Background Noise and Reading: 4 Questions to Ask Yourself

Do I think this is possible? Yes, I do. I actually do a lot of reading with background noise of one form or another. For me, the background noise while I'm reading is usually music, movies, or tv shows.

Having something playing in the background while reading isn't for everyone. If you're not sure if you can read with something playing in the background, here are 4 questions you can ask yourself and answer to see if it's right for you.

Question 1: Are you easily distracted?

It is perfectly okay if you're someone who's easily distracted. But if this applies to you, then maybe it's not the best thing for you to have something playing in the background while you're reading.

Question 2: Do you prefer quiet when you're working?

This may seem a weird question to ask, but let me explain. We've all had to do work in some capacity, whether it's for school or a job. If you're someone who prefers to work in a quiet space, then that's something that'll transition over to your reading habits - you'll prefer quiet when you're reading.

Question 3: What do you typically tend to listen to or watch?

Let's say you listen to music that you sing along with, or you put on movies or tv shows that you enjoy watching. Then it may not be a good idea for you to have background noise while you read. But if you have music like the classical genre, or if you put on movies and tv shows you've watched a million times and don't need to pay 110% attention to, then you could try reading with background music. (Also note that podcasts are not good form of background noise while reading in my opinion, for obvious reasons.)

Question 4: What genres do you tend to read?

If you're anything like me, you may read genres that require a lot of attention and mental space while reading, such as history. Then it may not be a great idea to have background noise playing while you read. Please understand that I'm not saying other genres don't require a lot of attention or mental space. Reading in general, no matter the genre, requires attention and mental space. But consider the genre and how dense the material tends to be before having background noise playing.