Audio Exhaustion Point?

sun surfer · 06-19-2017, 11:09 AM

I've been listening to audiobooks for a year or two now. Once I found I could listen while doing certain work, my listening time jumped up dramatically and I was ecstatic with how fast I was getting through audiobooks.

I don't know if all good things must come to an end, but in the last month or so I wonder if I've reached an exhaustion point where I was overdoing it with the audio. While doing more involved tasks, I was slowing down the audio but those listening times also added to listening while exercising, travelling, etc. had me racking up perhaps four, five, six or more hours a day many days of audiobook listening. It began to feel like too much despite having the time (while doing other things). I knew I needed to re-evaluate when I began to feel a weariness at the prospect of turning the audio back on at every possible moment, so for the last few weeks I've been taking a break from taking every chance I can get to listen.

The immersion in the narratives/stories isn't the problem, at least I don't think. The actual audio seems to be the issue if I'm pinpointing correctly. There's not anything wrong with the audio; I just think my ears (and brain) are becoming exhausted from the act of listening, and hearing sounds constantly thrust into my ears usually by earbuds. Something similar happens to me with music. I'm not the type of person who can listen to music at every opportunity even though I love music; my ears just eventually tire of it, especially if it's any louder than low background levels. Perhaps, also, my brain is tiring of the multitasking with audiobooks, since I usually listen while doing other things and have been listening to them while doing more involved tasks.

How long can you listen to audiobooks per day before becoming exhausted (if ever) and what do you think causes the exhaustion?

wawasteele · 06-20-2017, 11:46 AM

I go through periods of time when I listen at every available minute. Then I go through times when I only listen when I know I'm going to have a fair amount of time to listen.

I usually listen while doing household chores. However, occasionally I get tired of it and do them in silence. I think some depends on the book and how really hooked I am on it. But I also think sometimes, I am just tired of the noise.

badgoodDeb · 06-20-2017, 03:49 PM

Generations prior to the last 100 years had a LOT more quiet time, and thinking time, than we allow ourselves today. I've thought about that before. They had to consciously attend a live concert, to even have music.

Today, we rarely allow ourselves time for introspection! (I know I don't.) Or even just brain relaxation.

jackie_w · 06-20-2017, 06:14 PM

If I listen via earbuds I feel 'overloaded' quite quickly (an hour or so) so I try to listen via the external speaker of my phone whenever possible around the house. The sound quality isn't as good but I can listen, without irritation, for longer.

sakura-panda · 06-21-2017, 10:17 AM

I seem to be really good at ignoring noises around me, when I'm concentrating. I've found that if I try to listen to a book and work around the house, I will not only miss big chunks of the story, but I will also forget that I'm listening and will leave the room without either pausing or stopping my player. So I limit my audiobook listening to those times when I am focusing on one task (driving) and will not be distracted away from it. Around the house I listen to either music or certain radio-based podcasts where my wandering attention will not adversely affect my enjoyment of it.

(I must note that my commute is purposely "open road" with little traffic and few stop signs/intersections where I need to make decisions. It is a little longer than the expressway, but much more enjoyable without the commotion of too many other cars and lights. I can easily return back to the story during those few seconds when my attention is focused on potential interruptions.)

I guess I don't get "exhausted" from listening because I am able to close out so much of it when my attention is focused elsewhere.

Catlady · 06-21-2017, 12:32 PM

I am not tired of listening. I get a lot more distracted these days when I try to concentrate on text for long periods of time, because I can't multitask then (other than listen to music or mindless TV).

pwalker8 · 06-21-2017, 05:38 PM

I find that I never get tired of listening to audiobooks in the car, but I vary quite a bit at work. At work, I tend to bounce back and forth a lot between audiobooks and music depending on what I'm doing and what my mood is.

moyogi2 · 07-03-2017, 03:58 PM

I listen in my car during my 50 minute commute. I can go for weeks when I listen every day to books, and there are periods when I listen to music, or public radio. And there are days that I am just not in the mood, and I don't listen to anything.

I can't listen to anything with earbuds - they drive me crazy. I can tolerate over the ear headphones for a while, but not for long periods. If I am outside, I want to hear what is going on around me, the birds, the breeze in the trees, and the neighbor kids playing.

