If it’s just one large file I just play it on a podcast app (in my case Podcast Addict) and if it’s multiple I stich them together with ffmpeg before sending it to my phone.

I have them off, but if something comes in that I should respond to I do send some sort of response back (errands, plans, etc.) I just don’t like feeling I get that I should respond now to something just because I saw it and now the person on the other end knows that I saw it, and are now wondering why I haven’t sent something back yet.