Life Kit

by NPR
3,492

Everyone needs a little help being a human. From sleep to saving money to parenting and more, host Marielle Segarra talks to experts to get the best advice out there. Life Kit is here to help you get it together.

Want another life hack? Try Life Kit+. You'll support the show and unlock exclusive curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org/lifekit

Recent Episodes
  • Got two left feet? A guide to dance
    Nov 21, 2024 – 20:07
  • A beginner's guide to roasting a Thanksgiving turkey
    Nov 19, 2024 – 22:13
  • Clever kitchen hacks from 'Bake Off' judge Prue Leith
    Nov 18, 2024 – 16:21
  • A stress-free guide to organizing important paperwork
    Nov 14, 2024 – 21:30
  • How long do leftovers last? And other food safety questions, answered
    Nov 12, 2024 – 23:08
  • How to pick the right health insurance plan
    Nov 11, 2024 – 16:33
  • Busting myths about hydration
    Nov 7, 2024 – 18:37
  • How to recover from a bad night of sleep
    Nov 5, 2024 – 24:44
  • How to slow down when you eat
    Nov 4, 2024 – 16:50
  • How to find lost objects: Techniques that really work
    Oct 31, 2024 – 19:07
  • Dear Life Kit: I need a gut check for a sticky situation
    Oct 29, 2024 – 23:05
  • A guide to breast cancer screening
    Oct 28, 2024 – 29:12
  • Should you let your kid quit something?
    Oct 24, 2024 – 21:39
  • How to avoid counterfeit and unsafe products online
    Oct 22, 2024 – 22:20
  • How to cut ultra-processed foods from your diet
    Oct 21, 2024 – 13:38
  • How "parts" therapy can help you heal
    Oct 17, 2024 – 17:12
  • How to talk to your aging parents about their finances
    Oct 15, 2024 – 19:25
  • What to do when your house floods
    Oct 14, 2024 – 10:50
  • How to deal with climate anxiety
    Oct 10, 2024 – 24:14
  • How to refinance your mortgage
    Oct 8, 2024 – 17:10
  • Personal style when your body changes
    Oct 7, 2024 – 21:51
  • Stress-busting skills to try in everyday life
    Oct 3, 2024 – 22:23
  • I ditched plastic for a week. Here's what I learned
    Oct 1, 2024 – 19:15
  • How to talk to your loved ones about misinformation
    Sep 30, 2024 – 15:49
  • Your kid is having a tantrum in public. Now what?
    Sep 26, 2024 – 21:05
  • How to start saving for retirement
    Sep 24, 2024 – 14:43
  • How to vote in 2024
    Sep 23, 2024 – 18:15
  • The dirt on bathing
    Sep 19, 2024 – 26:03
  • Up your lunchbox game
    Sep 17, 2024 – 17:38
  • How to show platonic love
    Sep 16, 2024 – 19:45
  • Dear Life Kit: I'm at my breaking point
    Sep 12, 2024 – 18:04
  • Can magnesium help you sleep?
    Sep 10, 2024 – 10:32
  • How to cut down food waste (and fight climate change)
    Sep 9, 2024 – 17:30
  • Math for English majors
    Sep 5, 2024 – 16:12
  • Boost your mood in 15 minutes
    Sep 3, 2024 – 23:30
  • How to make networking less awkward
    Sep 2, 2024 – 18:14
  • Smart credit card habits to keep you out of debt
    Aug 29, 2024 – 18:45
  • How to help your Gen Z kid cope with their back-to-school emotions
    Aug 27, 2024 – 22:36
  • Dealing with neighbor drama
    Aug 26, 2024 – 20:55
  • Fruit flies don't appear out of nowhere. Here's how to get rid of them
    Aug 22, 2024 – 13:16
  • How to buy less stuff
    Aug 20, 2024 – 21:07
  • Getting hitched? Protect yourself with a prenup
    Aug 19, 2024 – 18:10
  • Spending time in a forest can boost health and lower stress. Here's how
    Aug 15, 2024 – 16:21
  • Build strength with a weightlifting routine
    Aug 13, 2024 – 19:01
  • Dear Life Kit: Your most petty social dilemmas, answered
    Aug 12, 2024 – 14:38
  • How to know if you're in a codependent relationship
    Aug 8, 2024 – 25:58
  • Common financial mistakes to avoid
    Aug 6, 2024 – 19:36
  • How tech experts recommend organizing your photos
    Aug 5, 2024 – 14:24
  • Find your singing voice
    Aug 1, 2024 – 21:40
  • Overwhelmed by your smartphone? Try a boring phone
    Jul 30, 2024 – 21:09
Recent Reviews
  • 2000LightYearsAway
    Good podcast! 'Cept...
