If you're a regular reader, you've probably felt the frustration of wasted pockets of time in your day: the 25-minute commute where you stare blankly at other cars, the 30-minute walk you take at lunch to get out of the office, the 20 minutes you spend folding laundry or washing dishes after work when your brain is too fried to focus on a work email but not relaxed enough to pick up a book. You've built a solid reading routine---30 minutes with your e-reader before bed, a chapter of a nonfiction book over your morning coffee---but those gaps between your intentional reading slots feel like lost time, or worse, time you spend doomscrolling and draining the mental energy you saved for your actual reading session.
For years, I wrote off audiobooks as "not real reading," or assumed they were only for people who didn't have time to sit down with a physical book. I thought adding audiobooks to my routine would take away from the page-turners I loved, or make me feel like I was checking a box instead of actually enjoying the content. That changed when I started curating targeted audiobook playlists tied directly to my existing reading routine, instead of treating audiobooks as a random, separate habit. Now I get through 4 to 5 extra books a year without cutting back on the physical and e-book reading I love, and those dead pockets of time that used to feel useless now feel like a fun extension of my favorite hobby.
The trick isn't just downloading random audiobooks whenever you have a spare minute. Random picks lead to half-finished books, decision fatigue, and a pile of unused credits that make you feel guilty for not "using" your subscription. Audiobook playlists work because they're intentional: they're curated to fill the gaps in your existing routine, reinforce what you're already reading, and never compete with the time you've set aside for your core reading habit.
First, map the gaps in your existing reading routine
Before you build a single playlist, pull out your calendar and note the pockets of time in your day where you physically can't read a physical book or e-reader:
- Time slots where your eyes are occupied (commuting, walking to meetings, working out, cooking)
- Time slots where your hands are occupied (folding laundry, washing dishes, gardening)
- Late-night wind-down slots where you don't want to stare at a screen but are too tired to focus on text
These are the slots your audiobook playlists will fill. The goal isn't to replace your 30 minutes of sit-down reading before bed, or your morning coffee reading session. It's to make the time you're already spending doing mindless tasks feel more intentional, without taking away from the reading time you already prioritize.
Next, align each playlist with the book (or books) you're currently reading for your core routine, so the audio content complements what you're already engaging with, instead of pulling you in a totally different direction. For example, if you're halfway through a 400-page history of the Harlem Renaissance for your evening reading, don't fill your commute playlist with a random thriller that will make you forget all the details you learned the night before. Fill it with short, related audio content that reinforces what you're reading, without spoiling key plot points or facts you haven't gotten to yet.
Three playlist frameworks that work for every reading routine
You don't need to build 10 different playlists for every possible scenario. Start with one of these three, tailored to the type of book you're currently reading for your core routine:
1. The Skill-Building Reinforcement Playlist
Best for: Work-related nonfiction, self-improvement, or educational books you're reading for your sit-down routine. If you're reading a book like Atomic Habits to build better work routines, or a coding workbook to prep for a certification, this playlist fills your commute, workout, or chore slots with content that reinforces the core ideas you're learning, without taking away from the time you need to work through exercises or take notes in your physical copy. Populate it with:
- 10-15 minute podcast episodes or Substack audio essays from the author or other experts in the same space
- Short audiobook summaries of complementary books in the same genre (great for when you want to preview other resources to add to your reading list later)
- Case studies or interviews that illustrate the book's core principles in real life Example: If you're reading The Lean Startup for your work reading routine, your playlist has episodes of the How I Built This podcast featuring startup founders who used lean methodology, 10-minute summaries of other startup strategy books, and interviews with Eric Ries about the book's core concepts. You can listen to one episode on your commute, and walk into your next team meeting with fresh ideas, no extra reading time required.
