The past few months have been a blur – new job, new house, new nephew on the way – and my weekday reading has taken a definitive hit. On a good day, I can squeeze in 30 minutes, but there are many days when I don’t pick up a book at all. Luckily, I’m an Audible subscriber and have access to a lot of great audiobook options. This means that, even though my “reading” time has taken a hit, I’m getting in as many (if not more) books as usual – I even had to up my subscription from one credit a month to three. A few of my favorite recent listens are Mara Wilson’s memoir (you may know her as Matilda), So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson, and Megyn Kelly’s recently released Settle for More.
Another new audiobook hitting the virtual shelves is Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah, who you may recognize from The Daily Show. Because I prefer non-fiction listens (they’re easier to follow along with), I’ve already added this one to my list and look forward to reviewing it in the near future. The premise is both heartbreaking and fascinating, for Noah was hidden away from society for fear of being taken because his parents broke the law with their interracial union.
If you’re wondering how I’m going to squeeze in yet another audiobook as the holiday season picks up, I thought I would share with you 5 ways I squeeze in listening time, even when I don’t think I can. If you’re interested in checking out whether Audible is right for you, I recommend checking out their free 30-day trial. You never know – you might get hooked like me!
5 Tips For Squeezing in Time For Audiobooks
Driving
My commute isn’t that long but that 20 minutes to and from work gives me a good, solid 40 minutes every day. This is more than enough time to finish a book every week or two (depending on the length) and doesn’t even take into account the many, many hours you could be spending listening with the rest of these tips.
At work
Regardless of what you do for a living, you probably have a few mundane tasks that are more tedious than complicated. This is a great time to log into Audible online to listen in. You can also skip going out to lunch with your coworkers to listen to your book. Bonus: The money you save on lunch once a month will pay for a whole month’s subscription!
Cleaning
I recently purchased a home and I cannot tell you how many hours I have spent listening to my Audible app on my iPhone as I’ve packed, unpacked, and reorganized the house. From doing dishes to sweeping the floors, a good audiobook will make the task a lot more pleasant. If you’re a rule breaker, I recommend listening to The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up while you clean – you’ll purge and get things done!
Showering
Considering I worked in the wireless industry for a few years, I really shouldn’t be advocating for listening to your phone in the bathroom because the moisture can destroy it, so if you opt for this one, I recommend either buying some portable speakers (I have some) or putting your phone in a plastic baggie first. Either way, shower time is a great time to tune into an audiobook because you don’t have a lot going on and you don’t have any distractions.
Working out
This one can be tough, depending on your workout, because sometimes an audiobook isn’t quite “upbeat” enough for a long run on the treadmill. But if you’re like me and prefer a brisk walk, audiobooks are a great way to occupy your mind while marching onward. I try to time myself by chapters, rather than the regular timer, because I generally get more reading (and exercise!) in. Now that you have 5 new great ways to squeeze in more listening time, what are you waiting for? Head on over to Audible and try them out for free for 30-days. If you need a place to start, Born a Crime is waiting for you.
How do you find time to listen to audiobooks?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Audible. The opinions and text are all mine.