For those who had the privilege of growing up before the boom of the digital world, you remember what it was like to engage with the real world. To go outside, play with dolls, ride bikes, and for many, read tons and tons of books. Your imagination ran rampant as you indulged in fascinating characters and got lost in new worlds.

While reading is one of the healthiest activities for your brain, it’s become a harder habit for many to maintain in adulthood. According to Pew Research, in 2023, 23 percent of U.S. adults said they hadn’t read a single book over the past year. That’s a significant increase compared to previous decades. In 1978, only 8 percent of Americans reported not reading a book in a year. In the meantime, social media usage has only skyrocketed. Reports show that the average American spends 2.5 hours per day on social platforms. In an interview with the Financial Times, neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf cautioned that neglecting deep reading “deteriorates intellectual engagement,” leading to “brain rot.” 

While it was once true that getting lost in a book was second nature, nowadays, you can barely finish a page without checking your phone. “Vox” notes that the shift from linear, thoughtful reading toward fragmented digital skimming may be eroding critical thinking, the heart of intellectual growth. But the good news? You have the ability to reclaim your attention and fall back in love with reading. Here’s how.

How Social Media Has Impacted Our Attention Spans

You aren’t addicted to your phone by coincidence. Social media platforms are intentionally designed to hijack your brain. Each like and swipe triggers a dopamine release, reinforcing a cycle of instant gratification at the expense of sustained focus. That drained feeling you get after doom scrolling is no accident. Those feelings are a common side effect of social media use. One such effect is a shortened attention span. A Microsoft study found that the average human attention span has declined from 12 seconds in 2000 to just 8 seconds in recent years, which is reportedly shorter than that of a goldfish. Additionally, constant digital stimulation leads to fragmented thinking, making it harder to engage with long-form content like books or films. If you’ve struggled to get through a movie without checking your phone, you’re not alone. Lastly, endless scrolling can result in cognitive fatigue, which diminishes the brain’s ability to focus on demanding tasks like deep reading.

How to Start Reading Again

No, you’re not doomed. The ability to focus is like a muscle, one that you can strengthen with intention and persistence. 

Start Small and Build

  • Don’t feel the need to dive into The Odyssey right away. Begin with short stories, essays or novellas. Wolf recommends starting with audiobooks or shorter texts as stepping stones back into reading.
  • Try reading for just 5–10 minutes per day, then gradually increase over time. These small increments of time alleviate too much pressure. 
  • Try implementing meditation into your routine. It can help you strengthen your ability to focus. Daniel Goleman, author “The Science of Meditation,” notes that “When we take active control of our attention, as when we meditate, we deploy this prefrontal circuitry, and the amygdala quiets. Meditation leads to better sustained attention.”
  • Don’t force yourself to finish more than a chapter. Just focus on showing up.

Create a Reading Ritual

  • Choose a time of day when your brain feels the most apt for locking in. For some, that’s early morning. For others, that’s before bed. 
  • Respect your reading time. Set up a cozy reading space with dim lights, no phone, and your favorite drink of choice. 
  • Associate that environment with “reading time” to build a habit.

Read Real Books

  • There’s nothing like the smell of a real book. Plus, physical books help minimize screen-related distractions.
  • If you’re using an e-reader, opt for distraction-free models like Kindle Paperwhite.

Limit Distractions

  • The Pomodoro Technique is practiced with 25 minutes of focused reading, then a 5-minute break.
  • Use apps like Forest or Freedom to block social media temporarily.
  • Keep your phone in another room or on airplane mode while reading.

Reignite Your “Why”

  • You once loved reading for a reason. Revisit books you love. Nostalgia can spark motivation.
  • Join a book club to keep you accountable and make reading fun again.
  • Follow BookTok or Bookstagram for recommendations on which novels are trending, and track the books you finish with apps like Goodreads.
  • Remind yourself that reading isn’t a race. It’s a form of self-care, growth, and nurturing of the imagination. Be kind to yourself while reinstating the habit.