Even if you are feeling ho-hum about the task, you can trick your brain into getting interested, which will help your focus and attention while you read. 

Activating motivation should be done first to prepare for the reading task.  It sets the tone for the other tasks.

To activate motivation:

• 1)      Consciously get curious. What will be uncovered here? What’s the mystery?
• 2)      Get ready for the challenge. How will my ideas be challenged?
• 3)      Garner your love of learning and reading.  Get that good book feeling. Think Fascination!
• 4)      Get excited to take on a task where you will be successful!
• 5)      Remind yourself: There’s something here that I don’t know.  I want to figure it out. I’ll feel good when I do.
• 6) Think of something you are curious about.  This does not have to be the assigned topic.  Ask yourself questions like: I wonder why… or I wonder how …  Continue to ask these questions and feel your curiosity rise.  As you do, switch to the assigned topic and feel yourself have more energy to start the assignment.

(Guthrie, J. T., Wigfield, A., Barbosa, P., Perencevich, K. C., Taboada, A., Davis, M. H., et al., 2004; Wigfield, A., Guthrie, J. T., Perencevich, K. C., Taboada, A., Klauda, S. L., McRae, A., et al., 2008)