Life Kit
NPR
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. <br><br>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
20 episodesWhen your best friend tells you to stop texting her
Advice inbound. In this edition of Dear Life Kit, we're pulling wisdom from the Life Kit archives to help you: -Support a friend who is imposing distance -Escape your kids' exhausting schedule -Handle a tricky conversation about money with your family -Call out some bad energy in your friend's marriage Have a question for the Life Kit team? Write us or send a recording to [email protected]. Questions about money, health, home and family life, staying organized, sticky social situations — we want them all. We may answer your question in a future episode. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
Summer fun that doesn't break the budget
Wondering how to have fun this summer without spending a fortune? All you need is a little creativity. Go on a "penny date." Throw a movie marathon party. Swap houses with a friend. With a little imagination, you can bring delight and joy — at a low cost — to your sunny days ahead. This episode originally aired Aug. 1, 2023.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
A financial planner's advice for spending without guilt
Whether you're feeling guilty about overspending or guilty about not spending enough, shame around money can get in the way of your goals. In this episode, Marielle Segarra talks with certified financial planner Lauryn Williams about how to address financial guilt and align your spending with your values.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
Want to get pregnant? There’s more to it than you think
Whether you’re ready to become pregnant today or thinking about the future, there’s a lot to learn about your fertility. In this episode, a reproductive endocrinologist and a reproductive psychiatrist walk through the basic factors that contribute to your ability to get pregnant — and explain the best ways to get your timing right.Sign up for Life Kit's skin care newsletter.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
You can have a good divorce
A lot of marriages end in divorce. As painful as it can be, there’s a way for separating partners to engage with the divorce process in a healthy way. Karen McNenny, certified divorce coach and author of The Good Divorce: How to End Your Marriage Without Ending Your Family, shares tenets for transforming your family without becoming bitter. Sign up for Life Kit's skin care newsletter.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
Scarfing down your food? How to be intentional about meals
Eating more deliberately can help you make better choices about nourishing your body, says Lilian Cheung, a mindful eating lecturer at Harvard. She shares how to enjoy meals while paying attention. This episode originally published Sept. 11, 2023.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
Elevate group conversations with a 'magical question'
Want to cut through small talk at your next mixer? Try asking a "magical question," says Priya Parker, a conflict resolution facilitator and author of the book The Art of Gathering. These questions, like "What is a path you almost took but didn't?" and "What topic could you give a 20 minute talk on with zero preparation?" can spark deep and meaningful conversations and foster connection. In this episode, Parker explains how to come up with your own magical questions. This episode originally published May 13, 2025.Sign up for our skincare newsletter here: http://npr.org/skincareFollow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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 save at restaurants if you're burnt out on cooking
Do you blow $20 on slop bowls because you keep forgetting to pack lunch? Or can't help but overspend every time you eat out with friends? Dining out can be expensive — but there are ways to minimize the financial punch. This episode, reporter Joe Hernandez shares tips on how to dine out on a budget. Sign up for his one-month newsletter, How to Cut Your Food Bill, for more tips.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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 clean when it's the last thing you want to do
Sometimes you just don't have the energy to do the dishes and pick up all the dirty clothes from the floor. Therapist KC Davis, author of How to Keep House While Drowning, has developed a framework for keeping up with house cleaning without feeling overwhelmed. This episode originally ran April 2023.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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 dump an energy vampire
Need some advice? In this edition of Dear Life Kit, we're pulling wisdom from the vast Life Kit archives to help you: -Avoid energy vampires -Set firmer boundaries with friends at work -Navigate your own success when others are strugglingHave a question for the Life Kit team? Write us or send a recording to [email protected]. Questions about money, health, home and family life, staying organized, sticky social situations -- we want them all. We may answer your question in a future episode. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
The ingredients for a 'nice life'
If chasing a "perfect" life feels exhausting, try for a nice life instead, says Rachel Wilkerson Miller. In her upcoming book, The Nice Life: How to Elevate the Everyday and Find Joy in What You Have, Miller argues that a nice life means noticing beauty, being open to curiosity, seeking community and more. Life Kit host Marielle Segarra spoke to Miller at The WBUR Festival in Boston about honing your personal definition of a nice life and playing an active role in shaping it.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
Should I take a probiotic? And other gut questions, answered
Research shows that our gut microbiome -- the trillions of microbes that populate our intestines -- isn't just involved in digestion. It's intimately linked to our immune systems, mental health, cognition and more. If you want to improve the health of your gut microbiome, there are specific best practices that can help. This episode, NPR health correspondent Will Stone shares tips on probiotic supplements, microbiome tests, and the most important factor -- your diet.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for Life Kit's skincare newsletter: http://npr.org/skincareHave an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSaccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG are two examples of probiotic strains that have considerable evidence from randomized controlled trials. Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 for travelers' diarrhea and antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG for antibiotic-associated diarrhea for children and adults, and also for upper respiratory tract infections.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
Practical advice for modern dads
We often talk about the mental load of parenting as something mothers carry. But active, involved dads have questions, too, and not many places to ask them. In this episode, Kevin Maguire, author of The New Fatherhood, and clinical psychologist David Defoe answer listener questions from dads.Sign up for Life Kit's skin care newsletter.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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 reclaim the magic of summer, according to Gretchen Rubin
How do you want to make this summer special? Whatever it is, now is a good time to think through your goals before the season flies by. In this episode of Life Kit, host Marielle Segarra sits down with happiness expert Gretchen Rubin to share tips on designing the summer you want to have. Pick a theme, write your bucket list, and come up with a challenge to get the most out of these months.Sign up for Life Kit's skin care newsletter. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
Stop overthinking skin care. What's essential and what's hype
The list of skin care products being sold as “essential” can feel endless. What do all those serums, creams, acids and toners actually do — and do you need them? In this episode of Life Kit, host Marielle Segarra talks to health journalist Kelle Walsh, who just wrote a newsletter series for us on this topic.Sign up for Life Kit's skin care newsletter. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our weekly newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
Tired of eating leftovers? Turn your odds and ends into creative meals
Do you always buy cucumbers just to watch them slowly become mush in the fridge? Or save your half-eaten pasta only to forget about it for a month? If you're done with chucking half-used ingredients in the compost bin, this episode is for you. Reporter Emily Siner shares tips on reducing food waste by repurposing leftovers, getting creative with odds and ends and shifting your perspective on the chore of cooking.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSign up for Life Kit's skincare newsletter: http://npr.org/skincareSee 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
Used to be an avid reader? How to get back into books
In this distracted age, settling in and actually focusing on a book can feel like a challenge. But retraining your reading muscles is doable. In this episode, tips from writers, readers and researchers to help you accomplish your summer reading goals.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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 have a safe, healthy summer
Tips to help you thrive this season. We've got tips on how to effectively apply mosquito repellent (you need more than you think!), prevent tick bites, the safest place to position your grill, and keep everyone safe while swimming. Plus, advice on making a crave-worthy salad.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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
5 simple ways to minimize stress
Need a break? Dr. Aditi Nerurkar, author of The 5 Resets, offers quick, easy ways to minimize stress in your daily life — no lavish vacations or big life changes necessary. This episode originally aired Feb. 6, 2024.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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 your small space feel bigger
Floating your furniture, zoning, floor arrangements and art -- there are lots of ways to make a small space or a small home feel bigger. In this episode, Life Kit host Marielle Segarra speaks with reporter Andee Tagle about low-budget, renter-friendly solutions to make your small space work for you.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitSee 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