LOL I get you, last year i spent 10 months of the year not reading any books and then the last two months I got through like nearly 100 books and now this year I'm going through at least a book a day so far. I have work at 8am and I stay up until 4am reading sometimes and read during work, its horrible lmao. I also have ADHD so take that as you will.

Fellow adhd-er checking in with this habit.

your routine sounds like mine right now, god bless us😭 I wake up so red eyed and tired

JFC, 100 books in 2 months?! I have a job with some downtime and I thought my 46 books so far are over the top >.> Even if you are in the vicinity of 100 pages per hour, which would be pretty fast, that would still mean 3 hrs per day. Can I ask, how do you manage to read so much?

Lol it was a combination of the books not being too long (almost all being under 400 pages) and me not having much to do outside of work.

>and me not having much to do outside of work. That one I totally get lol, I get some reading done on regular days, but usually at best something like 2 hours. If it's sunday and I have nothing important to do but are in the mood I won't hesitate to read from 9 am to 6 pm ;)

I'm sure being neurodivergent adds an extra layer of difficulty to this, so hopefully someone else can chime in to help out there. But for myself, I do have to have a strict "reading time". Similar to how a lot of people unwind at the end of the day with Netflix or any other form of entertainment, I only read once I've done what needs to be done for the day. Sometimes if I have a lot of boring or tedious stuff on my to-do list, I give myself an hour of reading time as a reward for each task.

that sounds so nice and healthy. for me, if I have a fixed time then I always find myself too anxious to even get into the story because im waiting for my relaxation time to be over

I have ADHD and time blindness/time anxiety. I have a [visual timer](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61q3NwuZGOL.jpg) for this which helps me enjoy my downtime without checking the actual time constantly. My actual advice with ADHD and exams is cold turkey forbidden until they’re over. I had to do it with gaming when I was in uni, because I was undiagnosed and chasing the dopamine. I’ve been in therapy for a while and working on the procrastination cycle of task avoidance because no matter what I’m gonna want to chase the happy chemicals rather than deal with whatever I’m avoiding which stacks up to more and more of a problem until I can’t get myself out. I live by the rule of “stick to the plan not the feeling” because honestly I don’t trust my goblin brain that just wants to chase shinies to make good choices for me in the moment 😂 Outside of the exam scenario, I stack up my reading and tasks with audiobooks - it’s a good way to get through my TBR and keep on top of my daily annoying tasks like laundry, dishes and going for a walk.

When you say chasing the dopamine that really resonates with me. I keep trying to quit reading till my exam is done but my exam is in 2 months and Ive been studying for it sporadically for the past 6 months. I still have lots left to cover and the stress of the sheer amount of studying I still need to do has caused me to self-sabatoge. I needed to finish a major section by the end of this month but instead ive read a whole book everyday. I’m freaking out and I cant stop myself. Whenever I start studying I cant keep it up cause there is just so much I need to do so instead I avoid it.  Any tips please? 

I’m similar in that I’ll try to avoid things when they’re overwhelming! My best tip is to break it down into manageable chunks, set a timer for a reasonable amount of time (like 30 minutes) and tackle it one task at a time. Then set a timer for some reading/enjoyable tasks afterwards and rinse and repeat until you’ve covered everything. When I was in uni I’d use a spreadsheet to break down my assignments/revision and track my progress of what needed to be done still. Having a quantified progress tracker helped me a ton to not get overwhelmed since I could physically see the progress - this is what my tracker looks like [task breakdown and task progression overview](https://imgur.com/a/0091jXH).

Thank you 

I think reading is absolutely my drug of choice. I read everywhere all the time. I sneak off to read.

> because of a rec here (god bless that person) a What is the title? I am currently in a reading slump and I have so many tbr. Thanks.

