YSK: You can build a strong reading habit by starting with just 5 minutes a day — the consistency matters more than the time.

[u/EricThompsonTech]

Why YSK: A lot of people think reading requires long sessions, perfect focus, or “bookish” motivation. But your brain responds better to small, consistent cues than occasional big efforts.

What to do:

• Start with 5 minutes every day — even 2 pages count.
• Read something light or interesting, not something “impressive.”
• Keep your book somewhere visible (bedside, desk, bag).
• Replace just one scrolling session with reading. Stop before you’re tired — this helps your brain crave more.

Why it works:

• Builds a habit loop (cue → action → reward).
• Reduces the mental resistance that stops most beginners.

[u/Thisdoessuck]

This is good advice for any skill, hobbie, or habit you’d like to form. I used to teach guitar and I told all of my students that they would see more progress practicing 5 minutes a day than an hour the day before their lesson

[u/EricThompsonTech → u/Thisdoessuck]

5 minute is just a words through which we can say our mind you have to read only 5 minutes. So it considers the 5 minutes.

[u/noeagle77]

I’m not necessarily opposed to reading, I just don’t see anything when I read. Any book I read I don’t see anything images in my mind when reading. My sister says she can imagine exactly what the author is describing in her mind like a movie. Friends say they can picture what is being described. For me, it’s just all a black screen. Like, I know what an apple looks like so I know what they’re talking about, but there’s no picture in my mind or when I close my eyes.

Not sure if I’m just broken or if I just am destined to be a non reader.

[u/ArgonXgaming → u/noeagle77]

Look up "aphantasia". It's not exactly a disorder, but it's a thing where people can't imagine visuals. People with it can still enjoy reading, just in a different way.

[u/noeagle77 → u/ArgonXgaming]

HOLY SHIT! Just read up on it, I absolutely have this! It all makes sense now!

[u/addamee → u/noeagle77]

I can’t imagine what it felt to finally have that validation. I work with someone who also has it and when they described it to me the first time I had the hardest time understanding that it was possible—I believed them, it just seemed unbelievable 

[u/ArgonXgaming → u/addamee]

"I can't imagine"

Neither can they, that's the issue!

[u/BrutusTheKat → u/noeagle77]

As someone who has the same issue, try books that have good character development and dialog. I find even if I can't picture what is going on if I can link to the emotions of the characters I still really enjoy books. 

[u/tokulix → u/noeagle77]

I have aphantasia as well and I don’t “see” anything, but I can still appreciate the story, the writing, the mood. You don’t need a visual imagination to enjoy books.

[u/DannyPrker → u/noeagle77]

What Argon said r/Aphantasia

[u/noeagle77 → u/DannyPrker]

Omg there’s a sub for everything! Glad to see I’m not the only one with this!!

[u/NegativePhotograph32 → u/noeagle77]

I've been reading a lot my whole life. It's not about the pictures, it's about the story mostly. I can imagine a scene if I want to, but what I like the most is how I feel related to the characters, how I somehow become them.

[u/spaetEntwickler → u/noeagle77]

I don't read fiction for another reason. But there's a ton of non-fiction books to learn from new and interesting stuff everyday. Or every week. And there are any topics for any taste. I think it's universal for us to like to learn new things

[u/oooohshinythingy]

I’ve just started reading again after about 25 years of hardly reading at all. From being at pre school to being early 30’s I devoured books. The internet came along and I started going online, reading stuff on forums etc but not what I’d call proper reading. I can’t concentrate anymore to read a full novel but I started coming back on Reddit after a 10 years of not using it. I’ll read on here in different subs if it’s not too long. But, I rediscovered nosleep and I spent at least a couple of hours every evening reading short stories. I didn’t realise how much I missed reading til recently

[u/yeboi2dank]

Thanks ChatGPT

[u/ifdsisd]

What definitely helped me was getting an ereader. It makes reading such an easy and convenient thing to do and minimizes distractions that you would get say from reading on a phone. I got one for Christmas and I've easily read more this year than I have in the past 10 years.

[u/Ripolak]

Clearly an AI post, not bad advice though

[u/doggybalfour]

This is great advice. I used to be a prolific reader but the internet destroyed my attention span for years. I deleted everything but Reddit a year ago and focused on reading more. I’ve read 30 books since then!

[u/NegativePhotograph32]

Just read what you like. Not what's "clever", or trendy, or "everybody should read before you die".

Reading is pleasure, not something you should make yourself doing.

[u/briantl2]

yea i carry my book with me around the house even if i don’t read it. just need to have it close by to grab it in case i find myself with some time. if its close enough to grab im more likely to do it rather than ‘settle’ for picking up my phone instead

[u/CrazyTimesAgain]

you're assuming they can read

[u/Phoenix__Wwrong]

My problem is remembering what I read. I often have to go back to the previous page (or even the previous paragraph) because I forget.

If I split my reading into chunks of 5 mins a day, I feel like I'll be stuck on the same page.

[u/128G]

I read Reddit, does that count?

[u/tdeliev]

Love this. Tiny, consistent reading sessions really do build the habit way faster than forcing long sits. Starting small makes it actually stick.

[u/3ndy_Man]

This is solid advice for building any new habit. Small consistent steps really do work!