For a behind the scenes look into some of the articles we read when we create the show, check out our Pocket collection at http://getpocket.com/slate . Every day around 2:00 p.m. Rob hits a brick wall. A busy job and two young children have zapped all of his energy, and he's desperate to do something—anything—to make it through the rest of the workday. Enter the elusive and often guilt-ridden midday nap. But there too Rob struggles to really rest and then wake up without making things worse. On ...
Oct 26, 2021•25 min
Grace and Nikki both need more friends. Grace is an ICU nurse whose best friends have moved away. Nikki is an electrical engineer who worked remotely for the last year and is now moving to a new city. Making friends as an adult is hard, but not impossible. You just have to do things differently than when you were in 6th grade. On this episode of How To!, we bring on Elizabeth Newcamp, co-host of Slate's Mom and Dad are Fighting and the author of Dutch, Dutch, Goose , a parenting and travel blog....
Oct 19, 2021•36 min
Last week we learned how to stop a public fight before it starts. But despite our best intentions, ugly confrontations still happen—sometimes with tragic consequences. On this episode of How To!, the second in a two part-series, Dan Christensen, a bus driver in Portland, Oregon , and Matt Smith, a crisis intervention trainer and the co-founder of Aegis Training Solutions , are back to teach you what to do when a fight is already underway. Dan talks about his experience with the 2017 Portland tra...
Oct 12, 2021•30 min
Things are a little more tense than usual these days. Stress and anxiety levels are up and so are fights in public. We've all heard stories of bad behavior in restaurants, airports, hospitals, school board meetings, etc. So on this episode of How To!, the first in a two-part series, we bring on Dan Christensen, a bus driver in Portland, Oregon , and Matt Smith, a crisis intervention trainer and the co-founder of Aegis Training Solutions . They both have years of experience defusing ugly confront...
Oct 05, 2021•29 min
When Kelly volunteered to be the head coach for his son's baseball team, he was nervous. He had no formal training, but he knew he wanted his players to have equal playing time and, more importantly, have fun. Which they did….until the yelling started and the season ended in a surprising loss (and quite a few tears). What can Kelly do better next season? On this episode of How To!, we bring on Doug Lemov, author of the books, Teach Like a Champion and The Coach's Guide to Teaching . Doug has som...
Sep 28, 2021•27 min
Susan never really got over saying goodbye to her eldest daughter, who left for college four years ago. She knew it would be sad, but she didn't expect to be nauseous. Now her youngest is applying to college, and she's already dreading drop-off next fall which makes her feel like a "pathetic loser." What can Susan do to prep herself for more heartbreak and a completely empty nest? On this episode of How To!, we bring on Kelly Corrigan, best-selling author and host of the podcast Kelly Corrigan W...
Sep 21, 2021•28 min
Every kid sneaks a cookie from the cookie jar, but Jamie's 8 year-old daughter Simone has taken it to the next level. If you look under her pillow or in the back of her closet, you'll find stashes of candy wrappers and other illicit items. When confronted, Simone never cracks under pressure. Jamie is worried that if this behavior isn't stopped soon, Simone will grow up to be a "supervillain." On this episode of How To!, we bring on Christina and Ryan Hillsberg, authors of License to Parent: How ...
Sep 14, 2021•29 min
Usually when something enters Rachel's parents' home, it never leaves. Growing up, Rachel and her siblings tried to clean out the growing piles of junk, but her mom would often dig into the trash to retrieve whatever was tossed. Rachel finally escaped her parent's over-stuffed house but she still worries about their safety and quality of life. On this episode of How To!, we bring on Jessie Sholl, author of Dirty Secret: A Daughter Comes Clean About Her Mother's Compulsive Hoarding. She knows wha...
Sep 07, 2021•27 min
Have you ever had to make an impossible decision? One that doesn't have an obvious "right" answer. One that someone will inevitably hate. John knows this feeling all too well. He's the superintendent for a mid-size school district in California. To say the last school year was difficult is a major understatement… John tried to ensure the safety of his students, teachers, and faculty while balancing the reality of students struggling in their virtual classes. Throughout the school year, John's re...
Aug 31, 2021•32 min
Do you think of yourself as a "good" person? Most of us do. You probably show others kindness and respect—no matter their age, gender, sexuality, or race, right? But our unconscious biases are often more powerful than we realize. In fact, mountains of evidence show the extent to which implicit bias is ingrained in our police departments, doctor's offices and hiring committees, often to the detriment of marginalized groups. Our listener this week, Tim, has spent a lot of time thinking about his p...
