Podcasts of 2020 for Education and Revelation
Everywhere we go, we see people staring at their phones as if it’s attached to our body like a fifth limb. The Guardian did a story last August to probe the looming question we all don’t want to know the answer to of how much time we spend exactly looking at our portable screens. What they found was that, although the time varies depending on each individual’s lifestyle, the majority of participants in this story spent an average of three to four hours a day. If you crunch those numbers, taking three and a half hours as the assumingly regular amount of time someone would spend which equates to around 53 days a year! I don’t know about you but most jobs I know don’t even allow their executives to take that many days off for PTO, holidays and sick days!
NOW, Imagine all of your weekends for the annual year and you spend one entire Saturday or Sunday each week staring aimlessly at your phone. Granted, the test subjects in this article accumulated all of their time on their phones which may include sifting through the latest news, texting their friends, watching the latest movie trailers, and most likely scrolling through social media. We are wasting our lives away on the internet consuming pointless content like people eating copious amounts of food and answering questions from Twitter or DIY slime videos! (For the record, I have seen one too many of these myself and understand the addictive quality here)
I’m not writing this article today to unearth how much of our precious time we spend glued to our technology. In fact, technology is an extremely powerful tool that, like all other luxuries we are given, has the ability to improve or depreciate the quality of one’s life. There’s nothing to feel ashamed about here about after reading those heinous statistics — I’m sitting right there with everyone else on the bus, waiting for my food, or lying in bed before sleeping on my phone for God knows what reason.
If you are looking for a more wholesome outlet to kill time with that doesn’t rot your brain, you can consider listening to podcasts and reading self-help books.
When I was a kid, I used to love losing sleep reading stacks of novels but as people grow up, it’s selfish to say but we always search for activities to spend our time on that will benefit us somehow and these suggestions do just that.
The podcast world has exploded over the past few years since lazy people like myself would rather have content fed to me on a silver platter than actually find this valuable information on my own.
What I enjoy about podcasts is how accessible it is for everyone. You don’t need a subscription with Apple Music or Spotify to get in on the podcast craze now with countless free ways to listen on Youtube, Soundcloud, or podcasts websites. If you’re going to zone out on the bus or drive to work, you might as well enrich yourself or get a good laugh out of it. Here are a few podcasts I’ve been obsessed with this year:
I have my sister to thank for introducing me to this podcast which instantly became part of my daily routine and top of this list. Lauren and Michael Bosswick are the epitomai of the term “power couple” as we millennials say nowadays. Lauren is an influencer on social media who hosts weekly episodes with her husband Michael, a business owner and previous plastic surgeon. Together, they interview the highest-grossing public figures from doctors to bloggers to life coaches. The LA-based couple sprinkle in their fun banter and lovable personalities into the show to make it educational and entertaining. On top of that, Lauren is an exceptional advertiser for the brands that sponsor the podcast and being the sucker of a consumer that I am, I always purchase the products they market on the show. Tune in on Youtube, Soundcloud, Apple Music, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Google Play, and more!
2. The Goop
Please hold your critical commentary against Gweneth Paltrow. If you’re a health deviant who enjoys learning about the latest cutting edge discoveries in the wellness world, grab your headphones and tune in. Each Tuesday and Thursday, Elise Loehnen features a professional in the field to unravel a specific topic. What started out as a health podcast blossomed into beloved audio with an increasing diversity of material. Aside from how soothing Elise’s voice is to listen to, I appreciate how selective they are with their interview subjects. Available on Stitcher, Spotify, Youtube, Google Play, Tune In, Apple Music, and iHeart Radio, The Goop is well worth a checking out.
Perhaps I am biased with this podcasts but ABG ranks as one of my top podcasts without question. As an Asian-American woman, it’s refreshing and easily relatable to listen to these three hosts tell candid stories from their everyday lives. Melody Cheng, Helen Wu, and Janet Wang bring light to what it’s really like to be a young Asian woman in today’s world and their experiences with dating and working in professional fields. These three independent women defy social norms that I personally have been told my entire life through their anecdotes which I think other young Asian-American women will nod their heads to as they listen and think, “Yup, I’ve been there too.”
4. Ed Mylett Show
When I first heard about this podcast, I had two thoughts: who is Ed Mylett and what makes him popular enough to have his own show? My questions were answered immediately once I began to listen to this podcast regularly. For anyone who needs a voice of motivation regardless of where they are in life, Ed Mylett is your man. As a successful business owner, life coach, and best-selling author, Ed is an online personality who decided to share his wealth of knowledge on this podcast with others who are in a rut. The show is a collection of insightful conversations with amazing guests who tell their stories and advice how to obtain a lucrative life. It’s not a place for successful figures to boast about how amazing their lives are but rather a raw, intuitive self-help podcast to take with a grain of salt and gain inspiration from. You can listen on the website, Spotify, Google Play, Apple Music, and more.
Let’s be honest, our world is on fire and we don’t have enough influencers who promote sustainability and how to save Mother Earth. Introducing Sedona Christina -- the most forthright, sincere young woman in the social media world who I personally look up to. By sharing her hacks, stories, and personal thoughts on living a sustainable life, more people like myself have found it easier to transition to a zero-waste lifestyle. I can’t rave enough about this woman. Her integrity to promote her values through her sponsorships and content is incredible and I only wish we had more people like her in the social media sphere. When I found her podcast, Into Intentional, on Spotify, I was immediately captivated. Follow her on Instagram and Youtube to dive into the world of intentional living.