A couple days ago I messaged one of my best friends to tell her about a podcast I’d started listening to. I thought she’d like it as much as I do, and I didn’t want her to miss out. She thanked me, but then confessed she doesn’t actually listen to podcasts that often.
Whaaaa???
Okay, fine, fair enough. We all have limited bandwidth and brain space for all the information and entertainment out there. Nobody can read or watch or listen to it all. This is true.
But if you enjoy interviews or helpful tips or friendly banter, podcasts might be for you. Likewise, if you need your entertainment to be portable and able to be consumed in small chunks throughout the day (or the week), podcasts might be a good option for you. Also, if you’re looking for a way to make mundane tasks a little more enjoyable, definitely try podcasts.
Sitting in the car line? Schlepping from practice to drive-thru to rehearsal to meeting? Folding laundry or walking on the treadmill? All of these things will be so much more tolerable (and, dare I say it? even fun) with your favorite podcast in your ears.
Now, obviously, if you’re a podcast veteran, then you already know exactly why podcasts are the best. So you don’t need me to convince you! But you might find a new favorite to subscribe to here!
So without further ado (although, I’ll be honest, lots and lots of “ado” is both my favorite bad habit when speaking and writing and also my favorite thing about some of my favorite podcasts), here are 10 great podcasts for moms!
Sorta Awesome with Meg Tietz: Meg and her co-hosts make life more awesome in this lifestyle blog about both the silly and the serious things of life. These friends really feel like having your sisters or at least great friends in your ears every week, and their warm, gracious, smart conversations really do make life more awesome.
Mom Wants More: Alana Dawson and Amber Salhus are dedicated to encouraging women to follow their dreams, tackling the tough topics and sharing the success stories their guests have found when following their callings in the midst of motherhood. My favorite part of this podcast is that nobody is afraid to tell it like it is and the hosts don’t gloss over the challenges women face.
The Lazy Genius: Kendra Adachi is on a mission to help us be geniuses about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t – and she offers detailed tips on how to do just that in each episode. From cleaning out your fridge and staying on top of laundry to bullet journaling and working from home, she helps listeners master every aspect of their lives in a fun, relatable way.
A Slob Comes Clean: Dana White is a recovering slob who teaches listeners the cleaning and organization strategies that have helped her reform her messy ways. Based in reality and totally relatable, this podcast (and its delightful host) is also funny – which, let’s face it, makes the topic of cleaning so much better.
Out of the Ordinary: Writers and long-time friends Lisa-Jo Baker and Christie Purifoy share stories from their lives, revealing how the small and ordinary things are actually the most important things of all. Every episode I’ve heard makes me laugh and cry and nod my head in recognition, sometimes all at once.
What Should I Read Next: Anne Bogel talks to friends about what books they like and then makes recommendations for what they should read next. If you love to read and have room for a billion new books on your to-read list, this podcast is for you!
Feathers: Faith in Flight: Amy J. Bennett took a leap of faith when she began this podcast, and she interviews people who have done the same. (Taking leaps of faith, not starting podcasts.) This one is incredibly encouraging and inspiring, and you won’t be the same after hearing these stories.
The Bible Binge: Ever wondered what it would be like to read the Bible through the lens of entertainment critics? Well, you should because this podcast is both hilarious and insightful, and I’ve genuinely learned things about the Bible by listening to it! Hosts Jamie Golden and Knox McCoy (of The Popcast) recap the Bible like a TV show, and it is fantastic.
The Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd: I know. Dax Shepherd. But you guys? This podcast, though full of language and crazy long episodes, is so good. Dax interviews other famous people, often his friends, and they talk about the messy parts of life and what they’ve learned. It’s fascinating. So far, the Ryan Hansen episode has been my favorite.
The Couch with Mary Carver: Oh, look, how did this get on here? I’m kidding. Of course I think you should listen to my podcast! If you like books, TV, movies, or pop culture in general, this is for you. Each week I talk to a friend about some aspect of pop culture and why it matters, and we have a blast.
The app I use to listen to podcasts is jam-packed, and I found it so difficult to narrow it down to just 10. So, in case you want more than just 10 podcasts (or if you already subscribe and listen to the ones I just shared), here are a few more:
- The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey (interviews, inspiration, stories)
- For the Love with Jen Hatmaker (interviews, humor, stories)
- The Next Right Thing with Emily P. Freeman (encouragement, decision-making, short episodes)
- The Big Boo Cast with Sophie Hudson and Melanie Shankle (hilarious friends chatting about all the things)
- The Popcast with Knox and Jamie (pop culture, humor, my favorite)
- I Hate It But I Love It with Kat Angus and Jocelyn Geddie (pop culture, some language)
- Pop Culture Happy Hour with Linda Holmes (NPR, pop culture)
- Pansuit Politics with Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers (nuanced and grace-filled conversations about politics with two friends from opposite sides of the aisle)
- The Road Back to You with Ian Cron (interviews, the Enneagram, personality types)
- Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield (business, marketing)
What’s your favorite podcast?
Photos by Aleksander Vlad and Siddharth Bhogra on Unsplash.