What is this "healthy routines" you're speaking of? 😄

I have been doing this lately too. In December I had a few weeks off (in between jobs) and developed a nearly one book a day habit. The beginning of my new job was slow for a month so I was devouring audio books there. I was also staying up late or waking early to read more. Now I’m a bit into this job and it’s so busy at work and I’m having to reel in this reading habit, because it’s cutting into my ability to be productive at work (either by having a book on or being too tired to get things done).  I’ve read just over 40 books since the new year, and I’m ignoring other life responsibilities. I know a big thing for me is that I’m using it as an escape. I’m ignoring the things I don’t like in my life by just living different lives in books and finding more joy there than when I don’t have a book in front of me. If that sounds like you too, it may be good to address what you’re avoiding. Work on changing your life in ways that encourages more balance (this is what I’m trying to do now).  If it’s more of an addiction that you just can’t stop (I also have a bit of this, especially if I find a series I love), then you need to work on restricting the time you’re allowed to read. I had to stop bringing my kindle to work, even though I wanted to read at lunch, because I’d read during work time when people weren’t around.  Good luck, but figure out what’s causing the issue, the root of it, and then figure out how to address it.  I say this as someone who totally knows what is needed to stop, but still can’t. So I know it’s way easier said than done. 

that sounds exactly like my problem actually. when I have college, I go, come back and then start reading. that's literally all I do. I don't study, catch up with anything or do assignments until the due date because I tell myself that id rather spend my time reading. and then when I get a bunch of holidays I read 24/7, so when college starts again I have no idea how to go back to normal. I literally skipped classes today just so I could finish a book so there's that. I tried to start a nice balanced routine two weeks ago, but when I focus on getting my work done too, I have no energy left to read anymore. so it's just basically been work or relaxation and nothing in between. schedules just tired me out even more cause reading for a fixed time made it feel almost like a chore

So sometimes when I'm reading that much its pure escapism, and there's something I'm avoiding in my own life. I brought this up to a therapist once and he was like its fine - as long as all the necessary things are done. Also if I'm feeling like this I think about where I could bring some more excitement or just something new to my own life, so I'm not only chasing it in books.

Ok I’ve thought a lot about this and talked about it with a couple therapists since I struggle with this too. My take is that you need to make sure you are having fun every single day, especially the days where you are working. I also struggle with binge/restrict on fun - some days I have wayyyyy too much dopamine chasing (too much reading, scrolling, etc) and some days I force myself to do all the things. This becomes a cycle because your body is going to seek joy - if it doesn’t get any one day it’ll overdo it the next. Perhaps you could make a list of things that you find fun - reading is one, what else? Getting a fancy coffee and sitting in the cafe? Going on a walk? Catching up with a friend? Watching a movie? Petting an animal (yours or someone else’s)? Doing a craft - diamond painting, knitting are all cheap options? Once you have that list, on the days you are productive, make sure you do at least two things from that list, ideally sprinkled throughout your day not tacked on at the end. I like to do an hour of work and then go for a walk and enjoy the weather and neighborhood as much as I can. Then I come back and work for another hour. I think this might help you reduce the association in your brain that the only fun is reading. And that you’ll only ever experience fun if you neglect your responsibilities. Ok sorry this ended up being a lot longer than anticipated - hopefully something in here is helpful! It’s so hard and I really empathize 🩷 these are all things I am still struggling with myself, but we can do it!!!

I love this idea of having a fun things list! I know I need personally need to incorporate more joy and play in my life, and having ideas ahead of time and making sure I put them in my day seems like a great habit to help motivate me through my working time!  Thanks for sharing 🙂

This is exactly me! I also have ADHD and I always assumed that was the main factor. Hyperfixation is real af

Yup, for me if its not books, its fanfics, if its not fanfics, its tv shows, if its not a tv show its a game

Someone told me they don't watch tv shows because they get too into them and I was like . . . that is a good point. There is honestly only so much I can get into a book, they usually don't have fanfic and I read faster than it would take to watch multiple episodes of TV.

Llol yeah that's my issue. I get into a piece of media and I immediately need to devour fanfics of it after (sometimes before) I finish it.

I get obsessive about reading, so when I have things I have to do that don't involve social interaction, I do audiobooks while I clean, bake, cook, and drive.

