As with most things, it depends. I could listen to an audiobook while working out but not while programming. I could listen to instrumental music while reading a book, but I couldn’t focus with a vocal track included. Some podcasts might require you to listen to every word while others may only require you to feel the overall topic.

I can have music as “background noise” but podcasts no way, if I am not focusing on what someone else is communicating, what is the point?

Doing other things at the same time helps me focus on whatever I’m listening to.

I fidget a lot so it would be distracting to sit still and just listen.