2. The Immersive Fiction Playlist
Best for: Novels, fantasy, thrillers, or romance books you're reading for fun. The biggest risk with audiobooks for fiction readers is spoiling key plot twists or character arcs before you get to them in your physical copy. This playlist avoids that by sticking to content that deepens your engagement with the book's world or themes, without giving away anything you haven't read yet. Populate it with:
- Short stories or novellas set in the same universe as the book you're reading (most fantasy and sci-fi authors publish these as free bonus content)
- Author interviews about the book's worldbuilding, themes, or research process
- Standalone books by the same author that don't overlap with the plot of your current read Example: If you're reading Project Hail Mary for your evening reading routine, your playlist has Andy Weir's short story The Egg , interviews with him about the science he researched for the book, and his earlier novel The Martian (which you've already read, so no spoilers). You can listen to it on your lunch walk and stay in the sci-fi headspace without ruining any surprises in your current book.
3. The Low-Effort Wind-Down Playlist
Best for: Days when you're too tired to sit down and read, but still want to get your "reading fix" without scrolling. This playlist is your backup for the days when you get home from a 12-hour work day, crash on the couch, and can't summon the energy to pick up your e-reader. It's designed to be low-focus, low-stakes, and feel like a treat instead of a chore, so you don't break your reading habit on busy days. Populate it with:
- Short, cozy, low-stakes books you've already read (re-reads of your favorite childhood series, well-worn romance novels you know by heart)
- Short essay collections or nature writing that doesn't require you to follow a complex plot
- Lighthearted celebrity memoirs or comedy audiobooks that don't need your full attention Pro tip: If you're worried about screen time before bed, pair this playlist with a Bluetooth sleep mask or speaker so you don't have to look at your phone to start it.
Keep it low-pressure, no rules allowed
The biggest mistake people make with audiobook playlists is turning them into another to-do list: they feel like they have to listen to every item in the playlist, or feel guilty if they skip the audiobook to scroll TikTok instead. That defeats the entire purpose.
Stick to three simple rules to keep your playlists fun, not stressful:
- Keep each playlist under 15 items. You don't need to curate a 50-item list of every related audiobook ever made. A small, curated list means you never waste time scrolling for something to listen to when you're already on your commute or folding laundry.
- Update playlists once a month, not every week. Spend 15 minutes at the start of each month swapping out items you've finished, and adding new content related to the book you're currently reading. No need to spend hours curating every single week.
- There are no "rules" about what counts as "valid" playlist content, and no rules about how much you have to pay attention. If you're listening to a cozy mystery playlist while folding laundry and miss a key clue? No big deal. If you want to fill your fiction immersion playlist with fanfiction audiobooks about your favorite series, or your chore playlist with audiobook recordings of your favorite podcast, go for it. The point is to make the time you spend doing mindless tasks feel more aligned with your interests, not to check a box for "productive" listening, or ace a pop quiz about the content later.
A quick real-world example: my friend Lena, a freelance graphic designer who works 60-hour weeks and reads 1 design book and 1 cozy mystery a month for her core routine. She has two dead zones in her day: a 30-minute commute each way, and 20 minutes of dishwashing after dinner. Her playlists are:
- Commute playlist: Short podcast episodes about graphic design trends, 10-minute audiobook summaries of other design books, and interviews with the author of the design book she's currently reading. She listens to one episode each way, and often comes up with ideas for client projects before she even gets to her desk.
- Dishwashing playlist: Short cozy mystery short stories, and re-reads of her favorite Agatha Christie novels that she knows by heart. She doesn't have to focus, she gets to unwind after work, and she never feels like she's "wasting" time on chores.
She says the playlists let her get through 3 extra books a quarter without cutting back on her core reading time, and she never feels guilty for skipping a reading session on busy days because she still gets to engage with content she loves while she's doing chores.
You don't have to overhaul your entire reading routine to make this work. Start small: pick one dead zone in your day, make a 5-item playlist tied to the book you're currently reading, and test it out for a week. If you love it, add a second playlist for another slot. If you hate it, delete it and go back to zoning out. There's no wrong way to do this--- the only goal is to make the time you spend with books feel more intentional, not less.