5 Reasons to Listen to Podcasts

5. They’re Free

Let’s be honest—free food tastes better. There’s an element to getting something for nothing that makes us feel good; the same is true for media. And with the wonderful(ish) invention of streaming, we have become spoiled. We expect either a lot for a little (Netflix) or we expect something for nothing (YouTube). Unfortunately, since these sites are so popular, they have a serious issue with oversaturation. Combing through thousands of shows and channels to find good content can be a nightmare. How many millions of bad videos are there for every good one? With podcasts, this isn’t as much of an issue. Right now, podcasts have hit a sweet spot: affordable content, without too many users. Plenty of great content for listening, without being overwhelming—and it’s all free!

4. You’ll Probably Learn Something

If music is like bubble gum for your brain, then podcasts are like smoothies: just as tasty, with the bonus of being mentally nutritious. Don’t get us wrong — we love our tunes! But if you’re spending all your listening power on music, you’re missing out. Good podcasts, whether story-based or non-fiction, can expand your perspective and drop some serious knowledge. The amount of high-quality, intelligent, entertaining content available through podcasts is unreal. And the best part? You can plug in anytime, anywhere.

3. They Expand Your Imagination

We live in a visual world. TV, film, magazines, advertisements, books—nearly everything pulling our attention is visual, but that leaves little to the imagination. By contrast, podcasts are a strictly auditory experience. They hearken back to the roots of human storytelling and leave you to paint scenarios in your mind as you follow along. Your attention shifts from looking to listening, and you begin to work mental muscles you might not have stretched since childhood. Does your brain even lift, bro? Yes. Yes, it does.

2. They Make Time Fly

Our temporal perception is relative. Do you remember as a kid, when you were having fun, it seemed like hours flew by in minutes? But when you were doing chores, the seconds just dragged on and on? I say “when you were a kid”, but we all know that’s still how it is today. Most adults have to deal with hours of boredom each day. But with podcasts, that time speeds up. Work, driving, waiting in line—wherever you don’t want to be, podcasts are engaging enough that an hour will pass before you know it! It’s magic!

1. They’re Entertaining

With everything else podcasts have to offer, the number one reason to listen in is this: they’re fun! No matter where your interests lie, there is a podcast for everything. Craving in-depth interviews about screenwriting? True accounts of small-town crime? Fictional exploration of alien worlds? Podcasts have you covered. The most popular ‘casts of today include stories and conversations about comedy, psychology, economics, pop-culture—the list goes on. They span from purely educational to purely entertaining; our favorites are usually a sweet mix of both. Whatever your flavor, these audio adventures are a blast. Give them a shot if you haven’t. You won’t regret it.