8 Benefits of Podcasts for Learning

Making the decision to be a lifelong learner is one of the best choices you can make. And there are plenty of areas to learn about! Business and finances, self-care and wellness, spirituality, exercise, beauty, motherhood… Need we go on? Furthering your understanding of the world isn’t just investing in yourself, it’s investing in your future!

Learning used to be confined to the pages of books or the walls of a university. Not anymore! Today, podcasts are one of the BEST ways for kids, teens, and adults to learn and grow within the confines of their busy schedule. You can listen in the car, on a lunch break, while doing chores, or even getting ready for bed. And the benefits? They stack.

Here are the benefits of using podcasts for learning AND the best educational podcasts that deserve a spot in your weekly listen line-up:

8 Benefits of Podcasts for Learning 

Maximize Productivity In Between Downtime And Errands

If you have a day full of errands or an awkward amount of downtime between two commitments, podcasts provide the perfect opportunity to maximize productivity. 

Now, you’re not just folding laundry, but you’re learning about Ancient Rome, the benefits of eating microgreens, or what psychologists say about work-life balance. Or, suddenly, your time waiting for the doctor to call your name isn’t just spent twiddling your thumbs. You’re getting inspired to cook or create something really amazing when you get home! 

When you listen to podcasts, you make every moment meaningful and productive. And, you can listen right there on your phone! No need to lug around any equipment or a stack of books to keep your downtime productive. Just download your fav podcast! 

Flexible Time For Education

Going back to school isn’t in the cards for everyone. Hell, having enough quiet time to open a book isn’t even practical for all of us! 

One of the biggest benefits is the ability to use podcasts in education settings to further your education on your time. You can do a few hours here and there, drop it all together, then pick it back up again—it’s totally on you with no pressure. With the right educational podcasts, you can achieve the same level of knowledge on a topic that a grad class would provide. (Plus, there’s no homework, which is awesome.) 

Easier Way To Learn For Most People

Were humans really ever made for the classic lecture/exam-style courses that are in our schools? Many experts think not. Podcasts aren’t only a great choice, because you can keep busy while learning, but many people find it’s easier to retain information with a podcast! 

This is because they can learn at their own pace, whether that’s at 2x speed or just a few minutes at a time. Additionally, the delivery of a podcast is much different than a traditional class. You can find what content and form works best for you! Whether it’s a conversational style or something moving and theatrical, a podcast just hits different. 

Invest in Yourself for Better Mental Health

Investing in yourself has profound benefits on your mental health. It can boost your confidence, relieve stress, give you a sense of purpose, and build your hope for the future! You can invest in yourself through podcasts simply by learning or giving you an avenue to decompress. Or, you could listen to self-care specific podcasts that’ll help you cope with the world around you. 

Access to Educational Content for Free

You don’t have to pay for podcasts like you do with college or expensive master classes. Instead, lifelong students can listen to podcasts for free on a bunch of platforms they probably already use! There is no cost at all for you to get access to millions of shows. 

Invest in Your Future Empire While at Your Day Job

Do you have a big dream? Do you have a hobby or side-gig that you’d like to turn into a career? When you’re working another full-time job and busy with other commitments, it’s hard to make time to invest in what you really want you to do. 

When you listen to podcasts, though, you can brush up on your business skills, learn how to grow your hobby, and invest in a big future empire—all while sitting at your desk. There are a bunch of different narrative types and subject matter, including fictional stories, educational, and inspirational podcasts.

Increase Your Attention Span and Focus

Podcasts are engaging! The thrilling cliff hangers and the acclaimed guests are enough to get you excited and to keep you listening. It’s easy to give your full attention to podcasters in a way you maybe were never able to in a traditional education environment as part of the standard learning experience. It makes it a great learning tool!

Improves Comprehension and Vocabulary

Just like a high quality audio book, a podcast can expand your vocabulary and help you with your comprehension skills. Podcasts expose you to different communication styles, including narration, casual dialogue, scripted dialogue, recorded lectures, and interviews.

