We have busy lives and sometimes it’s hard to find time to read a good book. More and more people are turning to audiobooks to take advantage of the time they spend commuting, exercising, doing housework or gardening. And there’s still nothing wrong with relaxing with a good audiobook in front of the fireplace. Here are a few ideas to help you get the most out of and enjoy audiobooks.1. Avoid major Distractions
Cars and the gym are popular places to listen to audiobooks. However, you don’t want to take on too much and over-multitask. If you’re in a car, you may want to pause the book while searching for an address or driving in the city. It’s nearly impossible to get the most out of an audiobook while your mind has to concentrate on something else.
2. Keep an Open Mind
An open mind is especially important when listening to audiobooks on motivation, finance, health and other self-development topics. If you turn off an audiobook after the first 10 minutes because you don’t agree with the author, you may miss some important advice later on in the book. Glean from the book the things that will help you in your life and leave the rest.
3. Keep a Notepad Handy
It’s helpful to have a notepad ready so you can jot down any important points or quotes. If you don’t write the entire quote, you can write the time where the quote is mentioned. Then you can refer to it later and take more in-depth notes.
4. Listen to a Sample and Read Book Summaries and Reviews
You can find a short sample of almost any audiobook online. Samples are an excellent way to get a sense of the tone of the audiobook and see if the reader is someone you can listen to for many hours.
The web is also a good source to find the publisher’s summary and customer and critic reviews. This information will help you decide whether to purchase or rent the audiobook or look for something different.
5. Consider an Online Audiobook Service
Online audiobook services are a convenient and budget-friendly way to rent or purchase audiobooks. Many of these services offer monthly rental or download plans and big savings for audiobook lovers.
6. Use an MP3 Player
Audiobooks are large files and can easily take up 13 CDs, depending on the length of the book. MP3 players are a convenient, space-saving way to listen to audiobooks. You can also adapt your MP3 player to play in your car.
7. Choose a Book that Will Cater to Your Surroundings and Visa Versa
A deep philosophical book may not be the best choice to listen to while exercising or driving. If you’re going to be multitasking, choose a lighter book that you don’t have to concentrate too hard on or that you can miss a part here and there and still understand the gist. Save the deep and complicated books for a time when you can give them your full attention.
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