06-19-2017, 11:09 AM	#1
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	Audio Exhaustion Point? I've been listening to audiobooks for a year or two now. Once I found I could listen while doing certain work, my listening time jumped up dramatically and I was ecstatic with how fast I was getting through audiobooks. I don't know if all good things must come to an end, but in the last month or so I wonder if I've reached an exhaustion point where I was overdoing it with the audio. While doing more involved tasks, I was slowing down the audio but those listening times also added to listening while exercising, travelling, etc. had me racking up perhaps four, five, six or more hours a day many days of audiobook listening. It began to feel like too much despite having the time (while doing other things). I knew I needed to re-evaluate when I began to feel a weariness at the prospect of turning the audio back on at every possible moment, so for the last few weeks I've been taking a break from taking every chance I can get to listen. The immersion in the narratives/stories isn't the problem, at least I don't think. The actual audio seems to be the issue if I'm pinpointing correctly. There's not anything wrong with the audio; I just think my ears (and brain) are becoming exhausted from the act of listening, and hearing sounds constantly thrust into my ears usually by earbuds. Something similar happens to me with music. I'm not the type of person who can listen to music at every opportunity even though I love music; my ears just eventually tire of it, especially if it's any louder than low background levels. Perhaps, also, my brain is tiring of the multitasking with audiobooks, since I usually listen while doing other things and have been listening to them while doing more involved tasks. How long can you listen to audiobooks per day before becoming exhausted (if ever) and what do you think causes the exhaustion?

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06-20-2017, 11:46 AM	#2
wawasteele Addict Posts: 357 Karma: 656362 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: California Device: 1st PW, Sansa Clip Zip, Samsungs: GT 7.0 Plus, Note4, GT 4 10.1"	I go through periods of time when I listen at every available minute. Then I go through times when I only listen when I know I'm going to have a fair amount of time to listen. I usually listen while doing household chores. However, occasionally I get tired of it and do them in silence. I think some depends on the book and how really hooked I am on it. But I also think sometimes, I am just tired of the noise.

06-20-2017, 03:49 PM	#3
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,501 Karma: 64095689 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	Generations prior to the last 100 years had a LOT more quiet time, and thinking time, than we allow ourselves today. I've thought about that before. They had to consciously attend a live concert, to even have music. Today, we rarely allow ourselves time for introspection! (I know I don't.) Or even just brain relaxation.

06-20-2017, 06:14 PM	#4
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,212 Karma: 16534894 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo: KA1, ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E. PocketBook: TouchHD3	If I listen via earbuds I feel 'overloaded' quite quickly (an hour or so) so I try to listen via the external speaker of my phone whenever possible around the house. The sound quality isn't as good but I can listen, without irritation, for longer.

06-21-2017, 10:17 AM	#5
sakura-panda Guru Posts: 923 Karma: 9558874 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Michigan, USA Device: 2017 10.5" iPad Pro (Kobo, NOOK, Kindle, Google Play Books & Scribd)	I seem to be really good at ignoring noises around me, when I'm concentrating. I've found that if I try to listen to a book and work around the house, I will not only miss big chunks of the story, but I will also forget that I'm listening and will leave the room without either pausing or stopping my player. So I limit my audiobook listening to those times when I am focusing on one task (driving) and will not be distracted away from it. Around the house I listen to either music or certain radio-based podcasts where my wandering attention will not adversely affect my enjoyment of it. (I must note that my commute is purposely "open road" with little traffic and few stop signs/intersections where I need to make decisions. It is a little longer than the expressway, but much more enjoyable without the commotion of too many other cars and lights. I can easily return back to the story during those few seconds when my attention is focused on potential interruptions.) I guess I don't get "exhausted" from listening because I am able to close out so much of it when my attention is focused elsewhere.

06-21-2017, 12:32 PM	#6
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,345 Karma: 52398889 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	I am not tired of listening. I get a lot more distracted these days when I try to concentrate on text for long periods of time, because I can't multitask then (other than listen to music or mindless TV).

06-21-2017, 05:38 PM	#7
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,195 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	I find that I never get tired of listening to audiobooks in the car, but I vary quite a bit at work. At work, I tend to bounce back and forth a lot between audiobooks and music depending on what I'm doing and what my mood is.

07-03-2017, 03:58 PM	#8
moyogi2 ereader apprentice guru Posts: 44 Karma: 300000 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: the Great Midwest Device: Kindle 3, Sony PRS-T1, Sony 300 (so far)	I listen in my car during my 50 minute commute. I can go for weeks when I listen every day to books, and there are periods when I listen to music, or public radio. And there are days that I am just not in the mood, and I don't listen to anything. I can't listen to anything with earbuds - they drive me crazy. I can tolerate over the ear headphones for a while, but not for long periods. If I am outside, I want to hear what is going on around me, the birds, the breeze in the trees, and the neighbor kids playing.

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