Using podcasts to learn and entertain is a great idea. Multitasking is also possible, which is convenient for people with little free time.
So, to make the most of your time spent listening to podcasts, here are some ideas on what you can do while listening! Keep reading to find out more.
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When Listening to a Podcast, What Is Appropriate To Do?
You do not need to dedicate a specific time to listen to podcasts. The entire idea of the podcast is auto-based information and shows to entertain users while doing something tedious and tiresome.
It allows you to fill those moments by learning new things and improving cognitive skills. Plus, it is a side-effect of doing things like driving, walking the dog, and commuting to work. Basically, all these tasks should meet all these or one of these criteria:
● No need to use your brain
Tasks like commuting, taking a bath, or doing dishes are subconscious. Yes, you can make them mindful and also make their meditative process. But if you are still bored, it is best to fill these little moments of your day with information-rich podcasts. Any mindless task is an opportunity. You do not need to devote any attention to these tasks and can listen to podcasts during this time.
● Thing is able to do independently
Collaborative work involves communicating with others. So, it is usually best to listen to the podcast when doing something independently. But this does not mean you should always listen to the podcast when doing independent work only. Even if you are surrounded by others and working on something independently, then you can fill the time with the podcast.
Moreover, some things like when you are driving with someone or you are on a road trip, and the other person also enjoys listening to the podcast, then you can fill the time with podcast episodes that interest you both. This also allows you to talk about the episodes and the ideas discussed there, and you both will have something to talk about.
● Repetitive
You can tune in to the podcasts for repetitive tasks like doing the dishes, gardening, etc. The idea is to complement the repetitive task with something useful.
15 Things To Do While Listening To Podcasts
That said, here's a short list of things to do while listening to a podcast. It is important to note that not all of you might be doing these tasks, but you must be doing something along these lines. So, it is all about familiarizing you with mindless tasks and how you can make the most of that activity by complementing it with a podcast episode.
1. Yoga or stretch
As surprising as this might sound, listening to a podcast during Yoga or stretch is a great way to spice things up. Although most folks might prefer to combine yoga or gym with music, you can still listen to an information-packed yoga Podcast.
Besides, once you learn the stretch or yoga positions, it becomes a subconscious process. So, chances are, you might not need music to do the stretches or exercises you've already learned. Overall, a good yoga podcast will help improve your knowledge of the yoga field!
2. Jogging
Jogging appeals for its mindlessness is prominent among people. Just one foot in front of the other is all jogging and running demands. Again, most people listen to music while on a jog or run. However, you can switch from music to your favorite podcasts easily.
Listening to podcasts is a mindful activity, so when you run or jog with a podcast episode playing in your ears, it is easy to get distracted. So, it is vital to jog or run in a safe environment while listening to podcasts.
3. Fishing
Many people think about an activity that involves catching fish. However, catching fish is just part of fishing. In reality, it is the moments you share with your family, see new things, and experience new challenges, and that is what fishing is all about.
If you go fishing often and listen to music or sit with your friends, you can instead listen to a podcast episode this time and create a different experience for everyone in the group.
Moreover, listening to a podcast while fishing does not mean you should start the podcast only when you sit near the lake or pond to fish. It is the entire process; you can start your podcast episodes right from when you take your car, the breaks you take, and while returning too. Try this one when you go fishing and dedicate all the time you set for fishing to listening to podcasts.
4. Organize your photos or files
If you often take time to organize your photos or files, you can combine that process with listening to your favorite podcasts. As mentioned, listening to a podcast is about concentrating on it and understanding the ideas discussed. So, you can do that with any mindless activities.
The benefit of combining listening to a podcast while organizing your photos or files is that you can learn new things and simplify your life by organizing your folders filled with countless images and files you always want to manage. It is to be noted that you can also listen to podcast episodes while managing your mail, scrolling through social media pages, or editing photos.
5. Cook a meal
Do you cook daily? Or maybe once or twice a week? Well, you can tune into your favorite episodes and cook. The best thing is if you are interested in cooking podcasts, then it is a perfect combination. Nevertheless, even if you follow podcasts discussing astronomy or rocket science, cooking is one of the best things to do while listening to podcasts, it saves time, and you also enjoy a healthy and delicious meal.
Chopping vegetables or meat, the washing process, and food preparation are some activities that consume a lot of time of people, so filling this with information-rich podcasts is a good substitute for your time.
6. Driving
Driving to work and from work takes a lot of time, and you often get tired of being in the car. It is best to substitute this time with your favorite podcasts daily. This way, you will be able to make the most of the time that you waste daily.