Aug 24, 2021•29 min
It's painful for Barbara to think back on her son Ethan's childhood. For years Ethan was caught between feuding parents until, one day, Ethan went to live with his dad and never came back. Barbara regrets not fighting harder for her son or at least communicating better. Now she wants to ask for a second chance before it's too late—but isn't sure how to go about it. On this episode of How To!, the second in a two-part series, we continue with Amy Baker , a developmental psychologist who specializ...
Aug 17, 2021•31 min
Barbara survived a divorce so brutal that she refers to it as 'The War of the Roses.' Perhaps the most painful casualty was the severing of her relationship with her son, Ethan. Decades have passed and Ethan is now married with kids of his own, who Barbara adores. But due to their chilly, distant relationship, Barbara doesn't get to see them as much as she'd like. Can Barbara repair their broken relationship before it's too late? On this episode of How To!, the first in a two-part series, we bri...
Aug 10, 2021•27 min
Avalon is driven, creative, and… can't meet a deadline to save her life. In her defense, she's a card-carrying member of the gig economy, juggling a complicated schedule as a DJ and visual artist . Avalon's tried to organize her life using a bullet journal, but procrastination keeps getting in the way of her career pursuits. On this episode of How To!, the second in a two-part series on time management, we talk to Christopher Cox, author of The Deadline Effect: How To Work Like It's the Last Min...
Aug 03, 2021•25 min
There's one thing that all of Helena's personal projects have in common: they remain unfinished. The family photo album is empty, as is her mom's recipe book. And the lavender garden is still unplanted. Helena is not lazy. In fact, she's a busy lawyer who has no problem finishing tasks at the office. But she's also a busy mother raising a family, and free time is hard to come by. So how can Helena banish her distractions? On this episode of How To!, the first in a two-part series on time managem...
Jul 27, 2021•31 min
Winning the Olympics is everything Steve Mesler ever wanted. So when he and his U.S. bobsled teammates stood atop the podium at the 2010 Vancouver Games, his life seemed golden in every way. But soon after his triumph, Steve began to experience a period of extended mourning. Even though he won a gold medal, he lost his identity and sense of purpose. And he wasn't the only one. On this episode of How To!, the former Olympian, co-founder of Classroom Champions , and current United States Olympic a...
Jul 20, 2021•31 min
Alexandra and her boyfriend want to buy a house, but they're looking in one of the hottest housing markets in the U.S. So when they got outbid for their dream home, Alexandra was secretly relieved. Spending money, even if it's something she can afford, is absolutely terrifying to her. Alexandra grew up homeless and even though she's now a lawyer, she has a hard time ever feeling financially secure. On this episode of How To!, we bring on Athena Lent, founder of Money Smart Latina and financial a...
Jul 13, 2021•29 min
Rich thought nothing of going to the hospital for a routine colonoscopy—until he got the bill. Even with insurance, Rich is on the hook for nearly $2,000, way more than he ever expected. It's particularly painful because Rich was planning to finally pay off his credit card debt before getting married. So what can he do? Our expert this week has a suggestion—don't pay the bill, at least, not at first. On this episode of How To!, we bring on investigative reporter Marshall Allen, author of Never P...
Jul 07, 2021•29 min
Have you ever thought about running but been too intimidated to start? Or maybe you've already got an after-work jogging routine and need tips on how to increase your endurance? On this episode of How To!, we reveal the game-changing, unexpected running tips you didn't know you needed with the help of Alex Hutchinson, author of Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance , and Shannon Palus , a Slate senior editor and marathon runner. Our experts say the key to runn...
Jun 29, 2021•28 min
Lee is worried that one day soon her 25-year-old adopted daughter, who is pregnant and struggling with a drug addiction, will show up on her doorstep with a baby in tow. How will she be able to explain the situation to her other daughter, who's only 6 years old? And how can she prepare her for the day she'll confront drugs and alcohol herself? On this episode of How To!, we bring on Jessica Lahey, a teacher and the author of The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Depende...
Jun 22, 2021•28 min
For the past year, Brandon has been terrified of leaving his apartment. And so he's settled into an extreme pandemic routine. He cooks all of his own meals, has yet to see his parents, and on the rare occasion he takes the trash out, still wears double masks, rubber gloves and safety goggles. Brandon has been fully vaccinated for weeks now but the very low risk of a breakthrough Covid case seems like a grave danger because a few years ago he suffered another incredibly rare viral infection. On t...
