Many of us are working from home at the moment due to the current coronavirus pandemic. But as much as we’re loving the extra time in bed each morning, we’ll be the firsts to admit that staying focused throughout the day can be tough when you’re away from your usual working environment – especially if you live with friends or family.
There are endless distractions at home, be it your children, house chores or other factors that feed procrastination. However, one excellent way to keep your mind in check is by watching motivational TED Talks.
Sometimes, all we need is a bit of inspiration to reignite our productivity, and hearing others share their powerful stories can definitely be enough to do the job. So to help you snap out of mind blocks and get you back on track, we’ve shared ten of our favourite motivational TED Talks to listen to right now…
Amy Cuddy – Your body language shapes who you are
The importance of body language and how others perceive ours is something we’ve all been taught. But what about how our own body language affects us? In this talk, social psychologist and author Cuddy explains how we are influenced by our own body language and how a few strategic power poses can make an incredible difference in our self-confidence and stress levels.
Dan Pink – The puzzle of motivation
How efficient are rewards and punishments in the workplace? Does it really motivate us or do the opposite? Pink explores this and comes to a surprising conclusion in this thought-provoking talk.
Elizabeth Gilbert – Your elusive creative genius
This is a great one for anyone having difficulties with their creative process. Gilbert, who is the author of popular book Eat Pray Love, urges you to allow yourself to think unconventionally in this powerful talk.
Elon Musk – The future we’re building – and boring
The man behind Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity discusses his innovative thought process when creating his global ventures and his motivation for building a future on Mars in conversation with TED’s Head Curator, Chris Anderson.
Neil Pasricha – The 3 A’s of awesome
There’s nothing more powerful than a positive mind. It is the biggest key to any form of success and in this inspiring talk, Neil Pasricha explains how he used positivity to overcome life events that would typically lead to a breakdown, demonstrating how attitude and awareness can boost your happiness.
Nilofer Merchant – Got a meeting? Take a walk
Author Nilofer Merchant make a very simple suggestion that could have a huge impact on not only our lives but overall health: taking a walk. “Sitting has become the smoking of our generation,” she says. She explains how fresh air can result in fresh thinking.
Shawn Achor – The happy secret to better work
It can be easy to focus on the negative aspects of our work and careers – especially if things aren’t exactly going the way you wanted. In this talk, Achor teaches the psychology of positivity as he warns that our attitudes towards a situation tend to determine the outcome.
Sheryl Sandberg – Why we have too few women leaders
The author of successful book Lean In discusses the lack of women in leadership roles and highlights some key differences between men and women in the office, whilst giving aspiring female leaders some powerful tips along the way.
Simon Sinek – How great leaders inspire action
Author and motivational speaker discusses his model for inspirational leadership, starting with a golden circle and posing the simple question, “Why?”
Tom Wujec – Got a wicked problem? First, tell me how you make toast
Despite the title, this interesting talk goes way beyond making toast as author Tom Wujec explain how you can break down complex problems by visualizing each of the steps – hence why he kicks off asking everyone to draw out their process for making toast.