    I enjoy this podcast as something to fall asleep to, something to just listen to when I'm tired from a long day, but certain moments in the episodes (the most recent ones at least) leave me feeling oddly annoyed and frustrated. The way the Life Kit frames the ideas and "new information" that we get in the episodes is framed so condescendingly, making the listeners of this podcast seem stupid and uneducated. Besides this, I do enjoy the podcast.
  • Liicivo
    Soo Greaaaaat
    A brilliant channel for English learners!You cannot only improve your listening but also get useful lives skills from it!!Keep releasing I love it so much lol😝
  • Kfleming1970
    Most practical podcast I listen to
    Life Kit is awesome! So practical and helpful, while also being accessible to beginners in the topics they are discussing. I recommend it to so many people because there’s an episode for everyone no matter their interest. I especially love when they talk about day to day skills or practices that make life easier for someone like me who is busy and has ADHD. It has for sure improved my life.
  • carlojav
    Another NPR propaganda
    Spoiler alert on the Misinformation episode: everything the Republicans says is misinformation. The Democrats are the only party who tells the truth. Is NPR still getting funding from the government? If so, defund this political party posing as a podcast platform.
  • madeleinep2000
    Lack of intellectual diversity
    I subscribed to this podcast assuming it would offer something similar to the NYT’s Wirecutter podcast, sharing neutral, objective advice about life’s tangible challenges. Yet most episodes seem to convey a politicized message, and the podcasts don’t offer a intellectual diversity. The tantrum episode was particularly frustrating — the expert offered a variety of parenting techniques that Gentle Parenting influencers and writers tend to advocate. This would have been absolutely fine had there been one or two other perspectives represented in the podcast. It is becoming more and more clear to me that NPR is allergic to debate and offers nothing but an ideological echo chamber; I should not be surprised that this podcast is no exception to this reality.
  • Aero Star
    What even is this?
    I’m not sure what this is or who it’s for. The concept is great. The execution is terrible. It’s the most obvious, pandering “advice” you’ve ever heard. You could listen to a dozen shows and not learn one new thing.
  • marielistener
    Show
    Show is great but please stop the background music.
  • NPR Big Fan
    Who needs this advice?
    I’ve literally never heard one thing on this podcast that isn’t completely obvious. Who is the audience for this podcast? People who have no idea how to get along in the world? It’s almost comical how unhelpful this is.
  • Mary Nagelvoort
    Hiking
    Love the encouragement to get out into the world!
  • Nonamesexistanymore
    Mostly ads
    The first five minutes can be skipped. It’s just teasers that are immediately repeated after the ads. Just skip the first five minutes and the last several minutes where they repeat what was said during the middle five minutes. And then skip all the ads at the end where they advertise other shows that are mostly advertisements.
  • all the nicknames are taken009
    Infantilizing podcast
    Of all the podcasts that NPR has canceled, why couldn’t this be one of them? It grinds my gears me every time the host feigns surprise at “leaning” everyday common knowledge. Almost the same way that a parent might act surprised when their toddler learns a new word. This show is offensively condescending. NPR, give your audience a tiny bit more credit. We’re not quite as stupid/incompetent as you clearly make us out to be. Worse than merely proving to be useless, I find this podcasts leaving a bad taste in my mouth about NPR. The show straight up puts me in a bad mood. Why does it have such low expectations of us? Do you like being spoken to like you’re stupid? Neither do we.
  • cpm1993
    Getting consistently duller over time
    They are clearly running out of things to write episodes about.
  • drew62
    Terrible show
    Worthless waste of tax dollars. Defund NPR!
  • Reviewer 696969
    Usually obvious surface level advice
    Occasionally there are decent episodes, but the advice is usually very surface level and obvious. This isn't always a bad thing for certain topics less familiar to some people. However, it's like this for most topics which tend to be common topics in real life. You're better served going to Wikihow or reading self help books to get more detailed and applicable knowledge. For example, the recent episode on talking to kids about vaping pushed the point to not lecture kids, try discussing. This is not useful advice. Everyone knows this. There needs to be a framework given so that listeners can actually act on the knowledge.
  • Aimee XYz
    Learning a New Skill Episode
    When I hear the sentence: “What Rachel didn’t say were all the times me or her dad…” Me or her dad? Really? Ouch!
  • MimiKati723
    So good!
    Advice you can use that goes deep. Very helpful!
