Podcasts are a great alternative to music if you’re looking for something to listen to at work or during your commute that is interesting, inspiring or simply entertaining.
If you’re unfamiliar or have never listened to one before, podcasts are digital audio files made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, and typically available as a series. You can subscribe to them and receive updates when a new episode is available. There are thousands of podcasts out there about a wide variety of topics, and when you find one you love, it can become just as addictive as your favorite TV series.
These popular series would be great options to tune into at your desk:
How I Built This
If you want to connect with your inner entrepreneur, this is the podcast for you. Host Guy Raz interviews the founders and leaders of some of the world’s best known companies — Kate Spade, Rolling Stone, Airbnb to name a few. This podcast offers a fascinating look into how these businesses started from nothing and became something big.
The Tim Ferriss Show
In another long-form interview format, Tim Ferriss talks with performers from many different arenas about anything and everything — their favorite books, their routines, how they got started — in an effort to share their best practices with his listeners. Some of his popular interviews include comedian Jamie Foxx, business strategist Tony Robbins and actor Kevin Costner.
Radio Lab
This NPR show corners the market on unique. These stories of science and culture are “designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder.” From in-depth pieces about a woman who can’t prove she exists to parents who produce a video game as a way of dealing with their infant son’s cancer diagnosis — you’ll stay fascinated from one episode to the next.
Revisionist History
Bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell does exactly what the title suggests in this podcast — he reinterprets an event, person or idea in history. These topics have ranged from the Toyota recall that involved cars uncontrollably accelerating, to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s friendship with scientist Frederick Lindemann, which had an effect on British policy during World War II.
TED Talks Daily
Great ideas in 18 minutes or less — that’s the idea behind TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Talks. Though popular in video format, you can now get these by podcast. Listen as thinkers from various disciplines share ideas on just about every subject imaginable — offering inspiration and motivation to change “attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world.”
What do you listen to at work to stay motivated? Share it with us on Facebook and Twitter.