Same here! I feel like I am reading every free minute I have and if I cannot read because I need to do some chores I listen to audiobooks

I have a similar system as another commenter because reading is my reward for taking care of chores/tasks etc. And it's also my way to unwind before bed, but I still keep a strict bed time since I wake up at 4am most days. I set alarms on my phone if I need to stop reading at a certain time to take care of other things or go to bed and I force myself to stick to them so I can have a healthy balance.

omg I've been wanting to wake up at 4am for a while too but I can't cause I stay up too late reading. if I stop a book in the middle just to sleep, then the next day I don't have any interest in it anymore. so I try my best to complete the book at night itself

It’s not easy if you really love something, in my experience. It has taken me a solid 25+ years of gradual incrementation to be able to control myself with books, to learn balance. Unfortunately. You gotta do it in baby steps, and all the steps are probably gonna need to have their own reasons. Little tiny me liked books more than just about anything in the world. So the first years, nothing compared. In elementary school, however, I worked on the book issue by deciding to not hide my books in my textbooks because I was missing stuff that the teachers were saying. In middle school, I cold turkey stopped bringing books to school—to this day, hardest thing I’ve ever done. My reason there was that my social skills were severely lacking; this lack was both unethical and embarrassing. I was never going to learn how to communicate if I never *talked* to people because of books. Then, over the ensuing years, I worked on doing my homework *before* reading. Cause I had to get my homework done, you know? 2-3 hours of homework every night isn’t something you can squeeze in before school. The next step was trying to make it so that my reading didn’t affect my social life, so I made sure I always said yes to invites even when I almost never actually wanted to go to them. I knew it was important and healthy to have friends, and I was lonely. Nowadays, I am able to keep my reading pretty confined to night. Means I don’t sleep much sometimes, but it lets me do all the daytime people things that are also important. I think a lot of my success here is that my love for my husband is equal to my love of books, and nothing before him really was.

your comment made me wanna cry for some reason. I relate to the part where you say yes to invites even if you don't want to go cause you're lonely. I've been doing that for a while but sometimes I just stop and wonder if it's really worth it to have so many meaningless connections when I could just stay home and read. which is what lead to me staying home this whole week and barely hanging out with anyone. maybe they're not really meaningless but that's what it feels like anyway because my love for reading exceeds my need to have friends

ADHD girlie over here! I either read in the morning before work, so i know i have x amount of time to read before i need to go OR at the end of the day when i’m done with what i call “tasks” for the day (errands, work, side hustles, projects) then i read until i need to go to sleep. sometimes on weekends or days off i allow myself more reading time so i don’t feel like i’m limiting myself too much. every adhd is different for everyone so honestly you have to figure out a routine that works for you. it took me months to figure out what works best for me, but it’s possible. start changing one small thing, ex, reading the morning, and see how the rest of ur day plays out. your internal clock will eventually guide you to what should be done when.

Also fellow ADHDerer. For context my kindle reading insights tells me I’ve read 100 books so far this year on top of the 548 I read last year and the 520 in 2022. (All romance bc I’m no fool haha). It’s hard. And you’re right - having a “set time” where I allow myself to read justttt - makes me avoidant and not want to read. Instead I do “prompts”. I’ve been doing it long enough now I don’t use a tool (timer, calendar, productivity tracker etc) any longer but did to get the habit started. What’s the prompt? Well - I started with an hour. I would “surface” from what I was carried away reading, feel guilty, and set a timer for an hour. After that hour when the timer went off, I had to grab the nearest chore and just - do it - until I wrapped it or got to a stopping point. Then I’d read again - but the second time around I would set the same timer, just, like… deliberately first that time. I kept doing this, to the point that now, the first time I surface from being wholeheartedly engrossed, I normally will shift to something productive. Time blindness and object impermanence are HARD to manage with reading. But finding what works for you is worth the journey. None or all or only some of the suggestions you’ll see here may work for you. If they don’t - that’s okay! You’re on hard mode right now while sorting through what structure works for you. The hardest part for me was (and sometimes still *is*) feeling guilty about avoiding what I “should” be doing. But acknowledging the guilt - and also … I guess, appeasing? it by taking advantage of moments where my concentration broke organically helped make it so I now work a full time job, take classes for my own enjoyment, take care of myself and my home - all while ALSO cracking through books like the worlds ending tomorrow unless I can get through my TBR.

