24 Things to Do When Listing to an Audiobook
[image description: Three pairs of black headphones suspended in midair in front of a pink background.]
Since I love reading, it’s inevitable that I’d love audiobooks too. While I prefer to be kicked back in my favorite comfy chair or under a pile of blankets reading in bed, I can’t do that all the time (as much as I’d like to!).
People always ask me when I find time to listen to audiobooks and if you’re not used to listening to music or podcasts throughout the day you’ll have to build up the habit. To help inspire you to get more books in your brain, I’ve made a list of what I’m usually doing when I’m listening to audiobooks.
driving
doing dishes
doing laundry
cleaning the bathroom
cooking
checking email (but not responding to email)
packing and shipping orders in my vintage shop
petting and playing with my cats
doing tedious things on the computer, like paying bills
exercising (assuming you like the activity enough to not need the motivation of bass-thumping music)
doing yard work
crafting (something where you don’t have to read an instruction manual. For me, that’s usually a bedazzle paint-by-numbers thing or embroidery.)
mending clothes
scooping litter boxes
online shopping
watching sports where I don’t care about the commentary
doing my morning and nightly routine in the bathroom (skincare can take a minute!)
sweeping, vacuuming, and dusting
laying on the couch as a quick break between tasks
wrapping gifts (with newspaper or other sustainable material)
waiting in line
grocery shopping
clipping coupons
cleaning out the closet
You’d be surprised how much you can get done and read at the same time!
I also wholeheartedly recommend getting yourself a decent pair of headphones. Because even if you find all the time in the world to listen to audiobooks, if you hate your headphones and they hurt your ears, you’re not going to want to listen for very long. I finally bought myself some over-the-ear padded headphones with a decently long cord and they’re a game-changer.
I’m kind of cheap, so I wasn’t thrilled about spending $30 on headphones (although I know they get a lot more expensive) but the ones that came with my iPhone kill my ears and the cheap padded ones in the dollar bin at Target weren’t much better.
When do you prefer listening to audiobooks? Let me know in the comments below.
