My Top 8 Personal Development Audiobooks of the Year
by Brooke Forry
2019 has been the year of audiobooks for me — specifically, personal development and non-fiction audiobooks. I have always wanted to read more non-fiction, but I’ve rarely had the attention span, save for a good memoir. (I mostly read at night before bed, and no matter how great a non-fiction book is, it’s just not as likely to hold my attention like an engaging novel!)
This year, however, thanks to the encouragement of a friend who works for Audible and sold me on the free trial, I gave audiobooks a try and was immediately hooked. This epiphany that I now love audiobooks has totally changed my non-fiction consumption, and has resulted in a wonderful year of learning and personal development. My audiobook rotation has become a no-brainer part of my regular routine, and one of my favorite acts of ongoing self-care.
While not all of these books are newly published, they were new to me; here are my favorite non-fiction audiobooks of the year (in no particular order):
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
Not sure if audiobooks are your thing?
Here are my top tips for enjoying this wonderful medium:
Take advantage of your local library’s audiobook catalog.
I already get so much mileage out of my library card, so it was a little bit like Christmas day when I discovered the Libby app for iOS and the treasure trove of free audiobooks awaiting me! Just download the Libby app on your phone, enter your library card number to connect to your library system, search for whatever your heart desires, and take your audiobooks wherever you go.
Subscribe to Audible.
For newer audiobooks that aren’t yet available at the library (or those that have longer wait lists), an Audible subscription will get you discounted prices, and, just like Libby, you can listen anywhere with their great mobile app. You can begin with a free trial, and if the subscription price tag still gives you pause, get this: if you don’t like a title, you can return it! There were a few audiobooks that I just couldn’t get through due to lackluster content or a narration that I didn’t like, and I was able to return them to Audible with just a few clicks on my desktop.
Make your car an audiobook haven.
I work from home or close to home (i.e., my favorite coffee shop a mile away) most of the time — I’m one of those people whose mechanic questions if I’m a little old lady who barely drives when he sees my mileage at each year’s vehicle inspection — but I still manage to squeeze in a surprising amount of solo driving time to listen to my audiobooks. Ten minutes here or there to pick up the kids, drive to my fitness studio, or run to Target adds up quickly, and in most cases I can get through a full audiobook in anywhere from one to three weeks depending on the length. Bonus: I tend to be a bit of an anxious driver on highways or in the city (I’m looking at you, Center City Philadelphia), and I find that listening to a good audiobook keeps me feeling calmer behind the wheel. Win-win!
Let household chores be a little less painless.
Laundry folding goes much more quickly (and pleasantly!) when I’m listening to something interesting. If the kids are are around, I’ll just pop in my earbuds while I fold, fold, fold. (Sidenote, who are all these people that live in my house and why do they wear so many clothes??)
Feel the need for speed.
Some audiobook narrations are a bit slow, but you can easily control the speed in either the Libby or Audible apps. I listen to almost all of my audiobooks at 1.25x speed, which is the perfect sweet spot that keeps me engaged and helps me get through each book just a bit faster (so I can excitedly get started on the next one! :)
I still love reading at night, but I stick to fiction when I’m reading a physical book or an e-book on my Kindle. Surprisingly this has led to another epiphany: I love reading multiple books at once (a fiction book by my bedside, and an audiobook when I’m on the go)!
What have you been reading lately? Do you love audiobooks as much as I do? Drop us a line and let us know what books you’re loving and what reading habits work best for you!
This post contains affiliate links.
• • •
Ready to incorporate more reading or other acts of self-care into your daily routine? Enter your name and email address below and we will send you a FREE, abridged, weekday, printable layout of the Balance Bound Planner to test for yourself. Then order your Balance Bound Planner and get ready to start the new year off on the right foot!
