12 Podcasts That Will Improve Your Work Life

Work sucks, I know. (I mean all jobs except writing these articles.) Do you need advice to overcome certain obstacles at work (not getting a promotion; arguing with your colleague every day about stealing your lunch from the office fridge) or just need a little motivation about on how to have a healthy work-life balance or start chasing your creative dreams, these podcasts will make your Monday occasion a little less boring and a little more fun and inspiring. Everyone can work weekends, but that doesn’t mean your Monday-Friday has to be unbearably hard.

Work sucks, I know!

If you recognize the name of this show from the lyrics of Blink 182’s “All the Small Things”, you will immediately appreciate the atmosphere of this funny dialogue show about people and their work. Comedian (and butcher) Michael Timlin’s job sucks, I know! is a play based on Studs Terkel’s 1974 bestseller “Work: People Talk About What They Do All Day and What They Think About What They Do”. they do for money now and what they hope to do for money in the future. I don’t often recommend specific episodes, but I go straight to Ashley Rae (from TV I Talk with Ashley Rae) to hear about Ashley doing the bare minimum at her job at Google so she can get paid and medical insurance while pursuing her artistic dreams. It will inspire you to set boundaries in your own work, give yourself a break if you’re not already in your dream job, and save space for the job you dream of.

Ask a manager

When Alison Green started her blog, Ask the Manager , she was the head of human resources at a successful non-profit organization where she was responsible for hiring, firing, promotions, management, and all that. She admits she’s not the perfect manager, but on every episode of her “Ask the Manager ” podcast, she’s taken calls and spoken directly to listeners about how to deal with clueless co-workers, toxic bosses, insufferable co-workers, and dealing with all sorts of oddities in the workplace. . Her ethos is rooted in goal achievement, directness, graceful handling of criticism, and brutal honesty. Her episodes are specific (saw an email you shouldn’t have seen; working for a micromanager; your employee lies about referrals) and helpful. As you listen, you will feel like you have a smart expert you can call on the phone. The podcast is over, but the blog is still going strong.

Creep sphere

If you’re a freelancer, you’ll find friends with Jamie Cox and Liz Talago, hosts of Scope Creep , a show for everyone who’s taken the step to break out of corporate hell and build a business that’s good for your mind, body, and bank account. Jamie and Liz are two brand strategists who are self-employed on their own terms, and they share everything they have learned with their listeners – and are in the process of learning. Some tips are specific, such as how to formulate an email. Sometimes they will provide the more general support you need when boundaries seem impossible, customers seem to be knocking on your door, and your inbox seems to be exploding. This is serious advice on how to be a boss girl (whether you identify as a girl or not), minus all the nonsense associated with the culture of girl bosses. No moodboards, no demonstrations. Promise.

Help Wanted

In Help Wanted, Entrepreneur Editor-in -Chief Jason Feifer and financial expert Nicole Lapin join forces to provide personal, helpful answers to your most obscure questions about work and money, whether you’re a boss or have a (even slightly annoying) boss. . Jason and Nicole end up on this show – one of my favorite episodes involved a caller who sent Jason a terrible presentation via LinkedIn DM. Jason put him through his bad pitch during a phone call. This is real-life, specific advice that you can take home (or to work) with you.

Entrepreneur Fight

On Entrepreneur Struggle, DCP Entertainment CEO Chris Colbert talks to fellow business owners and freelancers about the challenges and lessons they’ve learned in building and growing their companies. Regardless of what you do for a living, every week you will learn how to improve your life and your business. Chris has a positive attitude towards even the most unpleasant things at work and conducts his interviews with kindness and understanding. His guests are people at the top of their game (Bridget Todd, Danielle Moody, Steven Satterfield) who share advice on all sorts of situations related to them (building your own brand, starting a mission-driven business, starting a family business, dealing with the impostor syndrome). , and more).

Best Advice Show

The Best Advice Show offers great tips from writers, musicians, entrepreneurs, and more, and often their tips will help you get a happier Monday. (Don’t use the words “love” and “passion” in your cover letter; do what no one asks you to do.) Host Zack Rosen sits down to listen to one of his guests’ best advice and gives a brief talk about what that advice is. means to them, and how he can relate that advice to his listeners. Episodes are short and frequent, so you can add listening to your morning routine. And even silly non-work episodes ( act like you’re on vacation all the time! ) will make your work week more bearable.

Roy Job Fair

Work can suck, and it can also be a lot of fun. At Roy’s Job Fair, comedian Roy Wood Jr. (former correspondent for Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah”) examines the human condition through the lens of employment every week. He talks to real people from all walks of life and talks about their most memorable work; jobs they want to fill; the scam they staged in the office; and, of course, unpleasant office romances. You will relate to stories and also get some advice.

Make your fucking bed

You’ve heard that making your bed is a great way to start the day. On Make Your Own Damn Bed , host Julie Merica offers a little daily motivation to play while you straighten your duvet or try to fold a sheet. So, while you start your day with this important habit, you’ll be fed real talk about people prioritizing profits, curb-cutting effects, being perceived as annoying, and more. Each episode lasts approximately one bed making, and each season lasts 66 days, which encourages long-term healthy habits to be incorporated into your daily routine. You’ll miss your front door with your bed made and your thinking of a better place.

push

Nudge is a business podcast based on psychology. It contains simple, fact-based tips and real-life examples on how to kick bad habits, get promoted, and grow your business. Host Phil Agnew and his guests—respected entrepreneurs and behavioral scientists—spend 20 minutes solving the puzzles we face every day and helping us figure out how we can solve them. This is my favorite business podcast because it doesn’t look like one: it’s a human podcast that offers tons of scientific data to help you work better from 9 to 5.

WorkLife with Adam Grant

From TED and hosted by organizational psychologist Adam Grant, WorkLife with Adam Grant interviews luminaries in a variety of fields across the spectrum (Pixar co-founder and longtime president Ed Catmull, Hidden Figures author Margo Lee Shetterly, Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya, Yo-Yo Ma, Abby Wambach) to learn how to make our lives more balanced and fulfilling. The topics go one level below what you get from most job tips shows and offer helpful tips in a creative way. The level of production is top notch. The episodes are full of tips and actionable insights, but they also give you a bird’s eye view of what a healthy work life looks like and help you see your job in a new light. Topics range from finding inspiration in video games to finding the perfect mentor, fighting the sins of a work culture, strong arguments, and more.

Suitable for work

The workplace is littered with potential misunderstandings and mistakes, and it turns out that we all stumble along the way. Ann Helen Petersen created a space where we can learn from each other with Work Appropriate , which is about the work wars you fight every time you come to work. an industry that seems to be sinking, setting boundaries between work and life, or even gracefully surviving a day of potentially awkward conversations. Petersen, author of I Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation , is a smart friend who wants to call after a hard day’s work. Unless you suffer from complex power dynamics or email etiquette issues, your actions can cause contention among those around you. That means this podcast is for anyone who connects with anyone at work, which is pretty much everyone.

How’s work?

Fans of Esther Perel and her chart-topping podcast , where do we start? know that Esther is a master at counseling people on thorny relationship issues. How’s your work? she takes care of the office, focusing on the tough conversations we’re afraid to have at work. Colleagues are introduced to the new work-from-home etiquette. Newsrooms whose journalists believe breaking news coverage broke them. A doctor who wants to leave his profession during a pandemic. And lobbyists whose fight for racial equality ends up dividing them. Hear colleagues, co-founders, and colleagues discuss their dilemmas as Esther weighs in on her sage advice that doesn’t just apply to the people in the room.