Can't get past three pages anymore? Try reading with other people
Well-being & mental health · Équipe Viatous · 4 min
You open a book. One page, two pages. Then your hand drifts to your phone on its own, "just to check". Twenty minutes later, the book is still open at page 3. And you feel even more tired than before.
You're not the only one. In France, the "Les Français et la lecture" survey run by Ipsos for the Centre national du livre (the national book centre) found that in 2025 people spent 23 hours 27 minutes a week on screens for leisure, against 3 hours 40 minutes reading books, a reading time down by more than an hour since 2023.
This isn't about demonising screens. But when your head is saturated, getting back to something slow and calm feels good. And reading, especially with other people, is a great one.
Why reading rests your mind
Mental fatigue is that full-head feeling of jumping from one thing to the next without ever landing. Reading works almost the opposite way:
One thing at a time. A book doesn't send you notifications. It just asks you to stay with it.
A pace you choose. You can reread, slow down, linger on a sentence. Nobody scrolls the page for you.
A real change of scene. While you follow a story, your to-do list fades into the background.
No need for 800-page classics. A short story, a light novel, a graphic novel, a travel memoir: anything that makes you want to turn the page counts.
Why it's even better together
Reading alone is good. But when your focus is running on empty, other people's commitment helps you stick with it. And the conversation afterwards gives the text a second life.
A fixed appointment. When others are expecting you, you actually read. Even ten pages.
The fun of comparing. Everyone noticed a different detail. You discover the book a second time through other people.
Conversations with depth. Talking about a character is often talking about yourself, without it showing.
Time away from the feed , even on a video call: your attention is on the text and the people, not on a news feed.
Four easy formats to try
Silent reading, together. Everyone reads their own book for 30 or 45 minutes, mics off, then each person sums up what they read in two sentences. Perfect when you're tired: zero preparation.
Reading aloud. Take turns reading a short story, a few paragraphs each. It's surprisingly soothing, and a gentle way to work on your delivery.
The mini book club. A short book, a date, a one-hour chat. Three questions are enough: what did you like, what annoyed you, which sentence are you keeping?
Evening poetry. Everyone brings a poem they love and reads it to the others. Five minutes each, and a lovely way to end the day.
A few tips to make it last
Go short. A 200-page novel or a short story rather than a ten-volume saga.
Put your phone in another room during your session, or at least face down.
Allow yourself to drop a book. If the story doesn't speak to you, switch. Reading should stay a pleasure.
Think libraries. They're free or close to it, and full of short books.
If your tiredness doesn't go away with rest, if it lasts, comes with sleep problems or a general loss of interest, a book won't fix it. Talk to your doctor.
Finding reading partners with Viatous
The hardest part is often finding people who want to read the same thing at the same time. That's what Viatous is for. You write what you want to do in one sentence, and Viatous forms a Room : a small group of 2 to 4 compatible people, online or in person.
For example:
"Looking for 2 or 3 people to read a short story aloud on a Sunday evening, then talk about it."
Or: "Silent reading together for 45 minutes, cameras off, to get back into books." Roomi , the Viatous robot, welcomes the group, walks everyone through the steps, reminds them of the rules and runs the session. You show up with your first name, the camera is optional, and you can mute your mic or leave the Room whenever you like.
If you click, the Room can become a Circle : your own little book club that meets again, only if everyone wants it. One completed Room a week is free, no credit card needed.
And that book still lying open on your nightstand? Maybe all it needs is two or three more readers. Explore activities or see how it works .
If things aren't okay. Viatous doesn't replace a doctor or a psychologist, and Roomi isn't a health professional. In France, your GP is a good first step, and the "Mon soutien psy" scheme covers sessions with a partner psychologist through national health insurance ( ameli.fr ). If you're having suicidal thoughts or are in deep distress, call 3114 in France (free, 24/7, 3114.fr ), for yourself or someone close to you. In an emergency in France, call 15 or 112 , or text 114 if you can't speak. Outside France, contact your country's emergency services.