I listen to probably 6 to 10 audiobooks a month, usually while running, at the gym, and/or driving. I read some things for entertainment, but a lot of my reading is business books, books about personal development, etc. If there’s a book I really want to see or a book I want to take notes on, I read it instead of listening to audiobooks. I started listening to audiobooks in the summer of 2019.
But as audiobooks become more and more popular, the question arises whether you really reap the same benefits as traditional reading. Sure, you can intervene in the book club, but does listening to a book require the same brain power? When it comes to the debate about reading versus listening, neuroscientist and Biohack Your Brain ($20) author Kristen Willeumier, PhD.
We have been doing this for 15 years since the children were small. Occasionally I am not happy with a narrator, but this subject is insignificant. Audiobooks have entertained me for much of my life, as a child on long boat trips with my dad, on long VR trips with my whole family, and on night trips as an adult. I’ve befriended some of my favorite storytellers, worked with them, and now produce audio fiction for a living. I’ve always loved reading, but I haven’t really had time to read in years, as I raised my family and worked outside the home.
If you want to know how to listen to audiobooks and how to find the best audiobooks for beginners, check out my beginner’s guide below. I will help you choose the perfect first audiobook and the right audiobook app that you can dive into. Guest Academics have studied the differences in understanding between reading a book and listening to a book. One study concluded that “for the average reader” the two resulted in “similar understanding and preservation of the text”.
There’s no doubt that listening to audiobooks makes housework a lot more bearable and for some strange reason, adding it to the mix seems to shorten the overall cleaning time. Interestingly, this is one of my best times to listen to audiobooks, as my computer is incredibly slow at the moment. I wasted a lot of time before I started this new habit and discovered that recording audiobooks was good for my blood pressure and productivity. This advice also applies to any longer technological waiting times. I have included the estimated amount of reading time gained with each suggestion. It’s amazing how quickly they can accumulate, especially if they listen at a speed of 1.5x.
This exhibition helps build your background knowledge, an essential component for an evolving student. The ability to quickly create background through audiobooks cannot be underestimated. If students are only allowed to read material at their reading level, they will suffer. They miss opportunities to access content and information that represents their abilities and intellect. This is not only frustrating and causes emotional stress, but it also limits learning experiences.
I’ve found that audiobooks are a great entertainment option while driving long routes I already know and taking long, leisurely walks. That said, I find it extremely difficult to link an audiobook to activities that might require a little more mental stimulation, as I can’t focus on the book well enough to keep up with the details. Listening to podcasts and listening to audiobooks are also completely different activities because podcasts are shorter and more accurate and don’t require as much deep thinking. Audiobooks have allowed me to take in many more books! As a mother of three young children, I don’t have much time to read.
Given the rise of podcasts and an increased public desire for ambitious audio content, publishers are exploring new ways to grab listeners’ attention. Audiobooks can be a great alternative to television, with an audiobook you no longer have to enjoy a book alone. Audiobooks are a great way to share a book and stay at the same pace as your fellow reader, and listening to an audiobook together can replace some of your screen time.