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I have stopped listening to audiobooks while I'm out for a walk. At first, audiobooks seemed like such an efficient use of time. But after finishing a couple o

I have stopped listening to audiobooks while I'm out for a walk. At first, audiobooks seemed like such an efficient use of time. But after finishing a couple of audiobooks on my walks, I felt that my brain and my ears always yearned for not listening to audiobooks and instead just wanted to enjoy the walk itself. Now I just walk. If I'm not feeling that well, I do put on some music for a while, but never an audiobook or a podcast. On that note, I have decided to just read physical books. For all the inconveniences that reading a physical book has, I have felt that it makes reading more intentional. I can't just read anywhere or anytime I want. I have to now deliberately decide to read, even if it is way more inefficient. It lets my thoughts breath and settle. The purpose for me now is not to read as many books as possible, but to enjoy the books that I do read, and absorb them down to their core.

syntheweave 4y ago
I took a sketchbook on my walk today. I did have my phone and used it some, but drawing things from life, with traditional materials, is a nice way to slow down and engage with the immediate world. Especially since with walking routes, it's usually the same things every day, so while you might think "I've seen this before", once you try to draw it and capture everything you can, it's like you haven't seen it at all.
- nicbou 4y ago
  Sketching forces you to pay attention. It's a very deliberate thing.
nicbou 4y ago
My walks got a lot better when I started looking up birds and plants. Now green spaces aren't just a nice background, but a rich, immersive world. Even in the city, it's fun to watch and listen. There's a ton going on, and you rob yourself of that experience when you have something playing over it.
nvarsj 4y ago
Walking without distraction is a pleasure that I rediscovered recently. It’s been great for my mental health. I also seem to solve problems out of nowhere on my walks.
ChildOfChaos 4y ago
I too play around with this. Even when cleaning or doing chores, I was listening to podcasts or audiobooks, I still like this, but I have also started to realise that I never just have any stillness or space and that is valuable too. The amount of thoughts I have or ideas while showering or cleaning is great.
SixDouble5321 4y ago
Unsolicited anecdote time... I can't seem to get through physical books, but I can easily digest audio books and podcasts. I think that it has to do with the low bandwidth of reading combined with ADHD.

syntheweave 4y ago

I took a sketchbook on my walk today. I did have my phone and used it some, but drawing things from life, with traditional materials, is a nice way to slow down and engage with the immediate world. Especially since with walking routes, it's usually the same things every day, so while you might think "I've seen this before", once you try to draw it and capture everything you can, it's like you haven't seen it at all.

nicbou 4y ago
Sketching forces you to pay attention. It's a very deliberate thing.

nicbou 4y ago

My walks got a lot better when I started looking up birds and plants. Now green spaces aren't just a nice background, but a rich, immersive world. Even in the city, it's fun to watch and listen. There's a ton going on, and you rob yourself of that experience when you have something playing over it.

nvarsj 4y ago

Walking without distraction is a pleasure that I rediscovered recently. It’s been great for my mental health. I also seem to solve problems out of nowhere on my walks.

ChildOfChaos 4y ago

I too play around with this. Even when cleaning or doing chores, I was listening to podcasts or audiobooks, I still like this, but I have also started to realise that I never just have any stillness or space and that is valuable too. The amount of thoughts I have or ideas while showering or cleaning is great.

SixDouble5321 4y ago

Unsolicited anecdote time... I can't seem to get through physical books, but I can easily digest audio books and podcasts. I think that it has to do with the low bandwidth of reading combined with ADHD.