The one change that worked: I stopped listening to podcasts – and my mind flooded with ideas

The writer describes podcasts as a long-standing comfort and a constant companion in everyday routines. After realizing they were drowning out internal monologue, she stopped pressing play and found that silence, music, and boredom made room for ideas, reflection, and noticing the world again.

Reading notes

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• Podcasts had become a daily psychological crutch across walking, shopping, cleaning, bathing, and travel.
• A silent train trip through East Anglian countryside made her feel mentally rebooted and filled her with ideas, plans, insights, and reflections.
• She decided the simple fix was to stop listening so often.
• After that, she listened to much more music and got used to silence again.
• Mundane tasks became a chance to process the day, and she noticed things when she left the house.
• She tolerates boredom more easily and can even savor it in some moments.
• She still listens to podcasts when running, but says her overall consumption has dropped by at least 80%.
• The change gave her mind permission to wander productively and pointlessly again.