Life Kit

By NPR

What's Life Kit about?

Host Kelly McEvers takes a story from the news and goes deep. Whether that means digging into the Trump administration's past, the stories behind police shootings caught on video, or visiting a town ravaged by the opioid epidemic, Embedded takes you where the news is happening.

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LAST EPISODE

Want To Start Composting? H...

04.22.2021

Here's how to start composting your food scraps instead of tossing them, whether you've got a small apartment or a big backyard. (This episode originally ran in April 2020.)

Life Kit episodes:

04.22.2021 Want To Start Composting? Here's What To Know Here's how to start composting your food scraps instead of tossing them, whether you've got a small apartment or a big backyard. (This episode originally ran in April 2020.)
04.21.2021 Parenting In The Time Of Climate Change Whether it's through extreme weather or anxiety-inducing headlines, kids today have a front row seat to the realities of climate change. Here's how parents can help their kids work through fear and get them the facts. (This episode originally ran ...
04.20.2021 Taking On Climate Change At Home Much of the energy used in buildings comes from burning fossil fuels — so if you want to slow down climate change, your home is one of the first places to look. In this episode, we'll break down ways to ...
04.19.2021 Why (And How) To Cut Back On Meat Meat production takes a heavy toll on the environment. Here's how to dial back your meat intake and make a big impact.
04.15.2021 Digging Yourself Out Of Medical Debt One in five Americans struggles with medical debt. Here's some advice about how to negotiate and get the debt collectors to stop calling. (This episode first ran in 2019.)
04.13.2021 Home Decorating For Maximum Comfort The spaces we live and work in have a big impact on our mindset. And creating a calm, restful space can provide stability in times of change and uncertainty. It's called "comfort decorating."
04.12.2021 Navigating Life After Pregnancy Loss Despite how common pregnancy loss is, families often suffer in silence. In honor of Black Maternal Health Week, Life Kit teamed up with the hosts of the podcast docuseries NATAL to share stories from parents who have experienced loss, and ...
04.10.2021 Raising Boys To Be Feminists Author Sonora Jha shares insights from her memoir, How To Raise A Feminist Son, which includes practical to-do lists about how to handle some of the hardest conversations with sons.
04.08.2021 The Importance Of Pronouncing Names Correctly Our names are an extension of who we are. And if your name is mispronounced all the time, you know how painful that can be. In this episode, we're talking about why getting names right is so important — and ...
04.06.2021 Buying A Car With Confidence Buying a car is intimidating. This episode will help you strategize to avoid all the potential pitfalls, so you can drive away with a good deal. (This episode originally ran in Feb. 2020.)
04.05.2021 Do We Even Know How To Socialize Anymore? The pandemic has reshaped social routines. Lots of people are worried about returning to a pre-coronavirus world of water-cooler talk and packed social schedules. Author and Life Kit regular Celeste Headlee has some advice.
04.01.2021 Raising Kids Who Help With Chores Raising kids who pitch in around your home doesn't require bribes or a chore chart. Kids want to help – and parents can nurture that desire by including them in age-appropriate ways.
03.30.2021 5 Practices To Become A Better Listener Actively listening is tough, but it can transform your conversations and improve your relationships. Here's some advice.
03.29.2021 The Emotions Behind Money Money isn't just about numbers. It's about emotions, too. Tiffany 'The Budgetnista' Aliche's new book unpacks the relationships we all have with finances so you can make the most of your cash.
03.27.2021 Talking With Kids About Anti-Asian Racism Navigating conversations with kids around race and racism can be tricky. Here's what to think about while talking to kids about the rise in anti-Asian attacks and the shootings in Atlanta earlier this month.
03.25.2021 Helping Teens Cope With Mental Health Struggles Over a year into the pandemic, many teens are missing milestones and struggling with their mental health. Here's how to spot red flags and when to get help.
03.23.2021 Kitchen Organization Tips From Deb Perelman Of Smitten Kitchen Deb Perelman of the blog and cookbook Smitten Kitchen says she's not an organized person. But, she says, she's got a system that works for her in the kitchen. She told NPR's Shereen Marisol Meraji about it — and shared ...
03.22.2021 Why You Can't Force Focus Concentrating is hard. Concentrating during a pandemic is even harder. Some experts say the key to focusing isn't forcing yourself to work — but taking strategic breaks to let your mind and body wander.
03.18.2021 How To Deal With Burnout Burnout is common across the globe, and the pandemic has only exacerbated it. In this episode, experts unpack the signs of burnout and how you can gain more control over your work and your life.
03.16.2021 A First-Timer's Guide To Filing Taxes Is unemployment taxed? What about stimulus checks? The pandemic has changed a lot when it comes to filing taxes. In this episode, we break down the filing process and tackle common COVID-19-related tax questions with a CPA.
03.15.2021 What You Can Do Once You're Vaccinated, According To The CDC Is an indoor visit between vaccinated friends safe? How about a hug with Grandma, even when young relatives haven't gotten their shots? The CDC released their guidelines for fully vaccinated people last week. Here's an explanation of what they advise, ...
03.11.2021 Start Therapy (And Make It Work For You) Plenty of people put off seeking therapy because of the stigma, cost and inconvenience. Here are four tips to help you make your first appointment, even virtually. (This episode originally ran in January 2020.)
03.09.2021 Supporting A Loved One In An Abusive Relationship Intimate partner violence is widespread and traumatic. Here's how you can help a friend or loved one in an abusive relationship.
03.08.2021 Making Ethical, Sustainable Clothing Choices Fast fashion takes a toll on the environment and on workers. Here's how you can shop more sustainably and build a closet with a better impact.
