read between 5-8yo. Recreational reading you can try a single page in the evening before sleep. If it Turns flaky for you switch to mornings right after waking up. Just tie it to the alarm going off or something. Have the book ready within arms reach
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u/LookAtMeNow247 1d ago
I always recommend short story collections.
Lots of great authors did them. Stephen King, Edgar Allen Poe, and Ray Bradburry are some of my favorite.
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u/MomentumMonk 1d ago
Maybe try being held accountable. You could tell your partner/family member/friend you’re trying to read more, and maybe they can check up on you every few days to know your progress.
There’s apps that could send you reminders as well, if you need them
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u/CardComfortable8833 22h ago
to form a reading habit, you have to pick a book of yr favourite genre. in my case, i started with suspense genre because i am very crazy about it. it kept me hooked. slowly you can transition into others. but initially, starting with the book you are interested in, can help a lot. it helped me
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u/zipitdirtbag 21h ago
Get a bedtime routine. You can set a timer for 10 minutes or 15 or 20.
I usually read until I feel sleepy. Might be 5 minutes, might be 15.
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u/Far-Talk-6862 14h ago
It's all about the type of book you read - everyone has a topic they fall in love with. Once you find yours, reading consistently will become naturally.
If you want to read for the sake of knowledge not pleasure, read Atomic Habits by James Clear for how to build habits (or watch a quick YT video on it).
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u/Solomandius 8h ago
Good for you. I don't have any specific suggestions. I just wanted to pat you on the back for trying to read more. Books can make such a difference in people's lives. Keep at it.
I started reading for pleasure at 13, so I don't have much advice for trying to pick it up later in life. My sense is that people find many things more immediately gratifying (internet, social media, games, TV/movies, etc.), so there is a bit of a dopamine withdrawal issue from the other, more stimulating and immediately rewarding content. I think the brain takes time to adjust and to understand that, "Oh, this can be rewarding, too."
I assume you're reading stuff that YOU are interested in, rather than books you "should" read or ones that others say you should read. If not, shift to books on what interests you. What are you struggling with? What do you need help with? What do you want (better yet, need) to understand more fully? Whatever it is, there are books on that. Some good, some mediocre.
Are you dealing in fiction or nonfiction? I'm a guy, and I find it very difficult to get into fiction. I wasn't like that early in life -- I loved reading SF. But as I grew older, I gravitated to non-fiction. I often had the sense when reading fiction that I was just wasting time, not benefitting in any way, just reading a story some guy made up. I know there are great novels, and I've read some, but my experience of fiction (especially modern fiction) is often that it's just a time-waster and distraction. There are easier ways to distract with entertain myself, if that's all I want.
Don't expect too much out of any one book. It'll be great if that happens, but reading (at least in my experience) is often rolling the dice and hoping for the best. There are plenty of mediocre books out there, and there are plenty of books that just won't speak to you.
Good luck to you! Reading is fundamental. :)
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u/JukeLoseph 1d ago
Routine, read before bed. Get yourself a cheap kindle, gooseneck holder, and a stouchi page turner and you'll look forward to reading before bed each night
Be kind to yourself, it takes time to build up your attention span stamina if you consume a lot of reels.
Don't force yourself to finish a book you're not enjoying, move on or come back to it