The Lonely Hour

It's a strange time for all of us, but only healthcare workers know the particular stresses of caring for sick people right now—and what it feels like to put themselves at risk for contracting coronavirus every day they’re at work. In this episode, nurse Mary-Elizabeth Suarez records from the ER at Stanford Hospital.

Kimberly Chou was already experiencing a period of uncertainty this winter. Now we all are—and the stakes are high. Those of us who are lucky enough to be at home are seeking comfort, and Kimberly is finding it in food and gift giving. Plus: Understanding how the pandemic has impacted the restaurant industry.

It’s hard not to think about touch right now, when it’s something so many of us are craving and can't have. In this episode, we explore physical contact, relationships and single life during the era of social distancing.

In our next isolation diary, host Julia Bainbridge's father records from the Maryland countryside, plus a relaxation meditation to help reduce anxiety right now.

The Walking Dead actress Pollyanna McIntosh chooses good vibes over stress while sheltering in place in Los Angeles. Let her be your guide to finding happiness in the small things right now.

We are social distancing—a term with which we're now all painfully familiar—in order to slow contagion of the coronavirus. In a break from format, host Julia Bainbridge talks more directly to listeners in this episode, and she consults various experts about dealing with anxiety as well as ways to find joy in this time of crisis.

We've been social distancing—a term with which we're now all painfully familiar—and so have you. But we've also been working: The Lonely Hour will have new episodes, starting this week, to help you through these strange, isolating times. Get ready to hear more from us soon. xo

Jenny Odell, author of How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, talks about wandering, observing without judgment, and letting go of the idea that time is money. Part four of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives.

Poet and philosopher David Whyte discusses his inner life and the importance of loneliness: "I've always felt that when you do feel loneliness, it's always a kind of inverse measure of what you actually belong to." Part three of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, shares how discussing her childhood dreams with her mother equipped her with the tools to deeply understand what it is that she desired. Part two of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives.

Manoush Zomorodi, host of the Note to Self podcast, makes the case for rethinking our digital habits and being more purposeful about putting boredom into our lives.

Having grown up in a born-again Christian community with strict rules governing how best to live, James finally woke up to the fact that he didn’t know himself—and that his marriage was crumbling. He turned inward, retreating to a cabin in the Catskills, to figure it all out. This episode is sponsored by Audible and Away. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

Brandon Baltzley is the chef and co-owner of a restaurant called the Buffalo Jump. Determined to kick his substance abuse issues, he climbed a snow- and ice-covered hill in the dark to reach his home for the next month of his life: a yurt with no heat or running water. This episode is sponsored by HelloFresh and Care/of Vitamins. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

How losing both parents, navigating the transition of her only sibling, and extreme burnout led film producer Annabelle Dunne to seek solitude in Sri Lanka with just a cot and 17 books—and what it taught her about how she should lead her life now that she’s back home. This episode is sponsored by Audible and Away. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

After a decade in New York working as a talent agent and a producer in fashion and a loss in her family, Kamey Butler sacrificed leaving her friends and familiar places to try to regain control the only way she knew how: She bought a one-way ticket to Cape Town. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.