Learning comes in an array of forms, and with a podcast you’ll start learning to listen and take in information better, especially since you’re not so visually overstimulated like with a TV show. And, listening to intellectuals speak will not only expand your understanding of a topic, but your bank of vocabulary too! When it comes to language, learning is easier with the right podcast.

Best Podcasts for Learning 

Lifelong students can learn from any podcast. You just have to find podcasts that fit your interests and goals. Almost every niche under the sun is already in the podcast space, so go find your perfect show! (And, if it’s not out there? Why not make it yourself?) Here are some of our fav Dear Media Shows for learning:

The Bossticks

Michael and Lauryn Bosstick, the entrepreneurial duo and founders of Dear Media, host The Bossticks. AKA, one of the best shows to start listening to if learning is your goal. They invite on founders, celebrities, and world renowned thought leaders to talk about everything from business and wellness to culture and building habits. You may even learn about something you didn’t even know would interest you!

Dear Gabby

Gabby Bernstein, host of Dear Gabby, is our go-to girl for all things meditation, spirituality, and manifestation. In each episode, whether she tackles topics solo or invites on guests, she offers unscripted Q&A sessions, free-flowing conversations, and real-time coaching, all of which you can listen to from the comfort of your own home. If you’ve been ready to unlock a whole new level of yourself, Gabby’s the one to go to.

Looking Up with Dr. Deepika Chopra 

Dr. Deepika Chopra studies the science of happiness. She wants to help you achieve a more fulfilling life, not through hokey, spiritual techniques, but through evidence-based practices. With her help and the wisdom from her guests, you’ll learn to cultivate optimism, success, and resiliency. 

GlowLab with Susan Yara

If you’re in your wellness, beauty, sex, and skincare era right now, then you NEED to tune into GlowLab with Susan Yara. Every week, Susan invites on thought leaders, experts, and friends to uncover all the secrets of the beauty and wellness industry. Think: supplements actually worth your money, GLP-1s and peptides, and gut health and bloating. It’s a must-listen if you’re on your R&R journey.

Good Grief

Amanda Kloots’ Good Grief may SOUND like a podcast all about loss, love, and moving on. And while it is, it’s so much more than that. This Emmy-nominated TV host, fitness entrepreneur, and bestselling author sits with people weekly to have vulnerable conversations about what it means to move forward. Not only is it comforting, but it’s genuinely full of helpful tips for honoring your feelings while also building processing skills.

The Art of Being Well

How would you rate your current mental and physical wellness? Regardless of where your health is, Dr. Will Cole uses his platform to help you better nurture your mind, body, and relationships. He takes a deep dive weekly into a wide variety of wellness topics that will help you do life better!

Growing Interest with Mary Holland Nader

Mary Holland Nader is the name and host behind Growing Interest, the podcast about how psychology, habits, and behaviors shape how we earn AND spend money. She’s not just tackling these topics solo, though. She invites on exerts, professionals and friends while providing real insight from her experience as an investment manager, founder, and reality personality. It’s a feel-good approach to finances that makes you feel reassured, not overwhelmed.

Khloé in Wonder Land

You may know Khloé Kardashian from her YEARS spent on reality television, but she’s branched into a whole new direction with her Dear Media podcast, Khloé in Wonder Land. On the show, she creates the perfect blend of tackling genuinely interesting topics while bringing a light, comedic, and refreshing tone to them. From Theresa Caputo about life after death to the one and only Kris Jenner about being a business mogul, there’s a LOT to learn here.

The Dream Bigger Podcast

The Dream Bigger Podcast will breathe new life into your . . . well, life! Each episode covers a new area where you can strive for better and conquer another adversary. From skin care tips to entrepreneurial know-how, you’ll find something that really speaks to you. 

Lifted

If you’ve been into the fitness world at all, then chances are you already know (and love) Sandy Brockman. Presented by obé Fitness in partnership with Dear Media, Lifted is a podcast that offers practical and evidence-based advice on everything from strength training to body composition to women’s health. It’s not just “Here’s how to lift, here’s what you should eat, and here’s what you’re doing wrong.” It’s all about making fitness and wellness something you actually look forward to.

