Am I really in a reading slump? Is that a failure?

For the last few months, I have been complaining to myself that I am in a reading slump. I usually start off each month very well. Eventually, I just stop wanting to pick up books and my initial TBR is left unfinished.

My obsession with making lists and then crossing them off is also affected. I strongly dislike seeing things not crossed off.  With that, it translates to my updates in the bog diminishing.  I start feeling depressed. Everyone has had those moments when you defeat yourself. As soon as something is not going your way, you feel a huge pressure and feel that no matter what you do, nothing will get done. 

The solution I normally take? Stop trying.

Wrong! The worst decision ever. If something is not working out, keep trying. We need to focus more on doing our best. If things are not going as we expected them to... Well, let's focus on what we did accomplish. 

Things to try (reading-wise):

-Set realistic TBRs for each month. I did set huge TBRs because that's the way I normally read but at some point, it was too much and I started to not be able to cover all of the books I intended to. That made me feel bad and I just placed more pressure on myself. 

-Revise the books you are placing on your TBR and most of all it is ok to put a book down if you are not feeling it. You can either DNF or just put it aside to read at a later time.

-Don't stress out. We read for fun, take it easy. ( I have a hard time doing this one.)

-Allow yourself to celebrate small victories. Focus on what you manage to get done instead of what you missed.

-Take a few days off to unwind and recharge. Then come back pick up a book, if you are not feeling it, set it down. Try again later.

-Try different books and see which one catches your attention. Sometimes you want to read and just not the specific book you are currently reading. Having multiple choices help. 

-Having books in different genres, or formats might help. Try audiobooks, ebooks, or physical reads if possible maybe changing it up you will find one you are comfortable with. What worked for me the past few weeks: trying audiobooks. Then I stopped paying attention so I switched from audiobooks to digital books. When I got tired of reading on my cellphone I moved on to digital graphic novels/mangas online to try to get my rhythm back.  

-Set a few minutes here and there to just read. Set 10-15 min to read. Get a timer and when the clock hits the mark, stop if you are not into it yet. I am at a loss so I try to keep reading to see if maybe I get my sense of accomplishment and with that my attitude is switched to something more positive. Eventually, you do get something done even if it's just a few minutes at a time, you see the progress and that is a positive stimulus.

It really sounds all over the place but it is best to try. This topic, reading slumps and just feeling off, is nothing new. It has been discussed by many people. Some share their personal experience as I do. People with experience in psychology provide professional advice on how to work your way out. This struggle is something no one can give you a magic recipe, everyone reacts differently, so maybe having it discussed in many different ways will help.

That's it for today, I will stop rambling now.  

Have a wonderful day and stay safe!