We are almost living in the year 2020 my friends. If you haven’t already jumped onto the bandwagon that is listening to podcasts – I’m here to help. It can be a little overwhelming (What do I listen to? How do I do that? WHEN do I do that?) and may seem too techy to mess with. I won’t lie to you, there may be a few frogs to kiss/listen to before you find your podcast groove, but it is worth the investment of your most valuable resource – your time.
Here are a few podcasting basics to help get you started. (If you’re already on board, I’ve included some of my favorite listens at the bottom!)
So what is a… podthingy?
At it’s most basic, a podcast is a way to get information to your ears. It can be news, stories, interviews, conversations, or advice. Some are structured to be weekly, like TV 10 years ago – something new every week, sometimes with a break in the summer. Other podcasts are more of a story telling set, like a TV mini series.
How do I know what to listen to?
The topics and length vary, which means there is literally something for everyone. This also leads to overwhelm & decision fatigue – but push through, friend – you don’t have to be defeated before you even start. I would start with crowd sourcing some suggestions from your in-real-life friends & family. This gives you the chance to try some things out (low stakes!) and see what style you like. For example, initially I did not like to hear two people just talking to one another. But, I did love podcasts that centered around telling stories so I listened exclusively to those. I would add one podcast at a time that unsubscribe to the ones that weren’t a good fit. Now I have a mixture of talking, stories, interviews, and educational.
Ok, Ok fine. But when do I do this? Free time doesn’t grow on trees.
I listen in the cracks of my life – mostly when I’m driving and don’t have kids with me. Sometimes if I’m taking care of stuff around the house, I’ll have the phone nearby and listen while I fold laundry or sweep. If you have ear buds or headphones you could also listen when you grocery shop or exercise.
Interested. Maybe. How do I listen?
Typically, you listen to podcasts through a platform that comes with your smart device (pictured) or another “streaming” service or app, such as spotify or stitcher.
Feeling pretty good about this yet? Getting started is probably the hardest part. You’ll know you’ve got a one when you are willing to sit for 2 mins in the driveway because you just HAVE to know what happens next. Here are a few that I listen to with a one sentence “Best For” superlative.
–The Popcast with Knox & Jamie: Best for “Anyone with ears that is of legal driving age.” This is a weekly, very funny pop culture podcast – and look, I never go to the movies, don’t have cable, and still love this show SO much.
–The Next Right Thing: Best for “The one who gives great advice but their own life is a bit of a mess.” A mix of encouragement, counseling, and life advice – hard to describe but soothing and motivating all at once.
-The Moth: Best for “The person that loves stories but hasn’t had a quiet 5 minutes since their kid(s) were born” alternatively, “The person who has a lot of feelings.” Storytellers from all over the world – you never know what you’re going to get!
–This American Life: “The friend that wants to know what’s going on in the world but watching the news makes them depressed.” Mixture of stories, interviews, and research as it applies to things that are a part of life in the US.
If you are already a regular podcast listener – I would love to know what you treat your ears with!
