Introducing Nicole from Podcastmaniac.com! Nicole has been addicted to podcasts since 2013. She can often be seen walking around with an iPhone in her pocket and a headphone in one ear. She started her blog, Podcast Maniac, to share her love of podcasts and podcast recommendations with others. Her favorite shows are Death, Sex & Money and The West Wing Weekly.

In this guest post, Nicole reviews five podcasts (and their specific episodes!), which she thinks dental students, and any other students in professional/graduate school may benefit from greatly. Thanks, Nicole, for providing such great insight that may benefit students in areas of stress, productivity, saving money, and more! 

5 Helpful Podcasts for Balancing Life & Dental School

Work/life balance. It’s the buzz phrase of the past few years. And for good reason. We all know we need balance, but most of us don’t know how to achieve it. This is incredibly true for most dental and medical school students, whose work is being a student.

When you live and breathe studying for your career, it can be hard to justify taking a break, even for the essential stuff (family, friends, paying bills, getting a haircut). You tell yourself that you should be prepping for a test, reading the latest industry trends, or networking online.

Balancing your dental studies with normal, everyday stuff can be tremendously challenging. This is when you can turn to podcasts. Or rather, turn on a podcast.

Some podcasts are pure entertainment, and sometimes that’s just what you need to unplug from your studies. On the flip side, there are lots of informational podcasts that are packed full of tips and tricks to help you balance all that life throws at you.

Whether you’re looking for motivation to study or exercise, help with saving or making money, advice on long-distance relationships, or how to be more productive everyday – there’s a podcast for you.

 

5 Podcasts for Achieving a Successful Work/Life Balance

Here are five podcasts—and recommended episodes of each—that can help you find your work/life balance. The next time you need a break, turn on one of these shows and absorb the tips and tricks that can help you juggle everything that life and school is throwing at you.

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Happier in Hollywood

This podcast, which is hosted by two women who are television writers in Los Angeles, is all about surviving and thriving in life and work. It’s a little serious, a little funny, and a lot insightful. It has nothing to do with dentistry, which you might find refreshing!

Whether you’re in your first year of school, or you’ve just graduated and are starting a new job, every episode of Happier in Hollywood provides a little gem of knowledge that can help you put your struggles into perspective and discover a path to the other side.

Episodes to try:

Episode 2 – Burnout!

Episode 5 – Release the Banana!

Episode 6 – ‘Kill the Crock’ and Other Life Mantras

Happier in Hollywood: http://happierinhollywood.com/

 

College Info Geek Podcast

You might be familiar with College Info Geek’s uber-popular YouTube channel of the same name. The geek, aka Thomas Frank, identifies the best studying hacks, productivity tools, and lifestyle habits to help you succeed in college.

Whereas the YouTube videos have a broad appeal, the CIG podcast is co-hosted by Frank’s buddy, and is best-suited to guys. If you cruised through your undergrad program without having to really “study” or take major exams, this podcast will help you learn skills and hacks for saving time and relieving the pressures of dental school.

Episodes to try:

Episode 155: The Productivity Project

Episode 165: How to Balance Work and School (this one is a given!)

Episode 151: Mixing Paper and Digital Note-Taking Systems

College Info Geek: https://collegeinfogeek.com/cast/

 

Money Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for a Richer Life

This is one of the best podcasts for financial advice, no matter what stage of life or school you’re in. Episodes of the Money Girl podcast are short, easy to understand, and cover a wide range of money related issues, including student loan debt.

You’ll love how Money Girl, aka Laura Adams, takes a detailed look at money-related questions (how to pay less for essentials like car insurance, or saving for retirement while paying down student loans) and tells you exactly what to do and how to do it.

Episodes to try:

Episode 486 – The Ultimate Guide to Using a Balance Transfer Credit Card

Episode 479 – Money-Saving Hacks to Beat the System

Episode 448 – 6 Options to Get a Loan with Bad Credit

Money Girl: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/money-girl

 

The Savvy Psychologist

Being stressed or overwhelmed can cause you to lose perspective on even the most common, everyday problems and situations. When you’re ready to throw your study guide across the room, turn on The Savvy Psychologist.

Episodes of TSP are usually under 15 minutes and can really bring you back to Earth (and sanity). It’s a must-listen for dental students who need a dose of digital therapy.

Episodes to try first:

Episode 153 – 3 Toxic Thinking Habits That Feed Your Insecurity

Episode 156 – Why We Choke Under Pressure

Episode 139 – 5 Ways to Overcome Fear of Failure

The Savvy Psychologist: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/savvy-psychologist

 

DTR

DTR stands for “Define The Relationship”; as in, romantic relationship. Because you have to balance that, too! This podcast is all about using Tinder to find love. If online dating is your main method for meeting ‘the one”, then you’ve got to listen to this podcast.

DTR can help you improve your Tinder profile so you’ll get more right swipes, as well as figure out why you’re swiping on all the wrong people. Some of the audio is so cringe-worthy, even your friends who have steady significant others will find this entertaining!

Episodes to try:

All of them.

There are only 6 episodes, so start with Episode 1 and listen in order. You won’t regret it.

DTR: http://creative.gimletmedia.com/shows/dtr/

 

 

Download. Listen. Repeat.

If you’re new to podcasts, or if you’ve never listened to informational podcasts, give these recommendations a try. Balancing dental school and your other responsibilities won’t get any easier if you don’t find new tricks or systems, and these podcasts provide just that. If nothing else, your Tinder profile will thank you!

–Nicole