What does commuting, exercising, and passing time have in common? Chances are, you’re listening to something – conversation, music, radio, or podcasts.
Podcasts have become more popular (perhaps even more obviously so) with the Clubhouse wildfire. There’s something soothing about someone talking to you and imparting knowledge so you don’t have to learn from making your own mistakes. Podcasts are also a great way to multitask when you’re exercising muscle memory, like cooking or a jog through the park. With a wide array of topics and podcast lengths, we found 8 podcasts worth listening to.
(Psst…we’ve linked episodes worth checking out straight to Spotify so you don’t have to hunt for them.)
1. NPR Life Kit
Like its title, this National Public Radio Life Kit podcast series will equip you with the knowledge to tackle life. From becoming a more successful morning adult with “How to Brew a Better Cup of Coffee” to “How to Work With – Not Against – Screen Time” with your kids, this is an easy-to-listen podcast filled with practical advice squeezed into 20 minutes.
Even “Transforming Kids’ Worries into Superpowers” sound a lot more doable than it actually is.
2. Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
We don’t judge He-Who-Needs-A-Friend, but there’s no harm eavesdropping on the conversations with friends like Kirsten Bell, Michelle Obama, and…Lin-Manuel Miranda?!
We think Conan needs to drop an episode on how he finds friends like them. We wager that it’s not true that Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend – we need his method of finding these friends.
3. The Rewatchables
There are some movies you simply aren’t satisfied with watching. There’s the primal need to delve into the story, find out what went on behind the scenes, and wrangle every possible existential meaning out of it. Sounds like you? This discussion is for the true movie buffs.
From the classics The Godfather (plus parts II and III) and Armageddon to the always-trendy teenage Teen Wolf and Mean Girls, there’s a vast library of movies to listen to. We absolutely have to highlight the No Country for Old Men episode where they talk about the movie’s random trivia, the Back to the Future episode and its wider cultural phenomena, plus everything to love about The Silence of the Lambs.
Did we mention that Dead Poets Society is very much alive on The Rewatchables, too?
4. Philosophize This!
I mean, we all get existential crises, right? Philosophy is fascinating for how people try to answer the unanswerable, and how questions from a thousand years ago are still relevant to us. Some episodes worth checking out are why we grapple with Insecurity and how we can make our peace with it, as well as Nietzsche’s ideas in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, famous for creating the idea of Übermensch, or the “superman”.
We didn’t say Philosophize This! an easy podcast to tune into, but if it brings you enlightenment, well, bring it on.
5. Freakonomics
Philosophy included, this podcast covers everything else. Think questions you’ve never asked aloud but have always wondered, like How Much Does Your Name Matter?, or even wacky topic combinations like The Data-Driven Guide to Sane Parenting.
Freakonomics ask the really hard questions. (I mean, What Does a CEO Actually Do?)
6. Motley Fool Money
Strap yourself into the rollercoaster of the economy as you listen to this. The panel of investment analysts and host Chris Hill take an inside look at stocks and top business news – like what it means for Jeff Bezos to step down in the episode End of An Era. Or maybe you’re wondering where money goes (like the episode $5.5M for One Ad? in relation to the Super Bowl) and are trying to wrap your head around the question: Is Bitcoin Money?
Motley Fool Money also delves into specificities like The #1 Mistakes Small Businesses Make and occasionally shares TedTalk-like episodes such as Motivation is a Skill.
7. Deep Sleep Sounds
When ASMR isn’t enough, we need the Rainy Day Coffee Shop vibes to keep us warm and cozy in this crazy humid country. Or you could pretend to escape with Gentle Waves on Dock (when really, you’re trying to quiet the screams in your head).
It’s also cute that Deep Sleep Sounds also offer a Bedtime Story for Kids: The Very Sleepy Duckling. It’ll definitely come in handy on the days you get tired earlier than the kids.
8. Modern Love by The New York Times
We saved the best for last. The tear-inducing, tragic timeless stories like We’ll Meet Again in Five Years are too good to pass up – just think about the concept of “right person, wrong time” and tell me your heartstrings don’t tremble. Another popular episode A Lifetime of Good Loving will challenge your tear ducts for the honour of the heartbroken widow, alone on the eve of the pandemic.
If you’re a sentimental person who still keeps the anniversary gifts from your ex, Driveway Elegies might pique your interest as a love story told through objects in the home.
Modern Love was also adapted into an Amazon series by the same name.
It’s surprising what you can discover in twenty minutes as you wind down for the day or get ready for work in the morning. Which podcast caught your interest?