You don’t have time to read, so start listening to books
It’s a familiar refrain: “I don’t have time.” It’s the sad but true consequence of how busy life can get, and it doesn’t help that reading isn’t something you can multitask. Or maybe, you can multitask… if you try listening to books during other activities. Listening to books brings with it more benefits than just the ability to multitask, including being a great way to take in those stories for people who don’t like the usual act of reading. No matter your situation, here’s what you need to know about slipping in some listening time so you have more of what you love in your life.
Shop this article: “James” by Percival Everett, “George Orwell’s 1984” by Joe White and “First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston
Benefits of audiobooks
Switching from the page to the eardrums offers more than a few changes to the experience of taking in the written word.
Less eyestrain
Any activity that involves you staring at something up close for an extended period can cause eyestrain, but reading can be particularly hard on the eyes. Circumstances, such as the size of the print and the lighting conditions around you, can be especially harsh. With an audiobook, all you need to worry about is the volume.
Time taken
It’s hard to gauge how long it takes to read something, and you may not have all the time in the world to take something in. You could be trying to read a book before a film adaptation comes out, for example, or have to read something for a class or club. With an audiobook, you can see, to the second, how long it will take you to finish. This lets you plan accordingly.
Performative prose
In today’s video-saturated world, especially one where many of the videos don’t demand your full attention, switching to attention-demanding ink on a page can be difficult. With an audiobook, you get the experience of a trained performer or even the author themselves relaying the book to you. This can not only be easier to take in, but it can potentially transform an already excellent work of art into something truly special.
When to sneak in audiobook listening time
Daily life is bursting with opportunities to listen to audiobooks, even if it’s only 15 minutes here or 20 minutes there. A couple of those sessions a day, and you’ll be taking in a book or two a month.
Tasks
The best place to slip in some listening time is while you’re hard at work on menial tasks. This can include doing chores, such as cleaning or shopping, or whipping up dinner or anything else that doesn’t require much attention. That way, you can mostly focus on your audiobook while your hands do their own thing.
Travel
The travel time you usually use to listen to music or catch up on a podcast is also an excellent time to take in an audiobook. However, it’s best to listen to audiobooks when driving on well-traveled roads or long, open stretches of highway. Driving somewhere new usually requires focus that can have you rewinding your audiobook to catch what you started tuning out.
Relaxation
You don’t always have to slip in audiobooks. You can plop down on your couch for 30 minutes or take a long, hot bath with Sylvia Plath. Audiobooks are works of entertaining art worth taking time out for, specifically, just as much as whatever’s new on Netflix.
Where to listen to audiobooks
Audiobooks have come a long way from the days of tapes and CDs. You can find them in many places, whether you want to stream or download them. Here are some of the best places to find them.
Audible
The undisputed king of audiobooks at the moment is Audible, a part of Amazon. It’s got a massive library, many exclusives and several subscription plans to best match how heavily or lightly you plan on listening.
Common streaming services
Most music streaming services, such as Spotify and Apple Music, also have audiobook arms, though these aren’t as feature- or library-rich as dedicated audiobook platforms like Audible. However, if you already have these services, you can use them to get a taste of audiobooks, and if you like it, you can move on to a better, dedicated platform.
Libby
A darkhorse audiobook option, Libby is an app that lets you use your local library membership to “borrow” audiobooks and e-books. It’s also entirely free. This is a better option for those who plan on listening to books consistently and for longer sessions since you can extend your borrowing window only so many times.
Best audiobooks of 2025 on Audible
In this retelling of “Huckleberry Finn,” the story is told from Jim’s perspective in a humorous and harrowing first-person novel. It recently won the National Book Award for fiction and has countless rave reviews.
“George Orwell’s 1984” by Joe White
Get ready to absorb this classic novel as told by an all-star cast, including Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo and Andrew Scott.
“First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston
If you’re looking for a fast-paced thrill that keeps you guessing all the way until the end, this is the audiobook for you.
“Supercommunicators” by Charles Duhigg
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author is the narrator for this audiobook that will guide you in using communication and conversation to form real bonds with people.
The queen of best-selling historical fiction has done it again with this sweeping and heartbreaking tale of women who served as nurses in the Vietnam War. Have the tissues ready for this tragic and moving story.
“Listen for the Lie” by Amy Tintera
This compulsively readable thriller tells the story of a woman accused of a crime she may or may not have committed, as a popular true crime podcaster promises to find out. Amy Tintera serves up a thriller that will have you wondering until the final pages who, in fact, is lying.
Best-selling author Emily Henry is best known for her extremely readable love stories, — and “Funny Story” might just be her best yet. A pair of opposites form a plan and a shaky bond over their common problem – their exes.
Best headphones
These high-end headphones deliver the best-quality sound for the audiophiles out there. It has 11 levels of noise cancellation and a microphone, so you can take calls without missing a beat. The battery lasts for up to 20 hours.
These noise-canceling headphones have fantastic performance without breaking into the upper echelon of expensive models. They’re wireless with up to 35 hours of battery life and take only three minutes of charging to get an hour of listening.
These wired headphones are perfect for those looking to save money without sacrificing any audio quality. They come in three models with different plug types so you can get the one that matches your device needs.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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