10 Awesome Podcasts For Those Who Are Easily Bored

First, Everyday Positivity with Kate Cocker is my number one podcast on the list. Every day, Kate uploads a daily dose of positivity and self-care advice. I need to give credit where it’s due, and this short-but-sweet show has been awesome for my mental health. When I get up and can tell that my anxiety or depression from the previous day is still hanging on, I play her 5-minute episode to start the day heading in a positive direction.

Just the Zoo of Us is an animal review podcast by the adorable couple, Ellen and Christian Weatherford (and the occasional guest). They take turns choosing an animal to research, review, and rate of out ten in three categories: effectiveness, ingenuity and aesthetics. I love this show because I get to learn about something that feels useful and important while Ellen and Christian’s nerdy puns revivify me after a long day of work.

Bringing it down a bit, Brooke Saward uses her unique experiences to present “the conversation you once had with yourself, but never took the time to pull your thoughts apart”. I find that she helps me process my deeper feelings that I haven’t yet fully processed. Dealing with topics like self-discovery, dealing with failure, and the highs and lows of your twenties, this podcasts stays in my back pocket for when I want to dig deep.

Medievalist professionals Mac and Zoe take you back in time to the Middle Ages – in the most accessible way. They manage to break down obscure medieval texts and turn them into hilarious tales of magic and human stupidity. I love hearing how they take real-life ancient stories and turn them into original DnD elements and modern witticisms.

Star Trek nerds with more-than-average knowledge of film and media production, Ben and Adam embrace the cringe. They don’t take Star Trek very seriously, but they are very serious about watching every. single. Star Trek episode ever created. Sometimes drunk, other times blissfully riffing off of each other, Ben and Adam crack me up.

National Park After Dark is a podcast that combines “the macabre and the outdoors”. Their one rule: Every episode must be centered around a national park or nationally-recognized outdoors area. Cassie and Danielle have a love for nature, history and connecting with others who are the same. Although I have never personally sent in a story, I can tell that they deeply care that their listeners are able to understand the outdoors. Moreover, their show pays respects to all national parks and their history. After listening to NPAD for the past year, I feel better prepared to go out on my own and explore our protected spaces.

One of the newest podcasts in this list, this lorecast does not lack in content quality. The host, Robots Radio, has previously created: the Elder Scrolls Lorecast, The Witcher Lorecast, the Dungeons and Dragons Lorecast, and many more. If you’re a fan of lore, like me, I highly recommend you check out this show. As The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power just came out on Amazon, it has been awesome to learn more about the stories behind Middle Earth.

In an attempt to educate myself on cross-cultural happenings all over the world, I often try to find podcast mini-series’ such as The Trojan Horse Affair. Highly controversial and definitely not to be taken at face value, this show is also highly engaging and informative. An investigation of a British scandal from 2014, this podcast might just launch you into the investigative podcast niche.

Okay, this one’s a classic. Who doesn’t want to listen to three brothers and their dad play Dungeons and Dragons together for hours at a time? The Adventure Zone was my gateway podcast, the first show I ever listened to, and it will always hold a place in my heart. Justin, Travis, Griffin, and Clint McElroy are professional podcasters, and for good reason. If you decide to give this hilarious family a chance – start from the beginning. It’s worth it.

Tiny Victories is pocket-sized show that encourages and celebrates “minor accomplishments and fleeting joys”. Comedians Annabelle and Laura share both personal and listener-submitted stories of their favorite tiny victories. I have found that listening to how others model gratitude in their lives has helped me to search for the small victories in my own life, such as completing my laundry today (yay!).

As someone who has been studying Mandarin Chinese for over four years, Chillchat is my favorite Chinese-learning podcast. While I don’t need to focus on the basics as much anymore, this show covers everything from vocabulary and grammar to culture and trending topics. Their fun and relaxing conversations allow me to create a pseudo-immersive experience for Chinese study.