Would you believe me if I told you that as a junior in college, taking 15 credit hours, and running a club, I go through an average of two leisure books a week? What if I told you that you could too, regardless of whether you have the ability to speed read or not? I have one word for you, Audible.
Audible is a website/company/phone app that holds a library of thousands of books that have been narrated by authors and professionals in a studio. When you buy a book on Audible.com, you can download it to your phone and choose the speed at which it is read to you.
Although each book costs money, you can get a monthly membership where you receive one free book each month, significant discounts on all other books you purchase, and get access to frequent sales where you can often scoop up some best sellers for around $5.
Audible is incredible for book worms and busy bees alike. The beauty of it is that you can continue on with day to day tasks, while listening to stories and digesting information. Of course, there is always the option to unwind after a long day by laying down and listening to a book, but my favorite way is to listen to a book when I am doing daily “mindless” tasks.
What I mean by mindless tasks are activities that have become so engrained in your mind, you do not need to think too much about doing them. For example, driving, walking, running, cooking, and cleaning to name a few.
I am obsessed with listening to self-improvement books on my morning runs because they get me pumped up and feeling even more productive than I already do. To me, running is a moving meditation and it feels amazing to know I am exercising my body and my mind at the same time by feeding it positive messages.
I also love listening to books when I am driving. I always felt that time spent driving was sort of wasted, but listening to audiobooks makes me feel accomplished. On top of that, when I get sucked into a book, my time in the car flies right by.
Audible has completely changed my life. I have gained so much knowledge about the things I am passionate about and have been able to incorporate many new practices and perspectives into my life. Reading seemed to always be low on the priority list for me, especially after I got to college. Now, I am able to keep up with daily tasks, while also doing something kind for myself. I believe listening to audiobooks that bring you joy truly is an act of self- love.
Make your walk all the way to TETC more enjoyable by getting to learn more about that topic/idea that fills you with excitement, but you don’t have enough time to research. Let the time you spend folding your laundry make your closet cleaner and your mind more open. We all have 24 hours in a day, seven days a week. It is up to you to make that time more valuable to you.
Give it a try! Your first 30 days are free and includes a free audiobook of your choosing. Here is the link: https://www.audible.com/