We’re all busy, right? We have lives, children (two-legged or/and four-legged), spouses, and chores to do. Some of us have more than one career we juggle, too. So how does one make time for everything? Podcasts! While you are walking or working (safely) with your hands, you can listen and learn.
NO TIME TO READ?
I find it difficult to find time to sit and read. But I have a lot of tasks that I do that keep my hands busy, like dishes, yard work, and data collection. During those times I listen to audio books but I also listen to podcasts. My favorite types of podcasts are those where I learn something new, but there are podcasts for every interest.
DISCOVER PODCASTS
According to Wikipedia, “A podcast is an episodic series of audio files which a user can subscribe to so that new episodes are automatically downloaded via web syndication to the user’s local computer, mobile application, or media player.” BBC journalist Ben Hammersly invented the term “podcast,” in 2004.
Podcasts are usually free. Some charge a small fee, others use sponsors and ads, still others use Patron or other subscription services to cover the cost of production.
The user can listen to current podcast episodes or archived ones. A wide range of people, from professionals working for well-known corporations to a beginner working out of her own home, produce podcasts. This means that quality can be all over the place. But don’t avoid a podcast by a beginner. Sometimes their enthusiasm for their subject more than makes up for the poorer sound quality and production values.
WHERE, OH, WHERE?
Where do you find podcasts? There are several internet sites where you can download or listen to podcasts. Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, and even the host’s website are the most common sites. You can go to each of those sites or use your preferred search engine to search for podcast on (insert your interest). Your results will include the location of the podcast and lists of the “best” of that type of podcast.
There are thousands of podcasts, maybe millions, covering nearly every topic in existence. It’s hard to sort through the titles to find the ones that speak to you.
WHERE TO START?
There are thousands of podcasts, maybe millions, covering nearly every topic in existence. It’s hard to sort through the titles to find the ones that speak to you.
Podcasts for Kids
There are podcasts of age appropriate True Stories, Bedtime Stories, Fiction shorts, as well as podcasts that talk about mental health or science or history. Common Sense has a list of 25 great learning podcasts for the classroom.
Podcasts by Interests
There are podcasts on true crime, running your own business, on the writing life or business, and marketing. There are podcasts that discuss music by genre or do deep dives into song lyrics. Some podcasts are almost like a public diary of the host. There are podcasts meant to promote mental health or personal development. Many large companies or agencies have multiple podcasts, such as NASA.
There are podcasts that target each gender (including LGBTQ), each age group, cultural, and some that target specific racial concerns. These are not exclusionary (at least none that I’ve found have been). Anyone can listen to these podcasts and learn about others.
I’ve been listening to podcasts since the 2010s and have always found at least one podcast on any topic I’ve explored.
My Favorites
Here are a few that I enjoy. Each of these podcasts may be available on more than the podcast streaming services I have listed.
You Are Not So Smart (YANSS)
You Are Not So Smart is hosted by David McRaney. This podcast examines flawed perception and reasoning. McRaney interviews experts that are always fascinating.
Science Friday (SciFri)
Science Friday is one of many NPR podcasts. Journalist Ira Flatow hosts this one. It started as a public radio show in 1991. It “is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.” (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music)
The Marie Forleo Podcast
Marie Forleo of MarieTV hosts The Marie Forleo Podcast. She and her guests share actionable strategies for greater happiness, success, motivation, creativity, productivity, love, health, contribution, and fulfillment most of, if not all, the content of her MarieTV episodes reproduced as podcasts. (Spotify, Apple Podcasts)
Mysterious Goings On
Author Alex Greenwood hosts Mysterious Goings on. It’s a podcast “about creativity, writing and mystery.” Every week, Alex and his guest talk about books, authors, writing, and creativity in all walks of life. (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.) Alex is a great host. Listen to the episodes I was on.
The Way I Heard It
Hosted by Mike Rowe, “each episode of The Way I Heard It is a true story about a real person, place, or thing.” He cautions listeners he may say something that contradicts something you heard or read and wants discrepancies brought to his attention. “Just remember—I’m not wrong. It’s just the way I heard it…” (Apple, RSS)
Writing Excuses
Writing Excuses is hosted by science fiction and fantasy authors Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells. They describe this as “a fast-paced, educational podcast for writers, by writers.” Fast-paced is an accurate description. Most episodes were only 15 minutes long. (Apple Podcast, Spotify, RSS)
Archived Podcasts
I absolutely adored the podcast Flash Forward. Unfortunately, they are no longer publishing new podcasts, but you can enjoy the archived episodes on the site.
Flash Forward—hosted and produced by Rose Eveleth. This podcast explores the future with a ‘what if’ sensibility. Eveleth begins each podcast with a short audio play that reflects a future where this month’s ‘what if’ is a reality. The bulk of the podcast is interviews with experts about the advantages, disadvantages, and probabilities of the ‘what if’ becoming reality.
Listen & Learn & Be Entertained
Entertaining and informative, these podcasts are my current top picks. Want to know more of my faves? Read “In the Air: Live Streaming, Podcasts, and YouTube,” or “Listen & Learn: Podcasts on Writing.” Please note, some podcasts listed may no longer be producing new shows, but the previously published shows are still available for your listening pleasure.
Do you listen to podcasts? If you don’t, will you try one now?
If you are a podcast listener, which ones do you enjoy?
NOTE: An earlier version of this post originally appeared on this site on June 12, 2017
Image Credits
Top image: Image by Entre_Humos from Pixabay
Final image: Audio-Tehnica headphones via Flickr Creative Commons
I listen to more political podcasts than is probably good for my mental health, but I can recommend several non-political ones. relating to indie publishing, one I enjoy is “Book Marketing Tips & Author Success” by Penny Sansevieri and Amy Cornell. I also enoy NPR’s history-centered (in the context of today’s events) podcast “Throughline.” “Scene on Radio” is another well-researched and thought-provoking history-that’s-relevant-today podcast. Environmentally-oriented “Up From Dust” is produced by Kansas City’s KCUR and Heartland Public Media, while “Seeking a Scientist” is popular natural science from KCUR and The Stowers Institute. I find all of them well worth the listen.
You have some good recommendations. I also enjoy Penny Sansevieri and Amy Cornell’s podcast and all of NPR’s that I’ve heard. I appreciate your other recommendations. Thanks, Jan!