Summer Reading Rehab: 5 Ways to Sneak Books Back Into Your Life

Something happened to us.

We used to read. We used to finish books. We used to have a stack on the nightstand and actually make a dent in it.

Then somewhere between the group chats, the doomscrolling, the back-to-back meetings, and the general chaos of being a person in 2026 — reading started to feel like homework. Like one more thing we were failing at.

If that sounds familiar, you're not broken. You're just burned out. And this post is for you.

Here are five things that actually helped me fall back in love with reading — not the aspirational, aesthetic, "I read 180 books a year" version of reading, but the real, imperfect, five-minutes-in-the-car-before-school-pickup version. The kind that counts.

1. Lower the Stakes

"Reading doesn't have to be a landmark event."

If you're waiting for the perfect, romantic, sunny afternoon under a tree with zero bugs and zero distractions to finally open a book... I have some news for you. That afternoon? She is not coming.

Here's what I've learned: reading doesn't need a ceremony. It needs a crack in the door.

Five minutes while your coffee brews. Two pages at the laundromat. A chapter while you're early to school pickup. It all counts. Every single page. The goal isn't a reading marathon — it's just sneaking the story back into the boring corners of your day, one small window at a time.

Lower the stakes. The book will meet you where you are.

2. Try the Chaos Reading Method

"My new favorite habit: The Car Book."

I once heard a book festival director say she keeps an upstairs book, a downstairs book, a car book, and a bathroom book — all going at once.

My first reaction was that sounds unhinged. My second reaction was she's a genius.

Here's the thing: a book that is physically staring at you from the kitchen counter is infinitely more likely to get read than a book that is perfectly shelved in your office. Proximity is everything. Your brain is already trained to reach for whatever is closest — so put a book there instead.

Pick one spot in your house that isn't a bookshelf. The car door. The bathroom counter. The kitchen table. Put a book there. See what happens.

3. Choose Paper

"Why your brain skims on a screen — and how to fix it."

Ever try reading an e-book on your phone, only to find yourself accidentally opening a text notification and then somehow watching a video about a golden retriever learning to skateboard?

Same.

Neuroscientists have found that our brains are deeply trained to skim digital screens — to scan for quick information the way we do with emails and news feeds. That's a survival skill for the internet. It's terrible for deep, restful reading.

If you're trying to get back into books after burnout, choose paper. The physical texture of a page sends a signal to your nervous system that this is different. This is slower. This is for you.

It sounds small. It isn't.

4. Match the Book to the Vibe

"Don't bring Infinite Jest to the DMV."

Books have textures. Some are light and fast and made for chaos. Some are slow and soulful and need quiet to breathe.

Trying to read a dense, poetic masterpiece in a loud waiting room is a recipe for closing the book and opening Instagram. And then feeling guilty about it. And then the book sits on the counter for three weeks.

Here's a simple fix: match the book to the moment. Light, fast-paced fiction for the pool, the doctor's office, the commute. Deep, soulful reads for Sunday mornings when the house is quiet and the coffee is hot. You're not cheating on the serious books — you're just reading smarter.

5. Give Yourself Permission to Quit

"Permission to DNF the book you hate."

In the book community, we call it a DNF — Did Not Finish. And I want you to hear this clearly:

It is not a failure. It is taste.

If you're falling asleep, rolling your eyes, or checking your phone every two minutes while reading — that book is not your book right now. Close it. Walk away. Life is genuinely too short, and there are too many incredible pages in the world to spend your time on a story that feels like homework.

The right book is out there. Sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs to find it.

Ready to find a book you actually want to finish?

Come find us at one of our upcoming pop-ups — we'd love to help you fall back in love with reading. 

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Inspired in part by a conversation on NPR's Life Kit — one of our favorite podcasts for living more intentionally.