EnglishA simple solution for news on the go
By Katie Orlando
As a consultant, being on-the-go, and reading screens all day for work can mean I need a break from looking at things while travelling, commuting to a client site, or winding down after a long day. When I first started at Trindent, this problem could’ve meant that I started getting behind on the news, and it may have meant that all I had to talk about at work getting to know my new coworkers was just work – which could have made them think I was really boring. Additionally, I’ve noticed this problem with some of my recently graduated friends who have started work and have completely fallen out of the loop with what is happening in the world.
My solution to this common problem is listening to podcasts! This is something I picked up backpacking through Europe with friends my summer after graduating, when we realized we didn’t have room to carry any books or newspapers with us, and we often couldn’t buy them while travelling because they were in different languages. Podcasts are stored in an app (Apple Podcasts or Spotify) that’s already on almost every smartphone and have topics ranging from the latest news of the day summarized in less than 10 minutes to two hour pieces focused on a single episode of a TV show from the ‘90s.
I think podcasts are a great way for consultants to stay up to date on relevant news as well as some personal interest pieces to keep us interesting to the clients, our friends and challenging ourselves while we’re commuting or travelling in a place where it’s difficult to constantly find the opportunities for learning we crave. Obviously listening to the news is no substitute for reading it, but by listening to it and using a free app with thousands of resources means you have access to a wider viewpoint and less limits on times you can absorb it.
That said, some of my favourite podcasts to listen to and learn from while I’m on-the-go are:
NYT’s The Daily:
One of Apple Podcasts’ most popular, I like “The Daily” because it gives me the previous day’s news in under 20 minutes. It’s always available by 6 am, and I’m able to listen to it while getting ready for work. This podcast does a great job covering world political and business news that you need to know to start your day, while digging a little deeper on one story to give it an edge that makes you want to learn more.
WNYC Studios – Radiolab:
Updated every Tuesday morning, this podcast uses a wide reach of influential interview subjects and long investigation periods combined with world-class editing to create 1 hour stories on human interest pieces. Some of my favourite episodes are: Driverless Dilemma, The Gondolier, and How to be a Hero. I think this podcast does a great job of taking current events, digging deeper and uncovering an interesting narrative that you won’t forget about all day. This is my favourite podcast to download and listen to during my commute.
NPR’s Planet Money:
Updated on Wednesday and Friday, Planet Money gives me short and sweet (20 minute) stories about relevant business topics through interesting stories. For example, this podcast taught me about bitcoin through a story of a man digging through his attic looking for an old hard drive. This podcast is the perfect length for my subway ride downtown.
There’s a podcast for almost any topic if you search for it, but these are just a few of my favourites that help me stay up to date in my busy schedule as a consultant. I hope you get a chance to check them out and enjoy as much as I do!
