Perhaps a little meta, but this week’s episode of Best of Both Worlds has something of a podcasting theme.
In the opening segment, Sarah and I discuss our podcast listening habits. Let’s just say I am NOT a fan of the 1.5x or 2x listening option. Then in the main segment, I interview Christine Koh, co-host of the Edit Your Life podcast, and co-author of the book Minimalist Parenting (along with a million other things…) We talk about shaping spaces during the pandemic, what Christine plans to do post-pandemic, and how minimalism works for people who have varied interests. In the Q&A segment, Sarah and I talk about how far ahead we plan our podcast. We’ve come to a good rhythm of each of us doing an interview a month and then batch recording two other podcasts (plus openers and Q&As) on one long morning.
Anyway, please give the episode a listen. As always, we appreciate a rating or review! And if you listen to podcasts at 1.5-2x speed, feel free to tell me why it’s a brilliant idea…
I honestly find that most people speak far too slowly at 1.0 speed for me, and I get distracted and lose focus (which sometimes happens in real life too! I kinda wish i could turn up the dial on face to face conversations).
Professionally narrated audiobooks (more clear and purposeful than your average conversational podcast) I find I have to speed up to 1.7-1.9X to balance being able to follow and understand and also not getting impatient. Incidentally, Barack Obama was STILL slow at 1.9!
My sweet spot for podcasts is 1.3X. It is interesting to note that there is variance for me from host to host – some people I could probably speed up more but don’t for the sake of convenience. (one speed setting for all podcasts rather than having to fiddle around every time).\
Plus of course, this allows me to consume more media in my allotted time.
I haven’t listen to this episode yet, but as a Christine Koh superfan, I am excited.
I started listening to podcasts at this speed to help me catch up, but now I find it almost impossible to not listen at 1.5X. I just prefer it as I find most people slow down their speech.
Laura, what is it about listening to it at an increased pace that you find disagreeable? I’m curious!
I also listen to every podcast at 1.5 speed. I find the pace of most speakers to be too slow! And it probably has to do with maximizing productivity! Sarah is borderline too fast at 1.5 but still very clear at that speed. I am a fast talker so that might be part of why I like a faster listening speed. Like an earlier comment there are a lot of real life convos I wish I could speed up, too! Ha!
I must be a mix of the two of you – I listen to everything at 1.5x speed but I am also overwhelmed by too much noise stimulation (multiple kids talking at once, the TV on + my husband watching something on YouTube with volume up, trying to talk on the phone and having someone try to tell me something at the same time, anything super loud). I find 1x speed to be too slow now, though I have always been annoyed by slow-talkers. I have always been an extrovert on every single personality test that I’ve ever taken, so maybe that theory is something?!!? One of you mentioned the extrovert/introvert difference in noise/sound tolerance, at least between the two of you.
(though am also an only child so have high tolerance for being alone…and maybe that’s where my noise intolerance comes from?)
My husband did interrupt me the other day and say, “Have you suddenly started talking at, like, three times your normal speed?!?” Apparently the 1.5x speed of listening may have affected my own speech patterns!!!
Great episode, as usual. You guys are a highlight of my Tuesdays.
I loved this episode – I only discovered Christine Koh a couple of months ago but she has completely intrigued me (plus I love that she has a scientific background but has managed to pivot her career in a completely novel direction!).
Can I just say that Sarah’s screenshot idea is genius! I have struggled with what to do when I want to take note of something but can’t – I often listen to podcasts while I’m cleaning (it really gets me motivated), so I can’t always be stopping every few minutes to write something down. I’m so going to be using this technique from now on.
I turned a podcast on in the car one day and my (English) husband said “Gosh, Americans speak so fast. It barely sounds like English”. Erm, yes, we do speak faster but it’s also because I run everything a 1.5 speed.
I’m Team Laura! I completely agree with everything you said around pacing and entertainment.
I listen to podcasts and audio books at 1 X. I’m an extrovert and not a highly sensitive person. I’m not sure if this is related but I’m a coach and it’s often in the pauses and the hesitation that I sense if there’s something that needs to be probed at. And I want to hear all of that with podcasts too because I feel like I relate more to people that way.
I have only sped up audio books to 1.15 – 1.2 X with American male narrators with drawls as they then sound (to me) like they’re speaking at “normal” speed.
Audio books for me are entertainment, as you said, and it’s pure joy to listen to a multiple-cast book like Daisy Jones and the Six. Why would you want to speed through the joy of listening to that?
I also feel like it’s respectful to people to focus and listen well, and not to want everything to go by fast.
Honestly, the comments fascinate me because life is not only about speeding through things but also enjoying them. Maybe everyone is subscribed to too much?
PS on a funny note, I love Laura Tremaine’s podcast, 10 things to tell you, and I once posted the intro music on IG because it’s so happy it cheers me up. Many of her listeners said they didn’t recognise it because I listen at 1 x and they listen at a faster speed.
I’m also firmly team Laura with my husband liking to speed things up, which I cannot take either. I have also suspected it’s (for me at least) an introversion thing. Like the amount of social/vocal input from other people I can take before it being a bit too much. Because for reading I’m a pretty fast reader and not bothered at all, but with podcasts I feel it also has a social element. (And yes, I also get more frustrated when two of my kids fuss at the same time 🙂 )