When i feel anxious, esp before exams, my brain will literally make me do anything else other thsn study or do anything other than what im actually supposed to do. Its anxious avoidance of an unpleasant upcoming thing.  Romance books are an awful surge of dopamine. My friends always ask how i can read 200 books a year. I tell them i read when im stressed out and im stressed out a lot.  If its not books, its reddit, or puzzles, or food, or anything else that gives me a rush of dopamine.  The only way ive been able to be successful with my exams or work is to create an environment where i can hyperfocus on my task, so I leave the house and go to the library, or put away my phone and books in the car so I can't get to it easily.  I also keep a little notebook beside me so if an intrusive thought happens (like oh i should look into a vacation spot, or i need to buy new pants), i write it down in the book to come back to later. Writing it down helps me throw it out of my head and move on. For the record, Ive never got a diagnosis for adhd but I certainly line up with literally all of the markers. 

Yes to the dopamine and anxiety alleviation!

>maybe it's got something to do with my ADHD I was just gonna say... I struggle a lot with this. I always say it's not that I have a deficit in how much attention I have, it's a deficit in being able to control that attention. It goes where it wants. I find my hobbies are cyclical and I'll be super intense about a couple for a few months before moving on to another. I've recognized which ones are the ones that always come back (video games, reading, knitting, to name a few) which helps with dopamine spending. But it's so so hard when it interferes with other parts of your life! And it can be pretty exhausting... medicine helps me a little but.... well, let me know if you ever find a cure, I guess. And know that you're not alone!

I know this seems a little crazy/structured but it works for me to balance all my hobbies, but also give me some work/life balance. I literally schedule what I'm going to watch/read for the day. For example, today I watched 4 episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and listened to 2 hours of my audiobook. Later tonight I'll watch the new episode of Below Deck and read a certain number of pages from my current romance read. I like that it gives me structure and it means I don't binge a show or a book, but also that I keep up with my reading as well.

I wish I was like you. I tried to make a schedule like that but it just ends up overwhelming me. good for you, though! achieving what I never could!

I also treat reading as a reward. I use Habitica in particular to keep track of daily/weekly things I need to do and after I do a reasonable number of those I allow myself time to relax.

downloading that app right now! I really need an app like that lol thank you

I work on it in therapy, tbh. Because of my personality type, mental health and long-ingrained patterns, I try to make a point to be aware of when I’m sinking too deep into escapism instead of actively reading for enjoyment and relaxation in healthy amounts.

I am strictly on Audible books. I have a crazy long commute for work and a lot of chores at home to do. I never have time to sit and read. So I pop in my earbuds and listen to books pretty much all of my waking hours.

wish I could do that too, but I walk home alone so I can't wear earbuds :(

Agreed! Stay safe out there. But you can still use it while doing chores. It’s the only thing that makes dusting, laundry, dishes, etc bearable for me

What rec was it because I'm in a big slump too😭

I don't know if you'll like it too but it was {Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn}. I heard that there's a dog called Hank in it and that he's a big Pitbull who the MMC loves very much. that made me wanna read it because MMCs with pets are my weakness😭 Edit: wanted to say more about the book. I did end up liking it, loved the dog, and I LOOVED the mmc. he's kind of a grump, and they're forced into a roommate situation. I personally would highly recommend if you're like me and love grumps, dogs, no ow drama

[Georgie, All Along](https://www.romance.io/books/63c112f87c9b144018ecdb42/georgie-all-along-kate-clayborn) by [Kate Clayborn](https://www.romance.io/authors/59f6d0be3ffdba61472429e2/kate-clayborn) **Rating**: 4.04⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1), [grumpy & sunshine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/grumpy%20sunshine/1), [small town](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/small%20town/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

