Everyday life with a chronic illness can be pretty uncomfortable at times. Here are some suggestions that help make listening to audiobooks, podcasts, music etc more comfortable and therefor more enjoyable.
1. Invest in some noise cancelling headphones to block out background noise and help you focus on what you are listening to with less distractions and draining noise pollution.
2. When it is quiet like when you are winding down to go to sleep try listening with low volume to reduce stimulation.
3. Use night settings on your devices so the screen is dim at night and wont interrupt your ability to get to sleep. Even though you are listening to the book you will need to look at the screen to pause the story when you are ready to sleep.
4. Remind yourself you can listen to the audiobook again if you have trouble concentrating or fall asleep while it is still playing.
5. Make use of the sleep function where you set the player to turn off after a set time. Use this at night or if you find yourself listening too long at other times.
6. Have a few audiobooks set aside for when you feel particularly unwell or need cheering up. Either saving something new for these times or keep in mind titles you enjoyed the first time.
7. Use listening as a reward after you have done something challenging. Maybe after you have had a shower and got dressed and need to rest.
8. Make conscious choices about when you listen so it is an activity that you don’t feel guilty about doing. You don’t want audiobooks to interfere with your sleep or with getting things done.
9. Be aware of your breathing and posture so you are caring for your body while your mind is being distracted and occupied.
10. Find ways to make listening feel like it is a worthwhile use of your time. You could make the effort to talk with family, friends, or people in a Facebook group to discuss books and share recommendations. Remember there are audiobook versions of most popular books so if someone recommends something they read you should be able to find it as an audiobook.
Having useful life hacks to make everyday activities better makes a difference when you have a chronic illness. Do you have any tips that help make your listening more comfortable or enjoyable? Please share in the comments any things I’ve missed and any creative ideas you have come up with.
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