Does Reading Give You Anxiety?

Sometimes we feel anxiety when we read. This feeling usually shows up when we don’t understand what we’re reading or aren’t keeping up with an arbitrary goal—like reading 100 books a year because some YouTuber said it was a good idea.

Let me be clear: reading should never cause you anxiety.

Consider the difference between reading articles online versus reading a great book. After an internet search, I’ve never felt mentally bolstered, revived, or replenished. I may have found the information I was looking for, but when I walk away from the computer, I feel “a little less.”

When I finish a reading session with a physical book, I usually feel “a little more.” I say “usually” because sometimes I do feel anxiety with a book. When that happens, I try to figure out why. Am I reading a book that’s too complicated? Or am I distracted and need to start again and slow down? It’s usually the latter, and when I slow down, the anxiety goes away.

Or, am I trying to hit a specific reading goal that has become more important than the quality of my reading? Am I so focused on hitting the goal that the book no longer matters? When that happens, I need to reevaluate my goals.

Final message: you should never feel anxiety as a reader. If you do, acknowledge it and figure out why that feeling is there. Something is misaligned with your motivations. Reading is a pleasure, not a to-do list item. The moment it becomes a box to check off, the rich and beautiful flavor has gone stale.

Until tomorrow, read slowly – take notes – apply the ideas.

-Eddy