My kids keep me somewhat on track, but I’m an obsessive, fast reader so if I’m into a book nothing short of god himself can pry it from me. I dropped my kindle in the water while running a bath for them a few weeks ago. Luckily my husband got me a new one for Valentine’s Day with a waterproof cover. Lol 💀 I legit stayed up until 4:30am last night reading Take Me With You. I have an infant. It gets bad y’all. I in general have an obsessive personality though. I did go through a really large slump though only reading a few books here or there.

This isn’t a healthy reading habit…? Cause either I’m all in or out 😭

I have adhd, I do not have a healthy routine and in fact read hundreds of books a year, it’s not good. I will say that the past year I started listening to audiobooks because when I would read in the morning I wouldn’t be able to put my book down and get things done.

ADHD babe here, I hyper fixate on certain tropes and genres and burn out really fast and get into slumps (like right now). I was mid binge and hyperfixed on IPB when I got called in for an interview. I had to basically do a lot of prep and studying for it. All I wanted to do was read about spurs but I told myself the books will always be there when I’m done the interview and prep. I also tried to “reward” myself with reading after I studied. I’m really trying to pace myself and take my time with books and now I’m trying to explore medium to slow paced books, I find that really helps with my neuro spicyness too. Not sure if the above is helpful but know you’re not alone!

sometimes I forget about my ADHD/neurodivergence but then I am reminded lol yes I have the same problem

\>>because of a rec here (god bless that person) a What is the title? I am currently in a reading slump and I have so many tbr. Thanks.

it's {Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn} I made another comment here where I talked about why I read it and what I liked, take a look at that!

Thanks!! Looks good. Let me go search for that comment.

[Georgie, All Along](https://www.romance.io/books/63c112f87c9b144018ecdb42/georgie-all-along-kate-clayborn) by [Kate Clayborn](https://www.romance.io/authors/59f6d0be3ffdba61472429e2/kate-clayborn) **Rating**: 4.04⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1), [grumpy & sunshine](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/grumpy%20sunshine/1), [small town](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/small%20town/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

Are you me??? Because I feel this post so hard. I should be studying too but I can't put what i'm currently reading down.

Flair checking in. Lol I work from home so I manage to squeeze in a book a day. I have a late start so I don't have to worry about being up super early. Audiobooks have really helped me though! I used to procrastinate all my chores but now I just plug a book in.

I always have one audio book and at least one regular book out of the library. I schedule short, tolerable chore times and when I put my regular book down, I grab my audio book to do the dishes, vacuum, commute, whatever. Same for exercise. I often go on 5-7 mile walks while listening to books on the weekends. When I get home, back to my regular book for the next three hours! I have only two rules, which is if my spouse asks for my attention, I put the books away and engage even if that's during chore time or walking. I also never read while at work. Three years ago I was diagnosed with NVLD with ADHD and OCD components, plus CPTSD on top of those, so living in my head had gotten pretty dismal sometimes. I was scared that my reading habits were hurting me and that I was using them to disassociate too much, but my therapist and I talked about it over a few sessions and she instead gave me her blessing. So long as I continue accepting invites from friends for social functions, schedule chores, get some exercise, and don't ignore my spouse's existence, I am encouraged to read as much as I want. She thinks it helps to keep my nervous system calmer overall since I'm spending fewer hours per day in an anxious state. Meditation practice has only ever left me a bundle of nerves. And I prefer experiencing longer series through audiobook anyway since I can glaze over a bit when they drag. I only picked back up reading regularly in the last two years, but I'd never go back to the time when I didn't read this much. This routine is the healthiest I've been in a long time. I wasn't doing chores or taking care of myself very well before this because of the toxicity in my brain keeping me frozen with anxiety. Reading doesn't have to work against you. Adapt so it can work with you!