It is important to retain that information-filled podcasts often grab all your attention, so you might focus on something other than driving itself. So, ensure that you know your routes well and listen to causal podcasts you can divert from while driving on the roads. It is best to listen to podcasts with a friend or colleague, as podcasts at such times create a perfect ebb and flow throughout the drive.
7. Do laundry or Fold laundry
Laundry can be frustrating; it is a hurtful process that even a laundry enthusiast hates to do. It's time-consuming, unceasing, and seems like a never-ending process you do not want to engage in.
However, podcasts are made for such times and hurtful tasks like doing laundry or folding laundry. You can grab your headphones and tune in to your favorite podcast episode, making doing laundry an information-filled session and more effective.
Better yet, swift to hand-laundering. Hand laundering has a bad rep, but it is one of the best ways to burn some calories. Sometimes, hand-laundering is necessary; for instance, if you have to wash an expensive garment or want to avoid going to the laundromat, combine the entire process with your favorite podcast playing in your ears.
8. Gardening
Gardening is a set of activities that often are mindless. Additionally, this is one of those activities you often have to turn to every week to ensure your plants are growing normally. You can perfectly fill these activities by tuning a podcast and making the most of your time.
Basically, if you are thinking about all the stuff to do while listening to podcasts, compile a list of mindless activities you regularly engage in and see if you can substitute such activities; in this case, gardening with podcasts should feel comfortable to you.
For instance, if you cannot focus on both, then it is best not to chase two rabbits simultaneously. The process only works if you can combine both tasks without compromising on one.
9. Walk the dog
Walking the dog is a meditative process. It's about appreciating the surroundings, reconnecting with nature, and bonding with our four-legged friend while roaming the city's surroundings.
However, listening to podcasts while walking your dog can also be a new experience. Not only can you listen to your podcasts, but if you choose the right one, you will cry and laugh as you walk the dog.
Besides, podcasts are one of the most followed things by dog-loving communities. A lot of people have the habit of tuning in to their favorite podcasts while walking their dogs, and you can be one of them.
10. Do the Dishes
If we have to inform this, it means you are not having fun while doing the dishes. Doing dishes is one of the chores which you should take as a challenge and make really fun. The fun could be of different types, like timing yourself or racing with someone else. In this case, you can play your favorite podcast episodes and listen to them daily while doing the dishes.
The fun, the learning, and the sense of doing something different hits differently when you combine podcasts with doing dishes; not to forget, you made something of the time that you hate the most of your day.
11. Paint your nails
Painting nails is once again one of those processes that are initially elegant and important for girls. However, the waiting time while you are drying out the nail polish is the worst. However, doing something fun like playing your high-beat music with dancing as you've never danced before takes you into an astral world and allows you to experience a different side of yourself. This time, however, try playing the newest episode from your favorite podcast. And note down your experience once you complete it.
12. Take a bath
Many people take baths for granted. It is one of the best ways to reset, relax, and recharge yourself after a tiresome day. You should always make your bathes meditative or go really far into a spiritual process.
Try this: set the right temperature of the water, add essential oils to the bathtub, light some candles, and play your favorite podcast. Believe me, soon, taking a bath while listening to a podcast will become one of the best moments of your day.
13. Commute
Daily commutes occupy a large part of everyone's day. Yes, the work from home is becoming a reality. But that reality is still far in the future. Until then, you have to commute to work, children to school, groceries, and so on. Well, you can fill these times with information-rich podcasts and learn new things.
It sounds like you might not focus and listen to the podcast like you would at home. But you'll be amazed at how well you can adapt podcast listening while commuting in a bus or train filled with people.
14. Clean the house
Again, it all comes down to making a daunting task like cleaning the house fun and entertaining. If you truly enjoy listening to the podcast, play it on your home theatre and listen to the episodes as you clean your house.
Most people ignore these beautiful tasks of the day, thinking they will be wasting their time, and often hire a housemaid. But that's the beauty of the modern world; you can make these tasks fun and entertaining if only complemented with the right podcasts or music.
15. Haircut or hair dye
A haircut is a time that you give to your barber. It is all about sitting on the chair and letting the masters do their work. And putting on earphones for listening to music and podcast can be disastrous, as one snip and your costly earphones will be gone for good.
However, you can make the time of everyone sitting at the saloon beautiful by simply asking the barber to play one of the podcasts they like or you like. This will also allow you to experience new podcasts you aren't familiar with and initiate a good conversation with your client.
Summing up
The above list of things to do while listening to podcasts is all about acquainting you with tedious tasks and making them beautiful.
As mentioned, you can complement a podcast episode with any boring task you have to do daily and make your time most effective and fun.
Overall, there are too many mindless things that you have to do daily; simply remember to carry your earphones and make that mindless activity into a beautiful, fun, and informative session.