  • fluffywallfenos
    Great!
    this is good but I want more episodes that kids can hear and relate to and use.
  • Mokyin
    Love the topics!
    Always interesting and informative, but not in a pedantic, boring way. Looking forward to the next episode!
  • Mme Blink
    Sleep Scientist not so smart
    Saying that lack of sleep causes diabetes is not only ignorant and irresponsible, to leave out the fact that there are TWO types of diabetes and that obviously children with juvenile diabetes did not acquire that from lack of sleep is … just plain ridiculous. Please stop passing yourself off as an expert Rebecca Robbins. Life Kit, do better.
  • C'est Stephanie
    Always Helpful
    Life Kit is great for sharing various perspectives. This podcast opens the mind to more possibilities than meets the eye. There’s always some sort of “takeaway” that enlightens an individual.
  • Burdyblue
    Finding your book
    Inspired me to visit my bookstores again. I slacked off during the pandemic. Was a fav past time. Thanks!
  • vegangirl57
    How to save a life with CPR
    This is one of the most invaluable episodes of all podcasts that I listen to. Thank you
  • mituska2
    Listen up!
    I like life kit because it gives startlingly good advice on how to proceed on various topics.
  • d19nelso
    Life style creep
    I noticed the narrower being much better than the guest at answering/being interviewed by this guest. Not an interesting podcast when the questioner also responds.
  • DmtryCath
    This is great for the day to day life
    To the point and easy to learn tips that few really think about. It has helped me tremendously on my day to day. This is by far my favorite podcast ☺️
  • GriefIsGood
    Something for everyone
    I love listening to Life Kit when I am relaxing or driving. The episodes are the perfect length and the guests always have tangible advice for listeners. Plus, every week is different advise on a different topic and it keeps it interesting and fresh. I can’t recommend this show enough - it’s one of my favorites.
  • Eliss Rainville
    Marielle Forever!
    I love Life Kit. I followed Marielle here as I was a super fan of hers when she would fill in on Marketplace’s Make Me Smart. She clued me in on the glory of incorporating frozen cauliflower into one’s smoothies. Genius. This podcast is a tremendous help to me as a geriatric millennial whose upbringing didn’t provide much instruction on coordinating a functional adult life. Finances, car maintenance, learning to swim as a freaking grown adult. Life Kit has had my back in ways I couldn’t have ever expected. I’m grateful to the whole team for all their efforts and for sharing such valuable insights. Thanks, friends! Keep up the great work!
  • Medievalmave
    Dear Life Kit is the best part
    I listen to a lot of episodes and they can be really helpful. Life Kit helped me buy my car! Plus I love Dear Life Kit.
  • Beckytwo
    Fun and informative
    I have learned a lot from listening to Life Kit. I don’t listen to every single episode but choose ones that apply to me and my time of life. So many interesting topics!
  • TrackStella88
    Great podcast
    I absolutely love LifeKit. The host, Marielle, does such a great job offering informative and interesting shows! I learn so much and it keeps me entertained and engaged. I love how they keep my interest and anticipate topics that I’ll care about.
  • Genebean24
    Eye roll
    A while podcast about pregnancy and never once said woman or mother. This is not addressing the experience of 99% of people listening to your podcast. It’s so cringe the word is so taboo. Also another point they frame pregnancy in such a sad light. Totally not what I want to listen to 4 months pregnant.
  • FlerFlo
    Woefully underwhelming
    When I think NPR, I believe that I will be provided the facts. Maybe get advice from experts, this podcast doesn’t feel like that. There are no references sited for further research. This genuinely feels like they are bringing on guests that paid to be there or talking about subject matter for the same reason. A recent episode regarding consuming over-processed foods has no science on why the foods could be potentially be bad for, what over-processed even means, and references a small study that does not have clear findings. This episode was barely long enough to cover an intro to the topic and perpetuates a narrative that it’s easy to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables without acknowledging the income disparity and cost barrier to fresh food that so many are facing. Do better.
  • rumorlevato
    Sexy Running
    The girl directing the interview sounds like she could care less. She sounds sleepy and annoyed with this subject…
  • Beldar88
    Free trial ?
    I don’t know what free trial means. Explain yourselves.
  • Susie Snowflake16
    Love this bite sized podcast filled with actionable tips
    Binging now!
