4 Situations Where I Don't Recommend Audiobooks

This may seem like a weird thing to post, yet here we are. I came up with this idea as I was writing up this past Saturday's post (December 18), and I thought it would be a good idea to share some of my thoughts.

I seemingly never stop singing the praises of audiobooks, and for good reason - they're a highly versatile book format. However, there are some situations in which, in my opinion, I don't think audiobooks are the best route to go for reading. Today, I'm focusing on 4 situations where I don't recommend audiobooks.

Situation 1: Falling asleep.

Many audiobook apps have a timer feature, which is absolutely fantastic. However, if you're listening to an audiobook that you haven't listened to or haven't read a physical copy or ebook of, then you'll be distracted for a certain amount of time when you're supposed to be falling asleep. If it's a new book, I don't recommend putting it on before bed. Additionally, you may have to rewind quite a bit depending on how long the timer was. However, if it's a book you have read and/or listened to before, then that's okay.

Situation 2: Working on something important and/or takes a bit of mental capacity.

I've said time and time again that listening to an audiobook while doing chores or exercise is a great way to get some extra reading in. However: if you're working on a big project for school or your job, or you're doing something that requires your full attention, then that's not a good time for an audiobook.

Situation 3: Waiting, in person, for something like an appointment, where your name will be called.

Again, another tip I've mentioned quite a few times is to always have a book on hand. However, if you're at any in-person appointment, it's not the greatest situation for audiobooks. In these situations, if you use an audiobook, you're likely to have headphones or earphones, which is not a good route to go. This is because, more often than not, you're waiting for your name to be called, which you won't hear with your headphones on for the audiobook.

Situation 4: Attending an event or place that'll take up most of your attention.

Some of the places that come to mind, for me, are theme parks, concerts, conventions, and meet-and-greets. Your attention is on that event or place, and an audiobook would just detract from your experience there. (And being there may also detract from your enjoyment of the audiobook.