How to Concentrate on Reading and Stay Focused

Ever find yourself a few pages into a book, only to realize your mind has been a million miles away? You’re definitely not alone. Figuring out how to concentrate on reading really starts with understanding why it feels so hard in the first place. The main culprit is usually a splintered attention span, pulled every which way by digital pings and modern habits.

October 1, 2025

Auriane

Why It Feels Impossible to Concentrate on Reading

It’s a frustratingly common scenario. You settle in with a good book, ready to dive in, but your thoughts just keep drifting. This is not a personal failing; it's a shared struggle. Our brains are simply rewiring themselves to cope with a world of nonstop notifications, short content, and an endless stream of information.

This environment trains our minds for quick, shallow tasks, not the deep, sustained focus that reading a book demands. Every buzz from your phone or email notification yanks you out of the story. Over time, these constant interruptions chip away at your mental stamina for longer, more involved activities.

The Modern Attention Crisis

The result is an attention span that feels shorter than ever. We've been conditioned to chase novelty and quick information fixes, making the slow, immersive process of reading feel like a chore. This is a real trend.

For example, reading habits in the United States have been on a noticeable downturn. Recent data reveals that just 48.5% of American adults read a single book in the past year. That's a dip from 52.7% in 2019, which means nearly half the population has not engaged in this kind of deep focus for over a year. You can dig into the numbers yourself with these U.S. book reading statistics.

Reclaiming your ability to concentrate on reading is about more than just finishing a book. It’s about exercising a critical mental muscle that strengthens your ability to think deeply and without distraction. The challenge gets even tougher when the very tools we need for work and communication are also our biggest distractions. By using a product like Hyud that blocks distractions for a set time like two hours, or whatever you choose, there is no temptation to be distracted. When you go to do something else on the computer, the distractions are blocked, so you have nothing else to do but read.

Design an Environment for Deep Reading

It’s nearly impossible to get lost in a book when your environment is pulling you in a dozen different directions. If you've ever found yourself rereading the same paragraph over and over, take a look around. A space filled with physical clutter and digital noise is the enemy of deep focus.

The first move is to consciously create a space that tells your brain, "It's time to read". This does not have to be anything fancy. It could be a specific armchair, a quiet corner of your living room, or a dedicated spot at your desk.

By using this location consistently for reading, and only reading, you build a powerful mental association. Over time, just sitting down in your spot will help you automatically shift into a more focused state.

Optimize Your Physical Space

Comfort is important for any reading session that lasts longer than a few minutes. Make sure your spot has good lighting to avoid eye strain, which is a surefire way to kill your focus.

Your posture makes a huge difference, too. If you’re constantly shifting around to get comfortable, you’re not concentrating. For some great tips on avoiding fidgeting, check out this guide on how to sit properly at your desk.

Then there's the sound. Some of us thrive in total silence, while others find a bit of ambient noise helps drown out distracting thoughts. It's a personal preference, and you can explore more about how background sounds can help increase focus to see what works for you.

The single most effective physical change you can make is putting your phone in another room. The simple act of creating distance removes the constant temptation of notifications and the "just a quick check" habit that shatters focus.

Use this simple checklist to prepare your space for a successful, uninterrupted reading session.

Your Reading Environment Checklist

Taking a few minutes to run through this checklist before you start can make all the difference between a frustrating session and one where you completely lose track of time.

Eliminate Digital Distractions

Your digital environment is just as disruptive as your physical one, sometimes even more so. This is where a good distraction blocker becomes your best friend, especially if you're reading on a computer or tablet.

A tool like Hyud, for example, lets you completely block access to distracting websites and apps for a set period.

Imagine setting a two hour reading timer where social media, news sites, and games are totally off limits. The urge to "just quickly check" something disappears because you cannot. Your computer is temporarily transformed into a single purpose reading device, making deep concentration the path of least resistance.

With those digital rabbit holes sealed off, there’s nothing left to do but read.

Train Your Brain to Hold Focus Longer

Think of concentration as a muscle. You cannot just walk into a gym and lift the heaviest weight on your first day. You have to build up to it. The same principle applies to reading.

If you find your mind wandering after just five minutes, that’s your starting point. Do not beat yourself up. The goal is to gradually build your reading stamina, not to force an hour of flawless focus from a dead start.

A fantastic way to do this is with the Pomodoro Technique, which breaks your work into focused sprints with short breaks in between. Start with a realistic reading sprint, maybe 15 or 20 minutes, and then take a five minute break. You can dive deeper into how to improve your productivity with the Pomodoro Technique in our other guide.

Get Your Hands Dirty with the Text

Passive reading is an open invitation for your mind to wander. When you just let your eyes drift across the words, your brain can easily check out. The secret is to turn reading into an active, hands on activity.

It does not have to be complicated. Try summarizing each chapter in your own words after you finish it. Or, as you read, jot down questions that pop into your head. This simple shift forces you to truly engage with the material instead of just passively consuming it.

Highlighting key passages or scribbling notes in the margins is a game changer. This physical interaction keeps your hands and mind locked on the task, creating stronger connections in your brain and making it much harder for your focus to slip.