  • энтони55
    Woke
    Titles says it all
  • Donder1
    About the “Fat” woman…
    She is just being so self absorbed and utterly nonsensical. Just like you don’t want to be told how to feel about your body, don’t tell me how to feel about mine. And yes, it’s ok to to not feel great about being fat and at the same time realizing the need for change and getting to it, all the while being kind to your self by not deluding yourself, working hard and rewarding yourself with the feeling of accomplishment that comes with being responsible for your health. Also, to get offended if a person says to not label yourself “Fat” is so ridiculous because had the women called her that she’d also get offended. Labeling yourself or anyone else isn’t healthy or kind. She is also flat out wrong and delusional to say that being obese is just fine. It is the leading cause of death in the us. Period Thank you for listening and please stop pandering to crazy people, it doesn’t help them.
  • Yuli Ibarra
    Nice Podcast
    I like the different types of information this podcasts give. I think it has a lot of variety, and I definitely learned a lot about the topics they cover. This pertains a lot to me as I plan to work in the medical field. I’m currently majoring in nursing so it’s interesting to learn from this podcast.
  • my name is cici
    Have I outgrown this?
    I started listening to Life Kit during the beginning of Covid. I enjoyed the early episodes, but feel like the topics have been very basic lately, particularly the latest episode about cleaning. I know there are people who struggle with keeping their house in order, but I don’t think most need advice about how to gather dirty dishes from around their home. I hope they get back to producing more useful content soon.
  • FlightsofFancy345
    Going downhill fast
    While I enjoyed earlier episodes of Life Kit, it seems that they’ve recently been scraping the bottom of the barrel to find meaningful topics to discuss. Personal style? Seriously??? Many of the more recent topics are so completely trivial and irrelevant, and yet are presented with the same gravitas as topics like financial health. Many of the “experts” are just random people with a side hustle and no real deep knowledge of the topic. It’s an annoying show now, but the back catalog is pretty good.
  • murphy123
    No longer one of my favorite shows
    Life Kit used to be great and I still recommend the earlier episodes, especially on money. It's become mainly just a place for businesses to promote their products (pretty blatantly at that). I finally unsubscribed today (Feb 14th) when I saw Episode 600 where they had a behavioral psychologist from the dating app Hinge come on as an "expert" on finding love and connection. I don't doubt this person's credentials, but they are just there to encourage people to use Hinge and I expect more from NPR (perhaps some real journalism?) than that.
  • Carley RP
    Worth the listen
    I can listen to this podcast all day! I love the open and honest topics and the takeaways they provide. Even topics that don’t necessarily pertain to me have been helpful for broadening my awareness.
  • 泰书华
    science for children
    the host is constantly mispronouncing words and being surprised by very basic science that has been common knowledge for decades or common sense forever. the show sounds so smart at first but eventually it proves to be just dumb. the final straw for me was hearing her butcher the pronunciation of guillotine. 🙄
  • murflyn
    My kind of episode
    Episodes are a hit or miss: The regret episode is my favorite one that you have ever put out. It’s so universal but most people don’t know how to tackle it, the advice and tips are practical and felt relatable. But the boundaries one and several others I have heard can have no logical sense and the advice seems to be very self serving and self important in an self inflated way.
  • MKULTRA83
    Slavery instructions
    Listen to this if you want to be a weak feeble minded, and annoying slave. Self enslavement is the worst kind. We are doomed.
  • jflobot
    Thank You
    This is a podcast intended to help people with everyday challenges. Situations that apply to us all in this mystery called life. Thanks for inching me closer to knowing who I am. And done with such kind, empathetic, and caring voices. Thank you for what you do. If I can give back please let me know how.
  • please talk better
    I like the show but…..
    I can’t agree with the advice on reading the 80 chapter book that your partner wrote. Here is my better advice. Tell your partner, I am so excited about your accomplishment. and even though your book is not the genre I typically read I look forward to knowing a different side of you through reading your book. Put the book in your car / purse and read it when you are in a waiting room or stuck in traffic. This is not a race. But it is a really big deal that you read the book or at least give it a solid effort. Imagine that your partner baked a meal and wanted to share it with you- would you completely dismiss it and say, sorry I don’t eat anything with carrots? No; you would at least take a bite. Now imagine that this meal took many years to make. Why wouldn’t you give the book a chance as a way of showing love and interest in your partner!
  • TheJianingLi
    Love the new host Marielle!
    I am excited about the recent changes Life Kit is making. The “how to start” episode by Marielle is fantastic. I just started my new job last month, and this is just what I needed. Keep up the good work!
  • deemama11
    Practical advice never so well said
    Loved so many episodes, keep going NPR!
  • Timmyspax
    A good quick listen
    The perfect podcast for my commute and they have a wide variety of quality “I’ve never thought of that” topics!
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