audiobooks at work?

SusieBW · September 2015

I know some of you guys listen to audiobooks at work. What kind of job do you have? Do you feel like you get distracted and stop listening?

I usually listen to audiobooks on actual CDs, which live in my car, and that's the only time I listen to them. But this morning I DLed an audiobook from Overdrive, and now I feel like I can listen to it whenever. But I'm not sure I could get work done while listening to it. Or like I would get work done, but then not be paying attention to the book.

I'm gonna try, but I don't have high hopes.

GilliC · September 2015

There's no way I could multi-task well enough to listen to audiobooks at work. (I'm a computer programmer.)

However, I have a friend who does. She owns her own cleaning company and works by herself most of the day. Not only does she listen to books while she's working, she listens to them in her third language as a chance to practice it! I find this super impressive.

MrsC7 · September 2015

I think it depends on what kind of job you have. If I was doing something manual or repetitive that didn't require critical thinking, then definitely.

But I could never listen to an audiobook and draft a brief.

dmlk413 · September 2015

I usually listen to books I've already read on audio at work. That way I don't feel like I have to pay attention to every word. I don't think I could listen to a new book while working.

SnShne322 · September 2015

I'm an accountant and I listen to them. If it's something that requires me to be active or a new process, I'll turn it off. I'm in corporate so there's a lot of repetition. I turn it on for those times. So probably about 2-4 hours a day depending on my tasks. Oddly, I actually find music more distracting. I think I like the consistent smoothness of the narrator talking and not the ups and downs of music. If I feel like I've missed something (not too often) I'll rewind a bit.

I'd never be able to read 100 books a year with out it. Not that I couldn't just read less. I think the majority of my yearly total is in audiobooks.

SusieBW · September 2015

I'm working on an emergency disposal order for bird flu waste this morning, but yeah, having a book playing has been a bit distracting so far. It's pretty light lifting, work wise - not nearly so taxing as drafting a brief or something, but still. The audiobook is non-fiction about the inception of WW1, so when I miss something, I feel a bit lost. So yeah, no. This isn't going to work. Not today, anyway.

dutchgirl76 · September 2015

I agree it depends on what you do. I talk on the phone a lot during the day so I'd have a hard time having to start and stop. My friend had a job where she did a lot of filing and sorting, she lived on audiobooks. I'd say try it, worst case you can't focus and turn it off.

katienichols08 · September 2015

SnShne322 said:

I'm an accountant and I listen to them. If it's something that requires me to be active or a new process, I'll turn it off. I'm in corporate so there's a lot of repetition. I turn it on for those times. So probably about 2-4 hours a day depending on my tasks. Oddly, I actually find music more distracting. I think I like the consistent smoothness of the narrator talking and not the ups and downs of music. If I feel like I've missed something (not too often) I'll rewind a bit.

I'd never be able to read 100 books a year with out it. Not that I couldn't just read less. I think the majority of my yearly total is in audiobooks.

I'm in accounting too and sometimes I get tired of listening to music (I find it sometimes distracting as well) so I'll get an audiobook on Overdrive. I just finished listening to a Patricia Cornwell book and I am sure I missed parts but I was able to keep up with it well. Obviously at the good parts, sometimes it can be distracting, but i can actually keep up with it better than I thought. And honestly, I choose books that I don't have to think about too much.

jenndawnp · September 2015

I'm a Business Analyst for software developers and listen often. I don't find it hard to pay attention to my work and audiobooks at the same time. I do split my time between books and music, usually I listen to music more than anything.

I prefer fluffy audiobooks rather than serious ones. I'm currently listening to The Way of Kings and it's a bit of struggle.

RevJen · September 2015

I'm a recruiter so I can't listen to audiobooks. I'm either on the phone all the time or interviewing. When I'm at my desk, they're distracting. Plus I'm in a cubicle farm so I don't want to bother my coworkers.

I've never really listened to books/music at work because of what I do

GreenBride624 · September 2015

Yes & no. The only audio books I listen to are HP. I have them on CD & every couple years I get an urge to listen to them again. In fact, I'm in the middle of HP6 now!

I'm not sure that I would be able to listen to "new" books while working though. HP is good because I know the story already.

katienichols08 · September 2015

GreenBride624 said:

Yes & no. The only audio books I listen to are HP. I have them on CD & every couple years I get an urge to listen to them again. In fact, I'm in the middle of HP6 now!

I'm not sure that I would be able to listen to "new" books while working though. HP is good because I know the story already.

Andbutalso--the audiobooks for HP are the BEST. I could listen to that guy read all day every day.

julie37619 · September 2015

Depends on what I'm working on. Processing books (putting on bar codes and stamping and security tags) I almost always listen to something. At the reference desk or working on placing orders or doing anything that requires creativity or thinking about money is usually not conducive to listening.

AyshM · September 2015

I have a hard time listening at work. Even music is distracting to me unless I'm really doing something mindless or artistic. If I'm writing or pretty much anything else, I can't listen, as much as I might like to.

With Overdrive & Audible though, I've taken to listening whIle I'm doing things around the house in addition to listening in the car.

angelashly · September 2015

I have never tried one, but I do listen to music all day. I may see what Overdrive offers and try it.

Skeezon · September 2015

I'm a graphic designer. So, most of the time, I have no trouble listening to a book and designing an ad or doing magazine layout.

ThisModernLove · September 2015

It depends on the task at hand. If it's filing or putting together binders, maybe I will. In most cases, I opt for podcasts instead because they are easier to jump in and out of for me.

audiobooks at work?

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