You do not need a free weekend to become a reader. You need ten quiet minutes and a small ritual that tells your mind the day is over. Here is one that works, and it costs almost nothing.
Make a place
Choose one chair, or one end of the sofa, and make it the reading spot. Put a lamp beside it, not an overhead light. A warm lamp is a signal: the evening has changed gear.
Leave the phone in another room
This is the hard part, and the part that matters most. If you cannot bear it, put the phone face down across the room with the sound off. Ten minutes is short enough to be brave about.
Make a small drink
Tea, coffee or hot water with lemon. A warm cup gives your hands something to do and makes the ritual feel like a treat rather than a task.
Read one chapter, or ten minutes
Whichever comes first. Then stop, even if you want to continue. Stopping while you are still curious is the secret: tomorrow you will look forward to coming back.
Keep it easy
Choose a book that welcomes you. If you are stuck, try a short, warm classic such as The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1908), or ask the BookPal for something that fits your mood tonight.
After a week
Notice how you feel. Most people find they sleep a little better, think a little more slowly, and miss the ritual if they skip it. That is a habit you have built, and it only took ten minutes.