Jun 15, 2021•28 min
Ever since she started taking a new medication a few years ago, Meme is worried that she's lost her sex drive. She still has a great relationship with her husband, but she isn't interested in sex the way that she used to be, and she's worried it's hurting her marriage. On this episode of How To!, we bring on sex educator Emily Nagoski, author of Come As You Are , to coach Meme through how to revamp her sex life. For busy couples, you should actually schedule a time on your calendar to be intimat...
Jun 08, 2021•29 min
Michaela is worried that her son, Asher, is constantly worried. At 8 years old, Asher is already dealing with some pretty intense anxiety. For example, he cried every day at school last year. Now that he's being home schooled during the pandemic, Michaela has seen how much pressure Asher puts on himself to do well. On this episode of How To!, we bring on Dr. Krystal Lewis , a clinical psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health who works with kids with anxiety disorders. Krystal know...
Jun 01, 2021•27 min
Stacie is in her early 30s and is ready to have a baby. There's just one problem—she doesn't have a partner. As much as she wants to be a mom, Stacie is worried about being a single parent by choice. On this episode of How To!, we bring on Lori Gottlieb, therapist, author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone , and solo mom herself. Lori opens about her own experience having her son on her own, navigating people's judgment, and finding ways to consider herself "enough" as a single parent. The hard...
May 25, 2021•27 min
Shirley loves her job as a product manager for a startup, but she can't stand her manager. He's inefficient, old-fashioned, and entirely unsupportive of her work. "Just so you know, you don't deserve this," he told Shirley when she recently got promoted. Is there anything Shirley can do to make her work situation better? On this episode of How To, we bring on Patty McCord, former chief talent officer for Netflix and author of Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility , to give S...
May 18, 2021•28 min
Diane feels like she's constantly picking fights with her partner Mohammed—when he forgets to grab tomatoes from the grocery store or drops the ball on planning their son's birthday party. Their conflicts are complicated by layers of cultural differences: Mohammed is a Syrian refugee, Diane is an American, and they live in the Netherlands. "He lived through a war, so I can't win any argument," says Diane, who is increasingly desperate to find a solution. On this episode of How To!, we bring on i...
May 11, 2021•29 min
Dating is always tough, but during a pandemic it can feel downright impossible. "I'm incredibly lonely, and it's impossible to meet anybody my age right now," our listener Sarah said. Feeling isolated, Sarah has clung to a friends-with-benefit situation with Matthew, her friend and dance partner. But at 36, Sarah knows the relationship isn't meant to last. On this episode of How To!, we bring on Logan Ury, director of relationship science at Hinge, dating coach, and author of How to Not Die Alon...
May 04, 2021•28 min
When Shellye Archambeau walked into her first meeting as a board member of Verizon, she felt a moment of panic. "Do I actually belong at this table?" she remembers thinking. Shellye, one of the first Black women to work as the CEO of a tech company in Silicon Valley, has struggled over the years with what's commonly known as "imposter syndrome"—the feeling that you are a phony, despite all evidence to the contrary. On this episode of How To!, Shellye, the author of Unapologetically Ambitious , g...
Apr 27, 2021•25 min
We're all have to give a presentation at some point in our lives — on a stage, in a conference room, and, these days, on Zoom. So what makes a good speech? On this episode of How To!, we bring on Chris Anderson, the head of TED Talks and author of TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking . Chris gives us the inside scoop on the famous speaking series and breaks down some of the greatest speeches of all time. Then we present Chris with an unusual challenge from a 6th-grader named Lucy...
Apr 20, 2021•29 min
Imagine you're floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a boat the size of an SUV. You have no working electronics, no food or water, and only a styrofoam box to shade you from the sun. Your only companion is a 22-year-old who has little seafaring experience. How would you survive? On this episode of How To!, we bring on Jonathan Franklin, author of 438 Days , to tell us the incredible story of José Salvador Alvarenga, a shark fisherman who survived at sea for over 14 months. Jonathan says...
Apr 13, 2021•29 min
Have you ever wondered how you'd fare in the wild? What you'd do when facing off against a rattlesnake or staring down a polar bear? On this episode of How To!, the first in a two-part series, we dive into two extreme scenarios worthy of their own action movies. First, Kyle Dickman, author of On the Burning Edge and a former hotshot firefighter, opens up about the time he truly feared for his life—not when fighting wildfires, but when crossing paths with a rattlesnake on a family hike. Next, we'...
Apr 06, 2021•28 min
