Episodes

  • Want more intimacy in your relationships? Conflict could help

    Want more intimacy in your relationships? Conflict could help
    Sep 8 2026
    Conflict is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s necessary for close, authentic relationships, says Priya Parker, a conflict resolution facilitator and the author of a new book, The Art of Fighting. But sometimes it can be hard to know if it's worth getting in the weeds with someone. In this episode of Life Kit, Parker shares questions to ask yourself before you bring up an issue, how to handle different conflict styles and why it's a good idea to schedule time to fight.

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    21 mins
  • Boost your mood in 15 minutes

    Boost your mood in 15 minutes
    Sep 7 2026
    Sometimes you're just feeling blah: maybe the weather's bad, you can't get out of bed and you're struggling to shake off that listlessness. In these moments, the solution is often simpler than we think. This episode, NPR's Science desk and Life Kit staff present research-backed mood boosters to instantly shake yourself out of a slump and turn your day around. This episode originally published September 3, 2024.

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    23 mins
  • 5 rituals to reclaim that back-to-school buzz

    5 rituals to reclaim that back-to-school buzz
    Sep 3 2026
    Meal prep. Refresh your wardrobe. Make a new friend. You don't have to be headed to a classroom to harness the back-to-school buzz. In this episode of Life Kit, we bring you tactics and tips that will help you break old habits or start new ones — and reclaim the excitement of a new school year.

    Show notes:
    How to use avocados (or onions) to dye clothes
    Play Styles Quiz from the National Institute for Play

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    15 mins
  • The reasons you procrastinate -- and how to finally stop

    The reasons you procrastinate -- and how to finally stop
    Sep 1 2026
    Want to finally stop doomscrolling and actually do the thing you've been putting off? Itamar Shatz, author of the book Solving Procrastination, explains the evolutionary reason we avoid difficult tasks and the research-backed methods that can help you take action.

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    16 mins
  • How to stop fixating on your body in the era of GLP-1s

    How to stop fixating on your body in the era of GLP-1s
    Aug 27 2026
    It can be difficult to love how your body looks, or even like it. But what if you could expand the way you think about your body? This episode, psychologist Diana Hill shares how to practice body image flexibility and appreciate all of the ways your body allows you to experience the world. She gives mental exercises that help you fixate less on your appearance in an image-obsessed culture.

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    22 mins
  • Find your lost keys faster with these techniques

    Find your lost keys faster with these techniques
    Aug 31 2026
    Finding missing items isn't a matter of "looking harder." There's an art and a science to it. The next time you misplace your wedding ring, try these strategies to hunt it down. They'll make your search process faster, smoother and calmer. Life Kit digital editor Malaka Gharib talks with visual search experts, a metal detector enthusiast and a detective about their best tricks for finding what's lost. This episode originally published October 31, 2024.

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    18 mins
  • Mom needs a moment! How to pause parental rage

    Mom needs a moment! How to pause parental rage
    Aug 25 2026
    Parenthood is exhausting. When a kid asks for snack for the millionth time while you're running on little sleep and trying to make dinner, it's easy to snap. Licensed marriage and family therapist Cassidy Freitas says the key is to find refuge in what she calls "the margins." In this episode, Freitas shares tools from her book Mom Needs A Moment: How to Stop Your Reaction Before It Starts and Become a Calmer, Happier, More Connected Parent.

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    22 mins
  • 5 questions that can save you from a bad purchase

    5 questions that can save you from a bad purchase
    Aug 24 2026
    Sometimes we buy things that we later regret: a new sweater that's already falling apart, or a thrifted "vintage" vase that turns out to be a mass-produced dupe. In the moment, it's difficult to resist the temptation of making a purchase. But with a few pointed questions, you can make sure you've done your due diligence. This episode, financial experts offer a framework to help you decide whether or not something is worth buying. This episode originally published Dec.18, 2024.

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    18 mins