Introduction
What if I told you that you can finish a book, clean your whole house, bake cookies, and get in touch with your creative hobbies all at the same time? Enter the magic of audiobooks. Audiobooks are, in my opinion, God’s gift to this Earth. Not to be dramatic or anything. I have been in a serious audiobook era of my life recently and I think it’s time we finally talk about it. Yes audiobooks count as reading, yes I listen at 2x speed, and yes, this is how I read 80 books a year. But besides all of that, why should you become an audiobook listener too? Well because it’s just so damn convenient. Here is everything you should try doing while audiobooking to maximize your hobby time and blow through your TBR.
Creative Hobbies
One of the all-time best ways to destress in my opinion is to do something creative. Whether it is simply coloring in a coloring book, or it’s full on painting, there is nothing quite like working with your hands that immediately gets you out of your head. The only thing that makes it better is when you pair that creative hobby with an audiobook. Try listening to a high stakes plot heavy fantasy book while doing your artistic outlet of choice. You’ll get completely immersed in world-building and politics while you focus on your latest creative project.
Gaming
Another unparalleled combo is playing a nice cozy game while listening to an audiobook. I can promise you, playing Animal Crossing while listening to a small town romance is LITERALLY the most elite combo. Just try it. As long as the game doesn’t have a lot of dialogue or brain power needed, you should be able to follow along with the book just fine. Cozy games are especially perfect for this because they don’t demand your full attention every second. You can fish, decorate your island, and farm crops all while a story unfolds in your headphones.
Working Out
Now you may think this one is a little crazy. Who in their right mind works out with an audiobook in their ear and not music? Well you try running while listening to a thriller and tell me you didn’t just hit a new mile pace record. Something about a suspenseful audiobook makes time fly by in a way music sometimes doesn’t. Suddenly you’re halfway through your workout because you just need to know what happens in the next chapter.
Baking
This recommendation feels a little more self-explanatory. Baking is something you can spend a solid few hours on and those hours are peak listening time people! Put in an audiobook while you measure out and mix up your ingredients, do one of the above-mentioned audiobook pastimes while it bakes, and by then you’ve gotten halfway through a book and now you also have cookies. Listening to a character-driven fiction book while baking is the perfect pairing because in those slower moments during the process you can really sink into the characters and the story. Waiting for the mixer to run or for dough to rise is a perfect time to stare at a wall and listen to your new fictional bestie go through it.
Conclusion
The best part about audiobooks is that they make all the little moments in your day more enjoyable. Suddenly a workout turns into a heart-racing thriller, baking cookies turns into an in-depth character study, and coloring becomes a full fantasy adventure. If you’ve ever felt like there aren’t enough hours in the day for all the things you love, audiobooks might just be the answer.
Genre-ed Audiobook Recommendations
- Fantasy: Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole – This is a fast paced audiobook series, I binged the whole thing while working on a paint by number project.
- Romance: Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez – One of my favorite small town romances of all time and it also happens to be a great audiobook. The narrator brings the characters and cozy setting to life.
- Thriller: Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica – This is such a twisty and crazy story and the audiobook is so addictive I couldn’t put it down.
- Fiction: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid – One of my favorite books/audiobooks of all time. The interview format makes it feel like a podcast or documentary and the story is amazing.
Find audiobooks for free through your local Library!
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