For a long time, I struggled with podcasts. I do well with videos, but having to listen to someone talk without actually doing anything has felt… awkward. And if I try to combat that by doing something absentmindedly, I’ll realize that I haven’t actually been listening for the last 15 minutes.
But with practice, I eventually got over it and learned to pay better attention to what I was listening to (and I got really familiar with the “back up 15 seconds” button!).
When we were living in Cincinnati, I listened to a bunch of podcasts to make the 1.5 hour commute home go (at least a little bit) faster. And since moving to Kalamazoo, my commute has disappeared (I now work from home every day), which is great for my mental health and wallet, but it means my podcast time has greatly dwindled.
I’m still figuring out the best way to find time to listen to podcasts, but for now I’m making it work! There are quite a few podcasts I’ve made the time for and have really been loving.
More Perfect
I love More Perfect. It’s a side project from Radiolab, who do awesome work. The first two seasons focused on the Supreme Court, and the third is all about the 27 amendments to the US Constitution. I’ve learned so much from listening to it, and it’s not boring like you’d expect it to be!
Favorite episodes:
- Mr. Graham and the Reasonable Man
- Justice, Interrupted
- One Nation, Under Money
- The Most Perfect Album: Episode 4
- The Gun Show
Happier
I found Happier on a whim, and I’ve been obsessed ever since. I listened to the most recent few episodes when I started listening, and then decided to go aaaaaall the way back to the beginning and start from episode 1. I’m not quite caught up (I’m still in 2017!), but I’ve been loving it!
In the podcast, author Gretchen Rubin (of The Happiness Project fame) and her sister Liz Craft talk about ways to be happier. And my favorite part? They’re typically small, realistic changes you can make in your day-to-day life. No year-long happiness project necessary.
Favorite episodes:
- Try “Power Hour,” Consider Envy, Back Up Your Phone, and Enjoy the Process
- Take Personality Quizzes, Consider Your Email Habits, and Book Club Conflicts
- Practice Mise-En-Place, Pack a Canvas Tote Bag, and the Tragedy of the Messy Commons
The RFK Tapes
This whole podcast was fascinating. I loved all of it. It’s a special project from the Crimetown team that looks into the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy and whether there was a conspiracy or not.
Outside of the CNN miniseries The Sixties, I didn’t know that much about the RFK assassination until this podcast. And I think that’s what made it so interesting! I’ll keep my opinions on the case to myself to avoid any spoilers. 😊
This podcast really needs to be listened to in sequential order, so I’m not going to list out my favorite episodes.
Unladylike
One of my first forays into podcasts was the series of podcasts from How Stuff Works, including Stuff Mom Never Told You. When Cristen and Caroline left to start their own podcast, I was so on board. I haven’t listened to any episodes after their first season (and I need to catch up, because they’re already in season 4!), but I still love their content.
They talk all about how to be “unladylike.” And Cristen and Caroline are so much fun to listen to; it’s like having a chat with your friends instead of being talked down to.
Favorite episodes:
99% Invisible
99% Invisible is another one of those podcasts that I need to catch up on. It’s so good! First of all, Roman Mars has the most relaxing voice ever. But also, all of the topics are super interesting! They talk about things that most of us deal with every day, but we never really pay attention to. It’s so fascinating!
Favorite episodes:
- Bijlmer (City of the Future, Part 1) and Blood, Sweat & Tears (City of the Future, Part 2)
- The Athletic Brassiere
- Person in Lotus Position
- The Nut Behind the Wheel
Sooo Many White Guys
Phoebe Robinson is a national treasure. She has honest and funny conversations with different entertainers. And amazingly, they’re not all white guys!
Favorite episodes:
- Phoebe and Awkwafina Get Matching Tattoos
- Phoebe and DeRay Mckesson: The Revolution is Live & Streaming
- Phoebe and Gloria Steinem: The Buddy Movie Edition
- Phoebe and Alaska are Casual Yet Impressive (fun fact, Alaska is my second-cousin-in-law!)
The Gerrymandering Project
Gerrymandering is a huge deal, and it’s about to get more real for me, because Michigan voted to create an independent commission who will draw district lines, instead of politicians. 🙌🏻
The Gerrymandering Project really helped me understand what gerrymandering is, and what different states have done to try to get rid of it.
This is another one that should really be listened to sequentially, so I’m going to skip favorite episodes on it.
YNAB
Sean and I use YNAB for our budget, and I love it. I love talking about financial literacy, so the YNAB podcast has been a lot of fun! And one of my favorite parts? The episodes are all super short! It’s perfect to listen to in the morning as I get ready.
Favorite episodes:
Alright, now I’m motivated to go and spend the next 10 hours listening to podcasts! 😂
What are your favorite podcasts? Let me know in the comments! I’m always on the hunt for more to listen to!
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