Last Updated on May 18, 2026 by Lila Sjöberg
Hey there, beautiful mama. Yes, you!
The one whose nightstand book has been face-down on page 23 since sometime last February.
I see you.
I used to be a reader. A real one. Two books a month, notes in the margins, the whole thing. Then I had kids and somewhere between the night feeds, the school runs, and the mental gymnastics of keeping tiny humans alive, books just… vanished from my life.
Not because I stopped loving them. Because I stopped having the one thing you need to read: stillness.
Turns out, I was solving the wrong problem.
The Moment That Changed Everything
A friend texted me last year. “Just finished my 18th book.“
I almost choked on my cold coffee.
She has four kids. FOUR. I called her immediately because I needed answers.
“I don’t read anymore,” she said. “I listen.“
That was it. That was the whole secret.
Here’s the Thing: You Already Have the Time
I know what you’re thinking. I have zero time, Lila. Zero.
But hear me out. You’re not missing time — you’re missing the right format.
Think about your day for a second:
- School run — 15 minutes each way. That’s 30 minutes right there.
- Making dinner — 30 to 45 minutes of chopping, stirring, and waiting.
- Folding laundry — the longest, most boring 20 minutes of any mom’s week.
- Grocery run — another 20 minutes of pushing a trolley and trying not to buy biscuits.
That’s nearly two hours. Every single day. Time your hands are busy but your mind is completely free.
You don’t need to find time to read. You need to listen while you live.
What I Actually Listen To
Since switching to audiobooks, I’ve finished 14 books in the past year. Let me say that again. Fourteen. While raising kids, running a household, and functioning as a semi-coherent adult.
A few favourites that worked brilliantly in audio:
For the school run: Anything with a gripping narrative — I got obsessed with Educated by Tara Westover. Finished it in a week of morning and afternoon walks.
For cooking dinner: Lighter non-fiction. The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor was perfect — short chapters, practical ideas, easy to pause and pick back up.
For folding laundry: Novels. Pure escapism. You deserve it.
Pro tip: Start at 1x speed, give yourself a week, then nudge it to 1.25x. You’ll be amazed how quickly it feels normal — and suddenly a 10-hour book fits into a single week of regular mom life.
And Honestly? The Kids Benefit Too.
Here’s the bonus nobody tells you about.
Once I discovered audiobooks for myself, I started using them for the kids too. Bedtime stories on long car journeys. Rainy afternoon listening sessions when everyone needed to decompress. Amazon Kids+ has a growing library of audio stories that buy me twenty minutes of actual quiet — which, let’s be honest, is priceless.
One subscription. The whole family benefits.
You can shop with me on Amazon at no extra cost to you — thank you for your support! 💖
- Audible Free Trial — Your First Book on Me View on Amazon
- Amazon Kids+ Free Trial — Audio Stories for Little Ones
Start Here, Not There
Don’t overthink your first audiobook. Pick something you’ve been meaning to read for ages — not something you feel you should read, but something you’ve actually been curious about.
Download the app. Put your earbuds in tomorrow morning on the school run.
That’s it. That’s the whole plan.
You’re not becoming a different person or overhauling your routine. You’re just meeting your reading habit where your real life actually is — in the kitchen, on the pavement, in the chaos.
No guilt. Just books. You’ve got this. 📚
Frequently Asked Questions
Is listening to audiobooks really the same as reading?
For most books — absolutely yes. Research shows comprehension and retention are comparable between reading and listening for narrative content. And honestly? A book you finish in audio beats a book you never open in print every single time.
What if my mind wanders while I listen?
It happens — especially at first. The trick is starting with an engaging story rather than dense non-fiction. And the 30-second rewind button is your best friend. No judgment, just tap back and carry on.
How do I manage the subscription cost?
Audible gives you one credit per month — enough for one audiobook — plus access to a catalogue of included titles at no extra cost. Most months, one good book is plenty. And the free trial gives you a credit immediately so you can test it with zero commitment.
Can my kids use it too?
Audible has children’s content, and Amazon Kids+ specifically offers a dedicated library of age-appropriate audio stories, audiobooks, and more. Both are worth exploring — especially for car journeys and bedtime wind-downs.
What if I don’t like the book I chose?
Audible has a generous exchange policy — if you finish a book and feel it wasn’t worth the credit, you can swap it. It’s one of the few subscriptions that actually stands behind what it sells.
