1- I have a new practice which is that I have started making a podcast playlist for the day in the morning and then setting it up before my run. Then, I listen on the run and also continue in the car. I like this better than just letting my podcast player randomly choose for me.
I subscribe to many more podcast feeds than I have time to listen to, but picking from a broad selection each morning means I can choose what is interesting and also match the options to my mood. (I do regularly delete downloaded podcasts to conserve memory and keep the list from being too long; my podcast player is also set to only keep a limited number of each podcast!)
This also makes it easier to remember what I’ve listened to since I like to track it in my planner! Once I’m done using that list (usually by the next day), I just delete it.
(NOTE: I use the Podcruncher app. It is honestly not perfect — sometimes a weird download error pops up over and over again even when there doesn’t seem to be an error — but I’m just so used to it now I am unmotivated to change! I think I paid $3.99 for it in the app store wayyyyy back in the day. It doesn’t seem to be available in the App Store anymore, so at some point it will probably stop working entirely and I will have to switch. I don’t love the native iPhone podcast app, so suggestions are welcome!)
On that note, I will recommend a few eps I’ve enjoyed lately, starting with some from above!
2- Monica from About Progress did an overview of her 2024 and started discussing 2025 goals – you all know I live for these kinds of episodes! Hers was my favorite kind, very honest and open.
3- Laura from 10 Things to Tell You‘s ep #248: Taylor Swift (Laura’s Version) was perfect for my run this morning. I too have thought about how the different phases of my life interweave with the Eras! (First blog mention of TS was here in 2009, referencing listening to Fearless while running! I called her a “guilty pleasure.” Haha. I did and still do love that album.)
4- Empties from Girl Next Door – a great “product review” type ep from Erica and Kelsey. I may or may not copy this format for BOBW.
5- Best Albums of 2024, Part 2 from All Songs Considered. I didn’t know Cassandra Jenkins before this ep and now really want to listen to more of her music.
I feel like the media landscape is just so vast that it makes sense to regularly curate what is coming at us. (This applies to books, movies, music, but also podcast eps and website perusal!)
12 Comments
After a hideous Apple Podcasts update I switched to Overcast and haven’t looked back. I use the free version, so I can’t compare free vs paid, but free seems to be good.
I’ve been using Podcast Addict for a very long time and highly recommend it.
Overcast has been my podcast app for most of the last 10 years and I definitely recommend it. Another good one I’ve used is Castro, although it changed owners recently so I can’t vouch for how it is these days.
I’ve used Overcast since I listened to my first podcast, probably 10 years ago, so I can’t compare, but I’ve never had problems with it! I also like to “curate” my list. I recently started deleting episodes I’m not interested in (I also have a problem not finishing books, lol) so I can listen to more that spark my interest! I am mostly indifferent to TS, so I skipped Laura’s 10 things episode and will listen to one you suggested instead! I also listen to a lot of audiobooks so I try not to listen to too many podcasts!
I used Overcast forever and then several months ago they did a big update that was verrry glitchy — all of a sudden my whole phone storage was full and it was due to Overcast. There was a lot of similar feedback around the internet after this update but based on others’ comments maybe it has been fixed? I ended up deleting Overcast so that my phone would function and I now have Pocket Casts, which I like and would recommend.
I also use Pocket Casts and I have been so happy with it! I think I had to pay for it but can’t recall.
Now that I am running less, I am listening to fewer podcasts as running was when I tended to do most of my listening. I will catch up when traveling for work as I sometimes listen for long stretches on plane rides.
I switched to Pocketcasts a couple of years ago, keep thinking I might need to pay for extra functionality but so far not!
For each podcast, you can set it to subscribe and not add to your queue, or to auto-add to the start or end of the queue automatically, and I find its view of the queue quite easy to browse through and remove or reorder episodes.
Another vote for Pocket Casts here.
Sarah, I’m surprised you don’t make a podcast playlist — I do this almost every day (unless I’m traveling, with family or definitely not going to listen to anything). I listen to my news shows in the morning, productivity mid-day and get gradually less serious through the day finishing off with shows about pop culture. It definitely helps me set a “vibe” for the day in an intentional way! I also have some shows I save for doing chores or errands as a treat.
Love that! This is kind of what I’ve just started doing w the little dated lists that I delete. I agree the intentional curation is helpful as there’s so much out there!!!
5 of my favorite podcasts I have not seen you reference:
– 1865
– the episodic table of elements
– christmas stories
– legg life
– h2ome
awesome! thank you!!
Throw in another rec for Overcast. I pay for the premium version but the free version is fine. I haven’t had any issues with it and love the way I can create and maintain all my different playlists!