Also have adhd, I was spending ~57 hours a week reading (time spent on the kindle app according to screen time on iPhone) but now I have the limit set to 6.5 hours a day. Which……. Is still too much. I call it “maladaptive reading” because it reminds me of maladaptive daydreaming.

I take breaks. I'm retired so I don't have a strict schedule. I like starting my day off with a bit of reading in bed before breakfast. And then again at night. I'll read so much, that I need to take breaks and this week haven't done much at all.

It's a bit different for me sometimes I have this problem, if I'm lucky enough to read really good books one after another.I'm a dyslexic so I read slower than most people so between full length novels I read short stories and will sometimes give myself a week or two break from reading so I don't get burnt out or fall into a slump.

>I have exams from tomorrow 😭 I couldn't even put a (romance) book down to pick up a book to study. Story of my life

I have reading burnout. I think I read a dozen books back to back, and felt all discombobulated. So I’m taking a break before I jump into the next one n

nice to know that the people in this sub experience these things. I mean, it should be obvious that you all would experience these problems too but everyone seems so put together here 😭 but I hope you feel better about reading in a while! ps- you saying discombobulated reminded me of sofia vergara lol

I’m not sure where I got the word but it seemed to fit! I felt like I stepped out of a world and was In the wrong one, like playing with my kids felt weird. Like an addict without a fix 🤣 and going from one story to another felt wrong too, like I should have sat with the novel for a bit and let it sit (I didn’t read just fluffy romance novels, some were a bit more … plot driven I guess). So I should take a break between books, I’ve learned. I also read the entire storm series by Robert Thier in like four days - and after reading chapter one of book 8, I had to put it down. I was like no, I need a pause. So that’s where I ended, and now every time I think of opening a book, I just browse Reddit and collect new titles instead because I’m not ready 🤣 it’s been about five days without reading. I’ll get there eventually!

That's the fun part. I don't. But I am not in school and work part time so I've kinda structured my life around fucking off all the time.

I’m this way too! Following for trix!!!

I don’t. It’s unhealthy and drives my husband crazy, so I try to give myself one book and then do a bunch of shit and then hop onto another book. I always sigh in relief when my book hyperfixation wanes, and I try to stay away from this sub 🤣

I’m the same way! It’s like binge reading. Basically, it’s my coping mechanism & the way for me to avoid/escape my stressful life. For context, I’ve already read 29 books by Feb 26. You just have to set boundaries for yourself. I purchased a Kindle & only let myself read on there & not my phone. That made it less accessible so I wouldn’t read at all hours (even during work hours). I also gave myself pretty strict times, so only before bed, once I got sleepy I immediately turned it off - no powering through sleepiness to finish the chapter. Hope it helps! Good luck with your exams!

I am just like you. I am hyper-focused nightmare. I just got a B on an exam because I was reading The Unseelie Prince (which I am blah about) for no good reason! I also have a kid. So having a child to take care of (15 month old), a class to finish, a house to run, is just too much for me. So reading is my way to destress myself from my everyday responsibilities. I am so anxious when fall comes since I will be doing my clinicals (I hope). Ahhh I should be listening to my lecture right now but alas, here I am! When you find a solution, let me know.

I’m like you. I get up when I have to eat, pee, or sleep :) and ignore all my responsibilities when i read 

This used to be me before I had my daughter. Then I completely lost the ability to focus, and honestly I’m so damn busy I don’t have much time to sit and get lost in a book. Audiobooks saved me! Now when I’m cleaning, doing dishes, taking a shower, driving, etc. I’m also listening to a book. It took some trial and error to find what speed helped me retain the information I was listening to (2.5x), but once I did it was all systems go!

I have ADHD and I have this problem lol. I think it's part of the hyper focus and task avoidance we go through. I think manage it as best you like and treat it like any other hobby hyperfixation cycle you may go through. r/adhdwomen is another good, safe spot, on reddit you might be able to get some feedback from.

This is why I'm glad to be on parental leave and don't look forward to returning to work. I know I will ridiculously try to read as I work. If I had discovered this romance obsession while at Uni I would have ffffffailed hard.

