I must admit, I’m not always a morning person. This is especially true on rainy mornings (such as this week), when it’s tempting to keep hitting the snooze button. It always seems to take at least three cups of coffee to get my day started. However, after talking about this with a friend of mine recently, she shared her top tip on how she made the switch from night owl to early bird — TED Talks. Instead of immediately turning on the TV or checking social media (as I do), she listened to a TED Talk first thing every morning for 30 straight days. In an attempt to become more productive, I tried it out. While it’s only been two weeks (and I still need at least two cups of coffee to get me going in the morning), it’s been great.  Below are three of my favorite inspirational TED Talks to get my day started:

A Hilarious Celebration of Lifelong Female Friendship: “Women’s friendships are a renewable source of power. I don’t even know what I would do without my women friends.” Legendary duo and hilarious comedians Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin share their thoughts on the importance of friendship between women, as well as their views on gender equality.

Why We Laugh: Did you know that you’re 30 times more likely to laugh if you’re with somebody else than if you’re alone? Cognitive neuroscientist Sophie Scott shares this and other surprising facts about laughter in this, yes, hilarious Ted Talk. Who knew there was a science to cracking up?

Got a Meeting? Take a Walk: Nilofer Merchant suggests a small idea that just might have a big impact on your life and health: Next time you have a one-on-one meeting, make it into a “walking meeting” and let ideas flow while you walk and talk.

What are some of your top tips for a productive morning? Send me a note at csullivan@napco.com and we’ll feature them in an upcoming issue of The Inner Circle 🙂

Enjoy!

Caitlin Sullivan
Senior Editor
The Women in Retail Leadership Circle