03.04.2021 Understanding (And Practicing) Consent Everyone has different boundaries. In this episode, we'll talk through what consent is and how to get clear about what you're comfortable with — so you can communicate that to others.
03.02.2021 What You Can (And Can't) Do After The Vaccine In this episode, NPR's Sam Sanders talks with Short Wave host Maddie Sofia for answers to listener questions about the vaccine. (Here's the story we reference about improving your face mask protection: https://n.pr/2MCba0l.)
03.01.2021 Deciding When To Have A Baby Whether you've always wanted to be a parent or not, starting a family is a big decision. The pandemic makes it even tougher. In this episode, experts talk through what to consider.
02.27.2021 Quitting Your Job The Right Way Whether you're completely fed up or just ready for the next thing, quitting a job can be stressful and complicated. Here's how to make a game plan and leave a good legacy. (This episode originally ran in Jan. 2020.)
02.26.2021 Surviving At Work As A Person Of Color Changing workplace culture isn't the job of marginalized employees. But knowing how to manage your boss or document your daily work can help employees of color — even if it just shows you when you've had enough. (This episode originally ...
02.25.2021 Tips For Making A Career Change, From Someone Who Has Done It Making a career switch can be daunting — but it's doable. In this episode, audio producer Keisha "TK" Dutes breaks down how she made her own switch, and how you can too. (This episode originally ran in Oct. 2020.)
02.24.2021 How To Ask For A Raise Life Kit spoke with negotiations expert Mori Taheripour for her tips on asking for more money at work — and what to do when the answer is no, or there's just not money in the budget.
02.23.2021 Starting Your Career After College From informational interviews to applications, landing your first job after college is always hard. A pandemic makes it even tougher. This episode originally ran in 2019, and we've updated it with information about landing a job during the pandemic.
02.22.2021 The Right Mentor Can Change Your Career A strong mentor can help you inside and outside of work. In this episode, we'll give you tips on finding the right one to help you achieve your goals. (This episode originally ran in September 2020.)
02.18.2021 Getting Comfortable With Self-Pleasure Human touch is essential. But in a socially distanced world, lots of people are starved for it. Figuring out what feels good to you, from a long hot bath to something more intimate, can be the first step to getting ...
02.16.2021 The Smart Way To Fall In Love You might remember Mandy Len Catron from her hit Modern Love essay about going through 36 questions to fall in love. You might have even tried those questions yourself. Catron's book is called How to Fall in Love With Anyone, ...
02.15.2021 Stop Arguing, Start Brainstorming It's normal to avoid conflict. But if you approach conflict as problem-solving, it might not be so bad. Here's how to turn a fight into a constructive brainstorming session. (This episode originally ran in August 2020.)
02.13.2021 Hitting A Pandemic Wall? Remember To Show Up For Yourself You can't fully show up for the people in your life until you know how to do the same for yourself. In this episode, we talk with Rachel Wilkerson Miller, author of The Art of Showing Up, about how to ...
02.11.2021 How To Savor Chocolate Like A Cocoa Expert Making (and tasting) chocolate is an art. In this episode, a cocoa expert guides us through the world of chocolate and how you can appreciate it to its fullest.
02.09.2021 F*** The Spark: The Science Of Finding A Partner Logan Ury, Hinge's Director of Relationship Science, says making dating decisions based on initial chemistry alone is a losing battle. In this episode, dating coach Damona Hoffman speaks with Ury about her new book, How to Not Die Alone.
02.08.2021 How Solitude Can Improve Your Mood Everyone needs a little alone time, but these days, you might have either too much "me" time or not enough. Here's how to find a balance and get the restorative benefits of time by yourself. (This episode originally ran in ...
02.04.2021 Making A Side Gig Work For You Making money from a hobby takes a lot of work — and strategy. In this episode, host Ruth Tam gets some advice from independent business owners and financial experts about how to make it work.
02.02.2021 Poet Maggie Smith On 'Trying On' Hope In her most recent book, poet Maggie Smith compiled notes to self, and says that writing them was her way of 'trying on' hope.
02.01.2021 Tackling Impostor Syndrome In this episode, host Diana Opong speaks with experts about how to squash that voice in the back of your mind telling you that your peers are smarter and more creative than you.
01.28.2021 Why You Procrastinate — And How To Stop According to therapist Anastasia Locklin, procrastinating isn't a sign of laziness. It's your inner critic come to life. In this episode, she explains how you can kick the habit.
01.26.2021 Setting Boundaries With Family 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.
01.25.2021 Olympic Runner Alexi Pappas On Learning To Ask For Help Alexi Pappas is an Olympic runner, an actor and, now, a memoirist. In her new book, Bravey, she shares her struggles with mental health and learning to seek help.
01.21.2021 How To Relax More And Work Less When was the last time you had a meal without looking at your phone, or took a day off without answering a work email? Journalist Celeste Headlee spoke with therapist Amelia Aldao for her tips for taking a break.
01.19.2021 Get Back Into Your Home Workout Routine If your home workout routine isn't much of a routine, we're right there with you. A personal trainer joined NPR's Maria Godoy to talk tips for carving out time and space at home for exercise.
01.18.2021 Coping With Anxiety Around The News The news is overwhelming right now. Neuroscientist Judson Brewer can help. Take a break from the headlines and press play. (This episode originally ran in October 2020.)
01.14.2021 5 Steps To Get Into A Deep Cleaning Routine It's a New Year. Time to start with a clean slate — even in your home. Here's how to start fresh without getting overwhelmed.

