As a person who loves reading but recently has little time for it, I tried to switch to audiobooks. However, I keep catching myself losing attention while trying to concentrate on the audiobook. I find myself scrolling back on the recording to catch up on things I missed, and it’s highly frustrating. It puzzles me because I can easily read a physical book in a public place, but I can’t seem to listen to an audiobook in a public setting.
Has anyone else experienced this problem with audiobooks? Do you consider it a good alternative to a physical book when there’s no possibility or time to read a book?
Occasionally. I have to rewind a lot when I’m driving because I focus on driving more, especially in heavy traffic. Sometimes I zone out while just listening to the book and start daydreaming about what was just happening.
And yes, I’ve done that before, too, where I’m in the airport and start people-watching and miss important details of the book. I do the same with a physical book, too, and so that doesn’t help. I just do it more often with a physical book when I’m in my own home, so I tend to go for audiobooks for the past few years.
I can’t use audiobooks. I don’t know if it’s ADHD or what but after the first few words my mind is onto other things. I tried on a long trip to see if it made a difference but it didn’t.
I can only listen to an audiobook as I’m going to sleep. It feels like I’m watching a movie. If I try during the day, I lose focus
Two things: I almost always listen at 1.5 speed, my brain just can’t take the normal (super slow imo) speed. And then I usually do something else such as household chores (dishes, laundry etc.), knit or take a walk with my dog.
I have always had a hard time concentrating on just listening. Back in the uni I during lectures I doodled, knitted or took notes, and I do the same now if I’m attending a work related webinar etc. So same goes for audiobooks and podcasts.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks. I listen while driving, cleaning, knitting, taking a walk, cooking. I find it pretty easy to focus on the story while doing a somewhat mindless task. If I have to give more focus to whatever else I’m doing, I pause the audiobook. But generally I find it pretty easy to follow audiobooks.
Same here. Sometimes when I’m really into a book I’ll even sit and just listen the way you would read a book. I can focus really well wit audiobooks personally
I found that for each book there is a speed setting that matches my brain and that it can change during the book. Also it helps if you are doing something active like walking or doing simple chores.
I can’t just sit still and listen without my mind wandering.
Yeah, speeding it up helped me a lot. If it’s too slow, I have too much time to process it and that’s when my mind starts to wander.
This is a great tip, thanks!
For me audiobooks are specifically for when I’m doing chores like cleaning the house or walking dog. I always get the audible + kindle versions for whispersync. I can listen to a chapter while doing the dishes as a way to placate myself. And I’ll read a couple of chapters at night on the kindle before bed. It automatically syncs my place between the two. Just listening to a book as its own activity just wouldn’t work for me.
Same, I find that I need to do something mindless to keep my hands busy.
Came here to say this!
The sweet spot is usually around 1.6-1.75 x normal speed for me (1.75 for something like Pride & Prejudice; a book I know very well and is usually narrated at a sedate pace).
all the time i can even listen to myself on tape or podcast and not pay attention
I used to be able to do 5-6 audiobooks a month and now I’m struggling to get through one for this reason.
I have to have something to do with my audiobook which really stinks cause I’d like to listen to them more. Whether it’s cleaning, grocery shopping, diamond painting or any hobbies, I need something to keep my hands busy. Otherwise I do the same, I drift off. I think they are very good alternative’s you just have to find what works for you. What helps you keep your mind on them.
I can only pay attention to audiobooks when I’m doing a task that doesn’t require enormous amounts of brain power, usually chores, cooking, or drawing. I can’t just sit in my bed and listen to a book, my mind will drift and I’ll stop paying attention.
I have this really weird thing where I can easily focus on podcasts or nonfiction audiobooks, but fiction audiobooks are just not compatible with my brain no matter what I do. It sucks because if I could absorb fiction via audiobook I’d get a lot more reading done but nope, I apparently have to absorb fiction specifically via my eyeballs
This is me too, with the exception that I can handle very light and fluffy fiction. Cozy mysteries and minimal spice romance novels (I don’t want to hit a spicy part when I’m sitting on a bus on my way to work) I can manage, but that’s the limit. I definitely lose track of details in those cases, but I usually don’t mind because I can still keep the thread.
Same! … Btw, if you’re into memoirs, Leslie Jones’ audiobook is wayyyy different from the book. It’s basically a long podcast. It’s been such a fun time listening to it. So many raw emotions and hilarious stories.
They work differently for different people. I could never just sit and listen to an audiobook, but I can’t just sit and listen to anything. Not having a secondary focus is often a guarantee that I won’t process the primary stream of information. But this also means that I can often handle audiobooks when I wouldn’t be able to handle reading text. Audiobooks allow for me to take up that secondary task very easily.
Audiobooks are my default format as I slip when I read print.
I regularly have a book going in my ear when I’m out running errands or doing chores
Yes, it’s a constant struggle. I listen while on walks or some other "mindless"activity.
As an ADHDer, audiobooks are what got me into reading. I never really read before discovering it.