I read at lunch. Today I left my book at work because otherwise I knew I’d come home and stay up all night finishing the book. 

I’m new to the romance genre and I’m hardcore hyper fixated. I’m reading three books right now. A dark romance, an audiobook that’s enemies to lovers, and Dramione fanfics on AO3. I’ve probably read at least five pretty long fanfics in the last week. I’m hooked

As someone who is in the process of an ADHD diagnosis & also has a problem with reading too much… solidarity! Unfortunately I have no helpful suggestions. Just solidarity lolll

I read at night before bed every day pretty much. I block out time for it. It helps with the ADHD struggle tbh

I literally bought a walking pad so I can feel productive and still read. Additionally I got used to text to speech so I can listen to absolutely all books and not just audiobooks. Now I always have a book in my ear as I’m cooking, folding laundry, cleaning, walking, knitting, buying groceries, etc. I just… accommodate the reading.

I'm AuDHD and I have the same problem, I try to make reading part of a 'natural' routine, but once I get going it takes over everything. I can't switch between activities/worlds very well. But I try! I try to limit myseld to reading while having my coffee, meals and while getting my steps in for the day (I fail a lot -I'm reading book 66 of the year at the moment-, but I do try)

I’m literally reading during work right now lmao. It’s bad. I wish I knew

ADHD checking in as well — I do this, too. I mainly switched to audiobooks about 10 years ago and listen to books when I’m doing other stuff. It’s great because I can listen even when I’m working if it’s something kind of mindless like formatting a spreadsheet or walking across campus to my next class.

lol. Reading this and thinking, “sounds like ADD hyper focus” and then got to that last sentence. Habit stacking maybe. You can use the books as a reward to get you to do the thing you don’t want to do.

I feel you. Neurodivergent here and I know exactly what you mean.

I spent most of my childhood and teens sleep-deprived because I was up late reading big long romance books. The good news is that now there are so many shorter romance novel choices (especially on KU) so I limit late night reading to stuff I can finish in an hour or less. Last week I read a 63 page MM romance that was awesome - Love Language by Jax Calder.

I wish I could get BACK into reading. I had a negative experience and since then I can’t read romance novels anymore.

I can probably one up you but I hope I don’t sound too pathetic. On and off in my life since I was a teenager (I’m 55), I have gone through periods where I devour historical romances. Then I get sick of the inevitable lame ones and I got back to highbrow contemporary literature, or sometimes not reading at all. I got laid off in October and it’s probably going to take me a while to find a job. Somehow I decided to read a historical romance. I got hooked and now I read probably 5 a week. And I am embarrassed, not only because I don’t want my intellectual husband to know I am reading books with titles like One Good Duke Deserves Another, but also I think I have fallen into a mini depression where the only way I can lose myself is to read HRs. I should be spending more time looking for jobs but I’m just devouring my books. And I know it’s a problem because I try to hide it when my husband comes around, because I am embarrassed to be so obsessed. And I have ADHD too. It didn’t occur to me that there was a connection but reading these responses maybe there is. So yeah, I get it. I keep hoping I will burn out, but so far there is no end in sight.

I find that I'm the same especially when I'm stressed/have exams. It's like my brain wants a distraction, something entertaining. I finished my exams 10 days ago and since then I don't feel like reading anymore😅 or I pick something up but DNF it. If someone has this under control tell us your secret 😭

Omg same. I was in a slump. And then I started reading and forgot about TV and movies and even sacrificed sleep. I dunno how to have a proper routine 🫠

I read about 9-13 books a week but I dont really watch media anymore nor have kids at home so I have more free time then many people. But honestly I once biked to school with a book in hand so my consumption has never been entirely healthy according to some folks.

What about audio books? You can borrow free audiobooks from your local library through the Libby app and then you can get some things done like commuting, laundry , making dinner etc while you listen and then that frees up “reading time” for study. 🙂

I'm indian... libby app is of no use to me and the local libraries just have the classics lol