You may not know this yet but Liza and I are podcast enthusiasts.

Okay, junkies.

Multitaskers by nature, we find podcasts are a great way to learn and be entertained as well as a super-easy way to make even mundane tasks (like those piles and piles of laundry) an opportunity to further our knowledge, delve deeper into our geeky natures or just have a laugh.

Not on board with podcasts yet?

How many times do you find yourself sitting at the orthodontist’s or doctor’s office just itching to stay productive in some way? Listen to a podcast.

Bored and listless while biding your time in the minivan for junior to finish soccer practice? Listen to a podcast.

Long commute and not feeling your music playlist? Listen to a podcast.

Washing dishes for the twentieth time in a day? Pull out your smart phone and you guessed it, listen to a podcast.

Get the idea?

10 Awesome Podcasts That Are Worth Your Time

1. Stuff You Missed In History Class

I’m  more than a little obsessed with this podcast. Over the past few years my passion for history has been expanding and this podcast is right up my alley. Hosts Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey are some of my favorite podcasters to listen to because I love their voices and their chemistry. The fact that they are hella smart is the icing on top of the cake. -Jen

2. Slumber Party with Alie & Georgia

Totally NSFW yet hiliariously funny, this podcast is hosted slumber party style from the BFF’s (real life) pillow fort. It is quick witted, surprisingly intimate and filled with delightful shenanigans. You might recognize Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark from the Cooking Channel’s Tripping Out with Alie & Georgia. -Jen

3. Freakonomics

Super fascinating and expertly hosted. Inspired by the books of the same name, Freakonomics Radio is hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt. The tagline? Exploring “the hidden side of everything.” It is hard to point to a favorite topic because they are all simply fascinating. Don’t let the economics reference in the title steer you away, the hosts and the topics are easy to relate to. -Jen

4. This American Life

If you like storytelling, you will love This American Life. Every episode (about a million people download each one!) features a theme and a few stories that center around it. Some topics are funny, some are happy, some have made me cry on the way to work. (Plus TAL spawned Serial, our most favorite podcast of all time!) Best place to get started with this on the favorites page. -Jen

5. The Lively Show

Featuring interviews with entrepreneurs and successful women, The Lively Show is all about intention and inspiration. Episodes touch on various aspects of women’s lives including possessions, personal habits, relationships, and career. -Jen

6. Serial

As mentioned in #4, Serial is the spawn of This American Life. Serial Podcast burst onto the scene a little over a year ago, and became a viral podcast sensation like. no. other. In season one, Sarah Koenig spent 12 dramatic, intense, hanging-on-to-every-word episodes with us, digging into the shelved case of Adnan Syed, convicted of murdering his girlfriend while he was back in high school in 1999. The second season of Serial is heavily rumored (though NPR has not confirmed it) to be about the case of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the army soldier who went missing while in Afghanistan in 2009 — we’re skeptical hopeful that this politically charged choice, filled with crazy amounts of controversy, ends up being as good as the first season. -Liza

7. MuggleCast

Harry Potter fans unite! MuggleCast first started a decade ago, as the books and movies were still being released. If you haven’t already geeked out on the group’s ability to dig into chapters, characters, and join in your ridiculous-but-endearing obsession with all things Hogwarts, then now’s the time! The MuggleCast podcast went on hiatus for a bit after the last movie was released, but recently started back up when J.K. Rowling announced production of the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (coming in 2016!!). Start at the beginning of the MuggleCast series, and work your way though — it’s extra fun if you read along with them! BONUS: Safe for listening if the kids are within earshot. -Liza

8. Game of Owns

The Game of Owns podcast (affectionately called GOO by its creators) is KILLER for any Game of Thrones book or TV show fan. I talked about it as one of my go-to GoT resources earlier this year, here. -Liza

9. Brains On!

Confession: Brains On! is actually a podcast for kids, created by Molly Bloom out of Minnesota Public Radio. I stumbled upon it while looking for kid-friendly podcasts that I could also tolerate during our 40 minute drive to and from my daughter’s dance studio. It’s clever, and fun — filled to the brim with interesting science topics that have actually taught me a thing or two. -Liza

10. The Alton Browncast

I’m a bit of an Alton Brown fanatic. I admit it. If you, too, are a fan of all things Alton, then his podcast will not disappoint. From witty kitchen tips, to amazing in-studio foodie guests (one of whom I mentioned in this recent post about bitters), his podcasts are pretty stinkin’ awesome. In fact, the only disappointing thing about his podcast is that new episodes are no longer available on iTunes. Alas, first world problems. -Liza