NPR

Life Kit

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

Author

NPR

Category

Education

Podcast website

www.npr.org

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

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Episodes

How to start an exercise routine that works for you 29.12.2022

You don't have to be a marathoner or gym rat to get meaningful health benefits from exercise. In fact, that die-hard mentality can actually deter you from getting movement. Here's how to start a fitness routine that you'll actually stick to. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Priv...

Ready to make a change for New Year's? Behavioral science can help 27.12.2022

When is the best time to start a new habit? And why are some habits easier to practice than others? Behavioral scientist Katy Milkman, author of 'How to Change,' explains how to get a behavior to stick. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

This acronym will help you give the perfect toast 26.12.2022

It's the wild card of every big event — the toast. Done well, it can be a memorable highlight. Done badly, it can be a total cringefest. Here's a helpful way to remember how to give a terrific toast, whether it's at a New Year's party or at wedding reception. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship pre...

How to help someone at risk of suicide 22.12.2022

If you know someone struggling with despair, depression or thoughts of suicide, you may be wondering how to help. Psychologists and researchers explain how to recognize the warning signs and what to do and say when a loved one is in crisis. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Priva...

How to be a better movie watcher, according to film critics 20.12.2022

This guide — which comes with a fun brochure you can download and print at home — offers advice on how to pick a film, get outside your comfort zone and deepen your enjoyment of movies. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

How to cut down your alcohol intake 19.12.2022

Want to skip the champagne and cocktails this holiday season? Here's how to take a break from drinking alcohol — including in social settings — and start healthy habits. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Can therapy save their friendship? 17.12.2022

Would you ever consider going to therapy with a friend? In this episode from NPR Invisibilia, two best friends — who are so close they call themselves brothers — were drifting apart, so host Yowei Shaw asked psychotherapist Esther Perel to help. This episode was recorded in collaboration with Perel's podcast, Where Should We Begin? See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use o...

Dear LK: We bought a dog instead of rescuing one. It cost me a friend 15.12.2022

An ideological difference over adopting versus shopping for a pet causes a rift between friends. Tania Israel, a professor of psychology, shares advice about how to have difficult conversations with people you care about. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

How to support people with long COVID 13.12.2022

One in five Americans who have had COVID have experienced symptoms lasting three months or more. How can patients navigate this chronic illness? And how can the people in their lives provide comfort and strength? In this episode from our friends at It's Been a Minute, host Brittany Luse talks to the editor and a contributor of a new book, 'The Long COVID Survival Guide.' See pcm.adswizz.com for in...

Build a healthy relationship with your in-laws 12.12.2022

Creating a relationship with your partner's family can be hard work. Experts share how to navigate 5 tricky situations, including dealing with in-laws who can't seem to stop giving unsolicited advice. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

How to start new traditions that feel right to you 08.12.2022

Traditions can foster a sense of unity with the people we love and help pass down cultural values. But what happens when these events no longer make sense in our lives? See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Piece together your family tree 06.12.2022

If you're interested in learning more about your family history, genealogist Mica Anders says to get creative. Look through newspaper archives, census data, vital records and more. And who knows, you may find some unexpected gems in the process. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR...

Stressed about talking about finances with a new partner? This framework can help 05.12.2022

It can be awkward to discuss money when you're in a new relationship. Financial therapist Amanda Clayman suggests following what she calls the "five components of financial intimacy" to get the conversation started. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Dear LK: My folks guilt-trip me into spending the holidays with them 01.12.2022

Between long-held traditions, unfair expectations and clashing personalities, the holidays can be a perfect storm for conflict. Therapist John Kim helps untangle three holiday conundrums. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

How to apply the rules of improv to everyday life 29.11.2022

Improv comedy is about more than making people laugh. It can help performers be more creative and self-assured — and combat anxiety, both on and off stage. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Transform the way you deal with dread 28.11.2022

Worried about deadlines, errands or your holiday to-do list? Reframe your relationship with dread with these simple exercises, from drawing the things that scare you to scheduling worry time. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

How much money do you need to become a parent? An episode from This Is Uncomfortable 26.11.2022

A couple clashes about how much money they need to save before having children. This episode is from our friends This Is Uncomfortable's podcast series on fights about money. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

How to set boundaries with family 24.11.2022

Maintaining healthy boundaries is a way of taking care of your closest relationships, but setting those boundaries can be hard. The process starts with asking yourself what you need. (This episode originally ran in January 2021.) See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Make holiday travel less stressful 22.11.2022

There will probably be long lines, delays and overbooked flights, says aviation journalist Benét Wilson. So take steps to prepare for these situations and make the journey a little more pleasant. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Get better at being grateful 21.11.2022

Being thankful doesn't have to happen just once a year. Here are two meaningful ways to show gratitude all year long, a practice that can improve your mental and physical health. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Dear LK: My boyfriend is too close with his former coworker 17.11.2022

My partner is constantly texting his former coworker and even spent the night at her house. He says they're just friends, but I don't like it. How can I trust him when he ignores my boundaries? See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Michelle Obama's philosophy on relationships 15.11.2022

In her new memoir, 'The Light We Carry,' the former first lady shares her philosophy on the relationships we have with our partner, our family and ourselves. 'You have to evolve with it,' she says. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

How to deepen your connection with your ancestors 14.11.2022

Your ancestors don't have to feel like a distant memory. Spiritual practitioners share cross-cultural guidance on how to set up a ritual and an altar to honor them at home. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

How to rethink the way you spend your time — and life 10.11.2022

Assuming you live to be eighty, you have just 4,000 weeks to live. While that may come as a brutal dose of reality, it's also an opportunity to think about how you're spending that time. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Life Kit answers your pressing questions about inflation 08.11.2022

The prices of goods and services have gone up. How much of that is due to Ukraine or the pandemic? What can our elected officials do to lower prices? And how does inflation slow down? NPR's Marielle Segarra and Stacey Vanek Smith tackle listener queries. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferen...

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