SHE MD

On the topic of women’s health, SHE MD’s Dr. Thais Aliabadi and Mary Alice Haney are some of the best people to turn to when it comes to understanding more about your body. Each week, they have candid conversations with leading experts, celebrities, and everyone in between about PCOS (PMOS), endometriosis, and fertility empowerment. We think we’re all on the same page here when we say that women’s health is way under-discussed, and SHE MD is filling that gap one episode at a time.

The Toast

Do you need more than a weekly deep dive? The Toast has new episodes each morning on everything from pop culture and news to history and comedy! It’s a podcast for someone with an open mind and interest in a lot of topics.

Tell Me I’m a Good Mom

Lo Bosworth has grown up a lot since her days on Laguna Beach. She’s now an entrepreneur AND mother, sharing her journeys all on her Dear Media podcast, Tell Me I’m a Good Mom. But this isn’t just a self-reflection show; she covers how pregnancy and motherhood involve a lot of that “getting it right all the time” feeling. She talks about identity shifts, emotional baggage, and educational hacks that can help you through every stage.

How to Actually Learn From a Podcast

What good is an educational podcast if you aren’t actually learning from it? Here’s what we recommend doing when you’re trying to truly learn from a podcast:

• Take Notes. Taking notes while you listen to something makes you an active listener. That means it can boost focus, memory retention, and comprehension while also training your brain to analyze different concepts in real time. Think of it like encoding for your brain!
• Listen at Normal Speed. While modern media has totally changed our attention spans, our brains still need a little processing time. When you want to actually learn from a podcast, slow it down to normal speed. This gives you time to listen to what’s being said, understand the concept, process the idea, and move fluidly through the conversation.
• Revisit Episodes. Some podcast episodes aren’t a one-and-done kind of thing. You may need to listen to it twice (or even three times!) to really grasp what’s going on. Think of it like being in a college course. A professor doesn’t cover something once and never touches on it again. Podcast episodes with dense material are designed to be listened to a few times!
• Use Shows Notes and Transcripts. When you read text while listening to the audio version, it helps improve focus, memory retention, and comprehension. It also reduces cognitive load and helps you actively engage. If you feel like you’re struggling to keep up with a podcast episode, try and tune into the show notes. It may help a lot more than you’d think.

We couldn’t give you a post on the benefits of podcasts for learning and NOT tell you how to actually learn from them! If you feel like you’re not totally grasping a concept, follow the tips above for a little boost.

Podcasts in the Classroom

If you’ve ever thought of using podcasts in the classroom as a teacher but you’ve never really been sure if it’s a good move, let’s talk.

Research shows that using podcasts as a teaching tool can boost engagement and accommodate different learning styles. It can also help improve skills like active listening, focus, and language elements like pronunciation, intonation, and stress! And that’s just listening to podcasts in general. Depending on the topic, some episodes offer different viewpoints and perspectives across a huge range of subjects.

Honestly, teachers use podcasts as learning tools from kindergarten all the way through college. And each age group can benefit a little differently! For example, using podcasts in the classroom with elementary-aged kids can improve focus, build foundational literacy, and support curiosity. For middle- and high-school aged kids, podcasts can be great for complex analysis, current events, real-world data, and media literacy.

So if you’ve been debating on introducing podcasts in the classroom as a tool to improve learning, take this as a sign that it may actually be a fantastic idea.

Podcasts are the perfect way to gain new knowledge and understanding! 

If you love to learn, consider adding podcasts to your daily routine! With a little planning, we know you can fit it in somewhere. Listen to podcasts on your way to work, while you get ready in the morning, on your lunch break, or while you complete daily household tasks. And now that you know how to actually learn from podcasts the right way, you never have to worry about missing a thing.

Remember, there really is a podcast for everyone, you just have to find it. For more weekly listens, head to Dear Media! Home to over 100 top-rated pop culture, entertainment, and lifestyle podcasts hosted by today’s most talked-about celebrities and creators, there’s something for every kind of listeners.