I have a hard time reading novels after having my attention span ruined by gaming

[Goddard]

I bought 1984 a little while ago, I've read some classic books, like To Kill a Mockingbird, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest, but I seriously cannot sit down and read it. The less noise there is the easier I get distracted by small noises, so in order to actually focus on the book I have to generally listen to white noise, then I have to go lie down on a couch because my room is too small for reading, and even then when I actually open the book and start reading I generally lose all my motivation and instead want to start playing Dota 2 again, or whatever other game I happen to be playing at the time.

I love literature, but I hate the medium. What is some good advice for people with relatively short attention spans, or people who can't find the motivation to read?

 

[Wings 嫩翼翻せ]

Gotta love vidya.

But seriously, I'd maybe suggest setting milestones like reading for x amount of time, and after being able to read that long without being distracted, increase the time.

 

[Hilbert]

Go tv free for a week.

 

[hipbabboom]

Are you sure it wasn't you who ruined your attention span?

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

Heard that Telletale games. Time to give TheWalkingDead treatment to War and Peace. Shits gonna get interereresting

 

[kadotsu]

audible.com

 

[EdibleKnife]

Audio books

Edit: Look above

 

[John Dunbar]

i think they made a movie out of that book, so you're good on this one.

 

[Zukuu]

It's not gaming, it's the internet-always-connected-culture. By having everything available on the fly, you getting bored by just watching a movie or reading a book and have the urge to check your smart phone, or facebook on your pc or just browse the net.

 

[Fewr]

To Kill a Mockingbird <3 <3 <3

Heard that Telletale games. Time to give TheWalkingDead treatment to War and Peace. Shits gonna get interereresting

Finnegan's wake.

 

[neogaffer1]

I have the same problem OP, it really sucks. Have to force myself to concentrate on the book, though once I get into it I'm pretty focused.

 

[doofy102]

Try reading more contemporary literature that is written for more shorter mental attention spans w/ catchy insights blasted practically every other sentence. The David Foster Wallace, Don Delillo, Jorge Luis Borges crowd.

 

[entremet]

It's not gaming, it's the internet-always-connected-culture. By having everything available on the fly, you getting bored by just watching a movie or reading a book and have the urge to check your smart phone, or facebook on your pc or just browse the net.

This.

It's not gaming at all.

 

[Agnostic]

I read outside on a hammock for getting away from the distractions.

 

[mambadragon]

Maybe try short stories? George Saunders and Alice Munro might be the best authors today. Ted Chiang is great too.

 

[Pau]

I don't know if this will help with the short-attention span, but my advice is always to make reading a habit. Try to read at least 20 pages (or whatever quota you wanna give yourself) a night.

But if you don't enjoy the medium of writing itself... I dunno, if you don't actually enjoy reading, I don't know why you'd force yourself to.

 

[Tambini]

I love audio books, I sometimes get a headache when a book has small writing so I enjoy being able to close my eyes and lie down listen to an audio book.

 

[survivor]

Do you bus to school/work? I find that the best time to read since I can't get distracted by the internet or my phone

 

[TheBryanJZX90]

I bought 1984 a little while ago, I've read some classic books, like To Kill a Mockingbird, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest, but I seriously cannot sit down and read it.

Hey, wanna have your mind blown? Atticus Finch is a total slut shaming misogynist. Does nothing but blame the victim.

 

[Tenrius]

Read while you eat, commute, etc. You might also take a walk in the park while leaving your devices at home, find a nice place to sit and spend a few hours there reading.

Also, while my attention span is more than enough to read literature, I absolutely can't stand audio books. It's really really slow compared to my normal reading speed.

 

[Seanspeed]

At first, I couldn't read in anything but mostly silence. You can 'learn' your way out of that.

 

[Jimothy]

Read more modern, "light" books that are more accessible, then move on to the classics. If I had to recommend one to start out with, it'd be 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It's really long (1000+ pages) but it's the definition of a page-turner. I think I read it in like 5 days.

 

[SniperHunter]

You should be the master of your brain, learn how to control your pre frontal cortex. Dont let it control you

 

[Makai]

Try audiobooks. Game while listening.

 

[ssolitare]

Read everyday. Your brain will adjust. I used to have the same problem. Having the desire to read based on interests helps too.

 

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

I have the same problem. You just have to force yourself to do it. Once you get used to it it becomes way easier. I still go on waves though. I'll get into it and finish a bunch of books and then lose my attention span and have to get in the routine all over again.

 

[El Daniel]

Try audiobooks. Game while listening.

How can you concentrate on the story?

 

[terrisus]

Do you watch television?
Do you listen to music?
Do you watch movies?

Why is it that gaming - the most interactive of those media, and the one that requires the most attention - is the one that "ruined your attention span?"

 

[FlyingSaucer]

It's not gaming, it's the internet-always-connected-culture. By having everything available on the fly, you getting bored by just watching a movie or reading a book and have the urge to check your smart phone, or facebook on your pc or just browse the net.

Alas.

Currently reading the Kai Lung novels, I love the style, but sometime I just have a hard time concentrating enough to get the meaning beneath the florid prose. I feel like I have to learn reading again.