It’s interesting: even though global literacy has jumped to 87% of adults from just 68% in 1979 according to UNESCO, the challenge of deep, sustained focus is more common than ever. The average number of books read annually (around 17 in the US and 16 in the UK) shows that knowing how to read does not automatically mean we're good at focusing on it.

Prime Your Mind for Focus

Just like an athlete warms up before a game, you need to warm up your brain before a reading session. Before you even open the book, take a minute or two to deliberately quiet your mind. This helps you shift gears from the chaos of your day into a state of calm readiness.

A quick breathing exercise works wonders.

• Get settled in your reading spot.
• Close your eyes and take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, counting to four.
• Hold it for a count of four.
• Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of six.
• Repeat this cycle 5 to 10 times.

This simple ritual sends a clear signal to your brain: it’s time to slow down and concentrate. You'll find it much easier to drop into that state of deep focus right from the first page.

Choose Books That Naturally Hold Your Attention

Let's be honest: sometimes the problem is not your ability to focus, it's the book you're trying to read. If a book feels like a chore, your mind will naturally look for an escape route. The secret to effortless concentration is finding material that genuinely grabs you.

It's time to give yourself permission to quit books you feel you should read. Forget the classics or the bestsellers everyone is talking about if they're not clicking with you. Instead, dive into genres that match what you're actually passionate about, whether that's a mind bending sci-fi epic, a deep dive into a historical figure's life, or a hands on guide to a new skill you want to learn.

When reading feels like a treat instead of a task, focus just sort of happens.

Finding Your Perfect Match

If you're trying to get your reading momentum back, do not feel like you have to start with a massive tome. Shorter formats are your best friend here. Novellas and short story collections deliver a complete, satisfying story without the commitment of a 400 page novel. These quick wins are fantastic for building back your reading confidence.

Not sure where to start looking for a book that will hook you? Here are a couple of practical things I do:

• Follow Trusted Reviewers: Find a few book critics, bloggers, or BookTok creators whose recommendations usually hit the mark for you. Their enthusiasm can be contagious.
• Use the 50-Page Rule: This is a game changer. Give any new book 50 pages. If it has not grabbed you by then, it’s perfectly fine to put it down and find something else. Life’s too short to waste on a book that is not working for you.

The real goal is to shift reading from a to-do list item into a genuine pleasure. When you're truly captivated by a story or fascinated by a topic, you do not have to force yourself to concentrate. It comes naturally because you actually care what happens next.

This mindset shift is one of the most important steps in learning how to concentrate on reading. When you start looking forward to your reading time, your focus will almost always follow suit.

Tackling Common Reading Distractions Head On

So you've created the perfect reading nook, but your own mind seems determined to sabotage your focus. Sound familiar? It's completely normal.

The secret is not to wage war against these distractions. Instead, it's about building a toolkit of gentle but effective strategies to guide your attention back where you want it. For example, catching yourself rereading is simply a signal that your mind has started to wander. Do not get frustrated. Just notice it and calmly bring your focus back to the words on the page.

Practicing this kind of patient redirection is like exercise for your brain. Over time, you’ll build the mental muscle needed to stay locked in for longer stretches.

Taming a Wandering Mind

Being told to "just focus" is probably the least helpful advice ever. When your thoughts are racing, a much better approach is to simply acknowledge them without getting swept away. See the thought pop up, label it for what it is (just a thought), and then gently return your attention to your book.

Another game changer is to proactively remove temptation. Using a distraction blocker like Hyud is a fantastic way to do this. You can set it to block specific websites for a set period, say two hours, while you read. When your brain learns that there’s no quick escape to social media or news sites, it’s much easier for it to settle down and engage with the text. There's literally nothing else to do.

A wandering mind is not a sign of failure. It's a signal to gently redirect your attention. The more you practice this redirection, the stronger your focus muscle becomes.

Fighting Off Drowsiness and Eye Strain

Nothing kills a reading session faster than feeling sleepy just a few pages in. This is a common hurdle, but the fix is often surprisingly simple.

• Rethink Your Reading Time: If you always read in bed at night, your brain has likely built a strong association between reading and sleeping. Try switching your reading sessions to earlier in the day when you have more energy.
• Do Not Read on Empty: It might sound obvious, but reading is mentally demanding. Trying to dive into a complex text when you're already exhausted is a recipe for frustration. Make sure you're well rested first.
• Mind Your Physical Comfort: Digital eye strain is a real focus killer, quickly leading to fatigue and headaches. If you do a lot of reading on screens, investing in a pair of blue light glasses for eye comfort can make a world of difference.

For a deeper dive into creating an impenetrable bubble of focus, check out our guide on how to block websites on computer for some hands on tips.

Ready to take control of your productivity, focus and posture? Hyud is a macOS application that provides deep work sessions, gentle reminders for posture correction, guides you through essential work breaks, and blocks distracting websites and applications. Start building healthier habits today by trying it for free.

Approved by +12,000 people

View Pricing

Try for free

Auriane

I like to write about health, sport, nutrition, well-being and productivity.