The five-minute habit that fixed my reading slump
I hadn't finished a book in three months. Then I started reading five pages before checking my phone in the morning — and everything changed.
Reading slumps are strange. You still love books, you still buy them, they still pile up on the nightstand — you just can't seem to open one.
What finally broke mine wasn't a dramatic reset. It was five minutes, first thing in the morning, before my phone came off the charger.
Why mornings work
At night, reading competes with exhaustion. In the morning, it competes with almost nothing — the inbox can wait, the group chat can wait. Five pages became ten, and ten became a chapter, without me ever deciding to 'read more'.
If you're in a slump, don't aim for your old pace. Aim for five minutes. The habit rebuilds the appetite faster than willpower ever could.
Written by
Priya Anand
Priya writes about slow living, habits, and the quiet corners of a busy week.
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