Long commute, mindless chores, and dry spell – use these idle minutes to absorb amazing life and career lessons from these four fantastic podcast shows.

But first, a quick note on listening for pleasure..

I’m a fan of audiobooks. I used to have a LibriVox app on my phone to choose classic audiobooks read by volunteers. I listen to them while on board a train to work (back in Dubai) or before I sleep.  I then discovered free, fantastic audiobooks from marvelous authors such as Roald Dahl and J. R. R. Tolkien. (Seek and ye shall find, audiobook sleuth!)

But now, my listening diet needed some variety. At 30, I had to stop filling my head with fantasies. Daydreaming is easy; learning something new is hard but worthwhile. That’s when I began exploring purpose-driven podcasts. I was longing for an audio content with a good mix of entertainment and education (a 30-70 ratio really).

Here are four podcast shows I can highly recommend.

4 Fantastic Podcasters I Love Listening To (This Week)

The Public Speaker Podcast by Lisa Marshall

Look it up on Spotify or go straight  to Lisa Marshall’s website to access her free communication coaching. A lot of problems in life could have been solved through better communication yet we don’t spend enough time honing this skill. Granted that Lisa can’t make you a compelling communicator overnight, she can at least show you what smart conversation is all about. And the longer you listen to her, the more you’ll feel confident that smart talk is possible – she’s a living example of it.

Savvy Psychologist by Dr. Ellen Hendriksen

Whether you’d like to admit it or not, we could all use a non-judgmental pep talk with a professional psychologist once in a while. Who won’t be enticed to listen to someone who promises a healthier, happier life plus a listening ear with zero judgment? That’s a safe place right there. I was feeling at ease and learning tons of things about myself and those I care about. Need to curb one’s sarcasm or stop caring too much about what other people think of you? Try washing the dishes while listening to the savvy psychologist.

Rainmaker FM by Various Podcasters

Creating awesome digital content is tough. Gladly, the professionals (who’d been there and done that) are willing to extend their help to those who know less. If you’ve been hanging out at CopyBlogger to find inspiration for your blogs, improve your web copies or articles, you must have heard of the Rainmaker FM. In the fast-changing world of digital marketing, it’s a podcasting place where you can find a motley of eye-opening news, updates, advice, tactics, tips, and more about the business of content creation.

ProBlogger Podcast by Darren Rowse 

This list won’t be complete without the ever-humble Darren Rowse of ProBlogger, whose passion and professionalism every blogger must desire to emulate. Darren isn’t afraid to share his struggles as well as his secrets to blogging success. He doesn’t give vague, generic blogging advice – instead he creates a path for aspiring professional bloggers to follow. In fact, he gave me the idea to write about the podcasts I love listening to! If you ever want to take blogging seriously, his podcast shows should definitely make it to your list.

I’d love to know what you’re listening to. My list is purposefully short so you can chime in and expand it as you see fit. There are tons of great audio content out there waiting to be explored. Just shoot me a message when you find something awesome.