Meal prep. Refresh your wardrobe. Make a new friend. You don't have to be headed to a classroom to harness the back-to-school buzz. In this episode of Life Kit, we bring you tactics and tips that will help you break old habits or start new ones — and reclaim the excitement of a new school year.Show notes:How to use avocados (or onions) to dye clothesPlay Styles Quiz from the National Institute for PlayFollow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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

Want to finally stop doomscrolling and actually do the thing you've been putting off? Itamar Shatz, author of the book Solving Procrastination, explains the evolutionary reason we avoid difficult tasks and the research-backed methods that can help you take action.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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

Finding missing items isn't a matter of "looking harder." There's an art and a science to it. The next time you misplace your wedding ring, try these strategies to hunt it down. They'll make your search process faster, smoother and calmer. Life Kit digital editor Malaka Gharib talks with visual search experts, a metal detector enthusiast and a detective about their best tricks for finding what's lost. This episode originally published October 31, 2024.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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

It can be difficult to love how your body looks, or even like it. But what if you could expand the way you think about your body? This episode, psychologist Diana Hill shares how to practice body image flexibility and appreciate all of the ways your body allows you to experience the world. She gives mental exercises that help you fixate less on your appearance in an image-obsessed culture.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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

Parenthood is exhausting. When a kid asks for snack for the millionth time while you're running on little sleep and trying to make dinner, it's easy to snap. Licensed marriage and family therapist Cassidy Freitas says the key is to find refuge in what she calls "the margins." In this episode, Freitas shares tools from her book Mom Needs A Moment: How to Stop Your Reaction Before It Starts and Become a Calmer, Happier, More Connected Parent.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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

Sometimes we buy things that we later regret: a new sweater that's already falling apart, or a thrifted "vintage" vase that turns out to be a mass-produced dupe. In the moment, it's difficult to resist the temptation of making a purchase. But with a few pointed questions, you can make sure you've done your due diligence. This episode, financial experts offer a framework to help you decide whether or not something is worth buying. This episode originally published Dec.18, 2024.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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

In this edition of Dear Life Kit, more wisdom from our vast archives to help you figure out: -Whether you can refuse a gift -If you should move in with your partner if they're not ready-How to feel like an actual "graduated" grown-upSend us your own Dear Life Kit questions at npr.org/dearlifekitFollow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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

Are you a 'Parisian perfectionist'? How about a 'messy perfectionist'? Psychotherapist Katherine Morgan Schafler believes there are 5 kinds of perfectionists in the world. Find out which one you are with our quiz. This episode originally published January 30, 2023.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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

Perimenopause can be overwhelming. Mood swings, insomnia and hot flashes can make you feel like a completely different person. Hormone therapy is one way a lot of women are treating the symptoms. Life Kit’s Marielle Segarra talks with Dr. Mara Gordon of NPR’s Real Talk with a Doc column about the risks and benefits.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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

There are lots of reasons women may experience pain during or after sex. Whether you've just given birth, are experiencing hormonal changes, or are under a lot of stress, you have options to address the pain. In this episode of Life Kit, reporter Andee Tagle talks to pelvic floor physical therapist Janelle Frederick about how to communicate with sex partners about it, when to see a doctor or physical therapist and what exercises you can try at home to relieve the pain.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening and convenient playlists of popular help topics like personal finance, getting healthy, and more. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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