15 Things to Do While Listening to an Audiobook

Nearly half of my reading these days is done via audiobook. 

It’s such a great way to fit in a terrific book when you don’t have a moment to sit down with a physical book. 

If you’ve wanted to get into audiobook listening but can’t figure out when to listen, here are 15 things to do while listening to an audiobook (and it may spark other ideas that work for your life!).  

15 things to do while listening to an audiobook

• Household chores or cooking/baking. You can always catch me listening to audiobooks when I am doing mindless work like folding laundry on Mondays, doing dishes, or even cooking dinner. Typically my girls aren’t super involved in these tasks and it’s amazing how much more willing I am to do dull chores when I have something delightful to listen to!
• Drive. Whether you are commuting, dropping off kids, or road tripping. The car is a fantastic place to listen to audiobooks. Instead of listening to the radio, or silence, turning on an audiobook is a great way to pass the time. If you have kids in the car with you, these are some of my favorite audiobooks for family road tripping.
• Exercise. I find that music just does not really help me when I exercise – I need something that really engages me and distracts me from the fact that my lungs want to explode (after I’ve run approximately ten steps because I’m a wimp). Audiobooks are the perfect solution for me. I am usually dying to go exercise just to squeeze in another 25 minutes of listening.
• Get ready for the day. Why not turn on an audiobook while doing something you do on a daily basis, like getting ready for the day. You can even pop a waterproof bluetooth speaker in your shower and you listen to your audiobook while you wash your hair!
• Relax before going to bed. I often even go to bed earlier so I can get in more reading time – it’s such a nice time to wind down at the end of the day. If you are worried about falling asleep in the middle of your audiobook – don’t forget to use the sleep timer on your audiobook app.
• Walk dogs. We don’t have any pets, but if we did, you know I would be the first to volunteer to take them out on a walk…just so that I could get in more audiobook time! When I asked about things to do while listening to an audiobook, this was a VERY popular suggestion. 
• Work. Some work tasks lend themselves very nicely to multitasking, like listening to audiobooks. Data input, photo editing, and jobs that include hands-on work (like mechanics, plumbing, etc) would provide the perfect opportunity.
• Craft. Audiobooks and mindless busy-hand work go together like peanut butter and jelly! Whether you enjoy sewing, painting, knitting, or coloring – there are tons of crafts out there to enjoy while listening to a good book.
• Relax outside. There is nothing I love more than sitting outside on my deck and listening to an audiobook. If you like floating in the pool or even lounging in a hammock, an audiobook could help make that relaxing experience even more enjoyable.
• Yard work. If you have a yard, you know those plants need watering, the weeds need weeding, and the lawn needs a good mow. I love doing yard work if it means getting to catch up with a good audiobook. In our last house, our sprinklers didn’t cover the back part of our property and I loved listening to an audiobook while I watered it. 
• Puzzles & games. Besides doing housework, I probably listen to audiobooks most while I work on puzzles! Having my hands busy frees up my brain to focus on the story while I put together some pretty fun puzzles. (Here are some of my favorite puzzles, if you need some inspiration!).
• Waiting for or watching kids at extracurriculars. If your kids are involved in extracurricular activities, you know there is a lot of down time – waiting for practice to end, half times, and long games. Filling that free time with a good audiobook can help pass the time, while still being able to watch.
• Follow along in the book. I don’t do this often, but it’s sometimes really helpful to get acquainted with the book on paper (especially if audiobooks are new to you!) and then switch over to the audio version a few chapters in once you don’t have to work so hard to learn all the characters, setting, and plot.
• House projects. We live in an older home and have had our fair share of house projects. When I painted our dining room accent wall, you wouldn’t have caught me without an audiobook.
• Put kids to bed. We have a very good bedtime routine, because I take sleep very seriously. But, if you are in the season of laying with your little ones at night, listening to an audiobook will surely help pass the time. I clearly remember lying on the floor of the nursery with my newborn while I listened to Little Bee (not my favorite audiobook – it dragged on FOREVER for me!). 

Any other suggestions things to do while listening to an audiobook? I’d love to hear!

If you liked this post about things to do while listening to an audiobook, you might also like these other posts:

• Everand: The Audiobook Subscription I Love
• Tips for Listening to Audiobooks With Kids Around
• Our bedtime routine