 

[Parch]

Audiobooks is the right answer, but that still takes a considerable amount of concentration. Just less than reading a book.

 

[Physalis]

Make sure you're reading something that you actually want to read, not just because it's something that a lot of people say you should read, or just because they're classics.

There are too many books out there to be reading ones that you don't want to read.

 

[Zoc]

Do you watch television?
Do you listen to music?
Do you watch movies?

Why is it that gaming - the most interactive of those media, and the one that requires the most attention - is the one that "ruined your attention span?"

That's an interesting question. I think it could be because books is the most passive, most abstract art form there is, whereas gaming is the most active, least abstract one. Movies and TV like games in that they aren't abstract, but like books in that they are passive.

Games are like an amped up version of real life. That's the key thing about them. You are active in them, usually more active than you could possibly be in real life. On top of that, games are the furthest thing from abstract. They are a hyperreality, where you, the player, see and hear everything that happens with perfect clarity.

Books, on the other hand, do not respond to you and are completely lacking in any kind of reality that you can see or hear. They are completely passive and completely abstract, existing only as words without images or sounds. Everything happens inside your own mind.

TV and movies the sense of reality of games, but are passive experiences, like books.

The end result is that going from TV and movies to games means going from a noisy, stimulating experience to a quiet, interior one. Sometimes difficult but sometimes refreshing. Going from games to reading, on the other hand, means going from feeling like Superman to feeling like you are deaf and blind. It shouldn't be surprising, therefore, that it would be more difficult.

 

[99hertz]

I don't read much but my favorite genre is epic fantasy. I can't read that stuff without getting angry about the worthless details so I get the audio-books. Also some books are boring to me so I don't read them, no matter if everyone else on Earth likes them.

 

[CPS2]

I had a hard time gaming because youtube ruined my attention span. Then robot chicken ruined my attention span for youtube.

 

[terrisus]

I think it could be because books is the most passive, most abstract art form there is, whereas gaming is the most active, least abstract one. Movies and TV like games in that they aren't abstract, but like books in that they are passive.

That's... A really strange view on that.

Reading requires significantly more attention than listening to something or watching something. There are a whole host of psychological, behavioral, and educational studies which support that.

 

[solomon]

Its actually the other way around for me lately I can't finish games but love reading.

 

[Winterfang]

Seems like you just discovered something more fun. Just read them online.

 

[Zantetsuken]

It's not gaming, it's the internet-always-connected-culture. By having everything available on the fly, you getting bored by just watching a movie or reading a book and have the urge to check your smart phone, or facebook on your pc or just browse the net.

Pretty much. We want instant gratification. Reading a novel is not that. I'm in the same boat as you OP. I would love to read. I just have a hard time concentrating.

 

[Murrah]

I've always loved reading, but in the past five or six years I hadn't done much of it, and when I sat down to read some Phillip K. Dick last month it took me a while to get back into the swing of things; I'll easily admit I've spent way, way too much of my time the past few years online on facebook, twitter and gaf. But I've been reading one book a week since then no problem. I'm kind of turning back into a book fiend at this point, really. I think you just need to give yourself time to readjust and get used to it again.

 

[i_am_ben]

Honestly, books have probably ruined video games for me.

 

[Plywood]

Audiobooks seem like cheating.

 

[FreshCakes]

you just need to find a book you're interested in reading. works for me

 

[Mr.Swag]

Read more modern, "light" books that are more accessible, then move on to the classics. If I had to recommend one to start out with, it'd be 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It's really long (1000+ pages) but it's the definition of a page-turner. I think I read it in like 5 days.

Great book.


OP, I recommend Gone Girl, it's a story that I believe cant be experienced correctly unless on paper.

 

[Intheflorsh]

Reading feels like it takes more effort than playing games or watching television, but I feel like I have to do it or I'm going to turn into an idiot.

 

[Arcteryx]

As others have said, it's more to do with "always on", rather than gaming being the culprit.

Try and take a break from internet, cellphone, "social", etc. for a while.

I hate to say "go outside", but seriously: go for a hike, take up a new hobby, whatever. Do something out of the norm and let your mind unwind and reward itself by doing something "new" for a change.

 

[akachan ningen]

Don't blame gaming. I spend more time gaming than I do reading and I can still finish at least ten books a year. If you're having a tough time getting through a book it's just because of lack of practice. Start with a book with short chapters(like Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle) and try to challenge yourself to increase the number of chapters you can read per day. Start with one if you have to.

 

[danwarb]

Keep at it. You'll adapt quickly, and then you'll be addicted.. Read every day, but don't set targets. There are things you can work on like minimizing eye movement.

 

[Saucy_XL]

Maybe you haven't found the right book to get started reading again. Find something that you feel no pressure or expectation to read, just something that seems fun or interesting, then go from there.

 

[benjipwns]

Read a book on video games.

 

[Sheroking]

Audiobooks seem like cheating.

Nah.

My attention span is fine for reading but my free time is not. So I multitask.

Training mode in Street Fighter with an audiobook going? Two hobby birds with one stone.