Mornin’!
We are quite late on this topic.. but better late than never, eh? 😅 So here we are for another “Let’s Talk Bookish” topic!
Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books and Dani @ Literary Lion. Where we discuss certain topics, share our opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts.
📚 November 13th; When are reading breaks a good idea (SUGGESTED BY LYDIA @ LYDIA SCHOCH)
On a technical side, A reading break is always a good idea. Don’t force yourself too much as you will probably end up further in a slump and/or not even understanding or absorb what you read.
While I would always suggest it to someone else, I personally slip the advice.. it’s like it’s not applying to me (like a LOT of things) 😅 However- as I got in quite a bad space related to Covid and all lately.. I was really struggling to read, or even feeling like reading.
Because i’m originally a French person that used to read only in French, until barely 2years ago, my first move is always trying to get my slump out by reading something in my language instead .. as a sort of “palate cleansing” — sometimes it’s all that I need to reboot my brain and get back into reading.
Something that can also work, as i’ve done last time where I was over-done with work and *Not quite* having my brain on my shoulders, i’m looking for a fun-read that’d go easier on my brain than a full-on novel; Like middle grade, something that I definately don’t read enough of.
When all else fails.. I don’t have much choice than to give myself a break. Which i’m always feeling bad about, especially in this time that while I have put my reading on pause, AND already running out of blogging topics.. it’s even harder to find something to write about.
I’m learning to get better with taking breaks (reading aswell as blogging), and that letting go and rest sometimes is okay — it doesn’t mean that I won’t come back to it.. which is basically my biggest fear. My anxiety brain thinks that if I completely let go of something, either because of a bad mental health or anything else, that I won’t be able to get back to it..
Sometimes I still try to read at night, other times I don’t. Whenever that happens, I usually throw myself in video games — preffering to “shut off” my brain with other worlds instead. Very rarely i’d go to binge-watch TV shows.. although it did happened once, but i’m not much of a binge-watcher person; I can only stomach a few episodes before wanting to wander around and play some sims or something.
Do you take reading breaks?
What media do you consume in the meantime?
This is a very interesting topic! I have a hard time taking reading breaks, but lately I’ve been trying to let go a little of all my stress and busyness, and relax a little by just doing nothing / taking a small nap / playing a video game for a short time. I find it really helps to de-stress a little, and we definitely need that in times like these!
Oh yes definately! I’m trying also to try to just.. take it chill and not stress myself for things like that.
I’m the same in that I think breaks are a good idea but I really struggle to take them myself. I definitely get that fear too that I somehow won’t get back to it – probably because a few years ago I took a break from reading and it ended up being a year long break (I was at university at the time though, so I think the required reading kind of killed my love of reading for a while!).
I feel that’s much of a « anxiety response » 😅 there had been a period I struggled to read too, even finishing books in general ! But that was when my anxiety & depression first hitted- and it hit hard.. I really didn’t wanted to let go of reading, but while doing that I had more dissapointment aswell..
Reading breaks are always a struggle for me, but I’m the same with going to a different genre! Sometimes it turns out I just need a break from the genre and need some fluff than constant fantasy or science fiction. I think my biggest factor with needing a reading break is when everything is stressful but especially when nothing I’m doing is working (it is what it is). In that case I end up playing more games on my phone. 😂
yeps xD we just need a little change sometimes! (if not in genre, in the media we consume — hehe!)