Older episodes

Life Kit

What's Life Kit about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Life Kit episodes:

Want To Start Composting? Here's What To Know

Parenting In The Time Of Climate Change

Taking On Climate Change At Home

Why (And How) To Cut Back On Meat

Digging Yourself Out Of Medical Debt

Home Decorating For Maximum Comfort

Navigating Life After Pregnancy Loss

Raising Boys To Be Feminists

The Importance Of Pronouncing Names Correctly

Buying A Car With Confidence

Do We Even Know How To Socialize Anymore?

Raising Kids Who Help With Chores

5 Practices To Become A Better Listener

The Emotions Behind Money

Talking With Kids About Anti-Asian Racism

Helping Teens Cope With Mental Health Struggles

Kitchen Organization Tips From Deb Perelman Of Smitten Kitchen

Why You Can't Force Focus

How To Deal With Burnout

A First-Timer's Guide To Filing Taxes

What You Can Do Once You're Vaccinated, According To The CDC

Start Therapy (And Make It Work For You)

Supporting A Loved One In An Abusive Relationship

Making Ethical, Sustainable Clothing Choices

Understanding (And Practicing) Consent

What You Can (And Can't) Do After The Vaccine

Deciding When To Have A Baby

Quitting Your Job The Right Way

Surviving At Work As A Person Of Color

Tips For Making A Career Change, From Someone Who Has Done It

How To Ask For A Raise

Starting Your Career After College

The Right Mentor Can Change Your Career

Getting Comfortable With Self-Pleasure

The Smart Way To Fall In Love

Stop Arguing, Start Brainstorming

Hitting A Pandemic Wall? Remember To Show Up For Yourself

How To Savor Chocolate Like A Cocoa Expert

F*** The Spark: The Science Of Finding A Partner

How Solitude Can Improve Your Mood

Making A Side Gig Work For You

Poet Maggie Smith On 'Trying On' Hope

Tackling Impostor Syndrome

Why You Procrastinate — And How To Stop

Setting Boundaries With Family

Olympic Runner Alexi Pappas On Learning To Ask For Help

How To Relax More And Work Less

Get Back Into Your Home Workout Routine

Coping With Anxiety Around The News

5 Steps To Get Into A Deep Cleaning Routine

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