To do while listening to an Audiobook

My dad easily beat his fifty books challenge last year, completing more than twice as many books than me. His secret? Audiobooks. My relationship with audiobooks is very off-and-on, mainly because I don’t start any new ones, I think. Stephen Fry’s Harry Potter is my go-to when I cannot sleep, and every other year or so I listen to The Hunger Games but that’s it. I mostly listen to podcasts – Witch, Please! anyone?

Some of my favourite podcasts. Witch, Please! on the top left

The trouble with starting a completely new audiobook is that if I tune out for one minute I feel like I have missed something important. On the other hand, if I only sit on the couch and listen I start feeling listless. Here are some ideas for things to do that don’t require too much head space:

• Crochet or knit. For some patterns you need to count much more than for others; I recommend going for a repetitive pattern to start with – unless you’re as good as some of the women at my handwork club who can knit the most intricate patterns while reading (not listening to, reading!) a book.

Some of the progress I made this year on my crocheted blanket/ pillow cover (depending on how far I get)

• Doing the dishes or other housework. It is so much nicer to do with a podcast or audiobook on, and it makes me feel very good afterwards 😉.
• My partner enjoys listening to podcasts on his bike. This worries me a bit because we live in a busy city and his headphones cancel out a lot of noise. However, he claims that with only wearing one it’s perfectly safe. I guess a calmer (and preferably Dutch) city makes it better too.
• Drawing or painting. If thinking about what you want to draw or doing details is too distracting, drawing mandalas or working in a colouring book can help.

If all else fails, listening to audiobooks while travelling is always a good option. Somehow, sitting down and doing nothing feels much less irksome when I’m on a train. Perhaps because I feel like I’m already doing something useful: I’m travelling.

After reminding myself of all these things there is only one more task left: getting some audiobooks. Unfortunately they are, unlike podcasts, not available for free on iTunes. I’ve already asked my dad 😉.

If you have any tips, please leave a comment!

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