I love learning about new things and I enjoy stories a lot. But I get easily distracted. I can’t even finish a page nowadays without being distracted and this has resulted in me not finishing a book in like 7 years.

The last books and only book I have ever finished in my life is Goosebumps (That Gnome story).

When I start reading a paragraph, I do okay but by the end of that paragraph I either get distracted or I forget how that paragraph started and how it eventually connects. This then prompts me to re-read the entire paragraph, countless times.

Eventually I get burnt out and I don’t finish the page. I don’t know how to fix this, but I want to be able to read books again.

I need some advice.

  • Shadow_Lass38@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Is there anywhere you can go to not be distracted? I grew up in a tiny house so I know it’s sometimes hard to get away from distractions in a small living space. I guess I would need to know what distracts you.

    You may also have ADHD. I have friends with it and they love to read but could not concentrate. Their doctors used a combination of medication (for school only) and anti-distraction techniques to help them. One of these friends is a young woman just turning 30 and she is now self-publishing on Amazon.

  • baytaknew@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Are you still in school? (There are resources IRL to help, if you are in school. That’s why I’m asking.)

  • baytaknew@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Look up the coping skills and techniques they teach to ADHD kids. Even if you haven’t been diagnosed, it sounds like those might help you.

  • frogmelladb@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    You could try listening to music while you read. I know it seems counterintuitive, but if you make a playlist of music you know really well and play it in the background or through headphones it really helps.

    It seems to occupy the part of your brain but because it’s something it recognises it doesn’t distract you from what you’re doing.

    It can’t be the radio or new music though.

  • The_Sceptic_Lemur@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    My focusing levels have also somewhat dropped over the years. A book really needs bring something to the table to keep me engaged for long periods of time. And even then, it can get exhausting. However, recently I discovered one of my favorite writers has released a couple of books with essay-like short stories ranging between half a page and 15 pages. And I realized that this format is really well suited to my lacking focusing skills. I don‘t have to force myself, can take frequent breaks and still finish stories and I don‘t get that guilty feeling of struggling through a book. I can recommend trying that format.

    In regards to audiobooks: I listen to audiobooks while I do something else, which is not to cognitively demanding (like cleaning or drawing). I can‘t just sit around and do nothing but listen. That would be terrible for me. Hence, I would recommend trying that. I really enjoy it.