when my mental health was at its lowest i found it really difficult to focus on reading but still really wanted to. My solution was audiobooks and at first it was hard to get into them but the more I did, the easier it got. It takes away some mental strain of reading too like trying to read it in the right tone or imagining their voices.
Some recs: the girl on the train (keeps you on your toes), the martian (funny, helped my mental health), throne of glass (adventure and whole new world), an inspector calls (is a play but is just so good), the love hypothesis (cutesy, quick easy read)
you could also read textbooks! Learning something new :)
Feb 1, 2025
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Tysm!! Audio book definitely have peeked my interest in the past so I’ll have to give it another go, and I’ll have to check out your recs!!
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the solution that works out the most for me is reading WHILE listening to something
my brain loves to overthink and catastrophise so when i have free time (like in the evenings or when im on the bus/subway) i LOVE to think of worst case scenarios of everything and gaslight myself into thinking that all these horrible scenarios are reality. i tried many things to stop the negative thoughts from coming — history podcasts, language podcasts, life advice podcasts, listening to new indie albums —but it didn't feel right. personally i probably don't like podcasts because i've always been a reading/writing person i.e. i absorb information the best when it's presented in textual form
then one day i saw a book on my shelf — NW by zadie smith. it was a book that i read for a class in university, but never finished it because i found it hard to follow. i thought "maybe i should finish this book" and started to read it again. but it was STILL hard to follow and my negative thoughts kept sneaking their way in. so i had the idea of listening to its audiobook version so that it could help me follow along with the book. and it WORKED — the voice of the audiobook not only helped me follow the book but also kept all thoughts from sneaking into my mind
i managed to read many books this way — with a library card most of the audiobooks i needed were available — and in recent months, as i've been feeling better, i've switched to classical music. honestly there's only two classical pieces that i listen to, because i like them THAT much. but reading while listening has honestly kept me so sane in 2024, and even though i never plan what books to read (i just have a to-read list that's always been there), i happen to stumble upon so many beautiful stories
might post my reading list next — it's mostly modern japanese literature now, and every book has been a gem
📷 pictured is some of the books i downloaded onto my kindle after deciding that i would embark upon this reading-healing journey, it gave me so much excitement to start (and as of now i've read 4 of the books displayed here)
Jan 2, 2025
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you can listen while cleaning, showering, working out, etc. and it helped me get back into reading
Mar 8, 2024
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Do you have a hard time finishing tasks? Can’t seem to get all your work done?Listen to an audio book! It helps me do things like clean the house and fold laundry and it makes it SO much more interesting. I usually turn the speed up to 1.25-1.5 depending on the book or narrator which helps me work faster.
This really only works for things you do with your hands. I can’t listen to a book and answer emails but I work with my hands most of the day so this is a great hack for me.
Fav’s recently are:
Jane Eyre and Wind Up Bird Chronicles
Apr 16, 2024
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so small so light so cute!
Feb 1, 2025
Feb 24, 2025
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I love just refreshing it every time I get on this app and looking at everyone’s new recs or asks. I love that it isn’t too high traffic and you can contribute a little to each conversation :)
Jan 28, 2025