Podcasts that make early mornings more fun

For the last several months, I’ve had this little secret morning routine.

My alarm is set one hour before my kids and husband – so that I can slowly start the day listening to one (sometimes two) of my favorite podcasts.

No interruptions, no censoring with little ones around…

I’ll start the podcast in the bathroom as I get myself dressed and ready – and then I’ll finish listening to it in the kitchen as I setup breakfast and make peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches for school.

T.V doesn’t have the same effect, because it demands too much of your attention. It forces you to stop and watch. But with a podcast – you can get dressed, organized, you can pack lunches and do the dishes – all in one show!

 There are five podcasts that I can’t seem to get enough of and highly recommend:

1. Criminal. Normally, I’m a big scaredy-cat, but these stories are not designed to scare. They are well told documentaries of criminals throughout time. There are horse thieves, prison escapes, lunatic nurses and bored bank robbers…Episode 47: Brownie Lady got me hooked
2.  Heavyweight. Each episode follows an individual who wants to correct something that went wrong in their life. They’re followed around with a recorder and you get to hear them doing the thing they wished they had done a long time ago. It’s a brand new series, there are only three episodes so far and I’m desperate for the next one to come out!Episode 2: Gregor is so good.
3. Not by accident. This is one of the most beautiful podcasts – a mother began recording herself from the moment she decided that she would have a baby as a single parent. Its presented like a documentary – she narrates her story woven in with these recordings of the past, which has this way of drawing you in. You hear her footsteps walking into the insemination clinic, her phone calls with her mother, you hear her baby’s first cry…  I’m already getting teary-eyed!This podcasts needs start from Episode 1
4. How I built this. For anyone who wants to build a business of their own – this podcast is pure motivation. You hear stories told by entrepreneurs – the process of creating a movement, their failures, their insights…I loved the story of Gary Erickson, creator Cliff Bar and Cathy Hughes who founded Radio One, the  largest African American owned broadcasting company.
5. My Dad Wrote a Porno. An adult son discovers that his retired father has written a porno. So, he decides to read out loud a chapter of his dads book – to his best friends – and record it. They’re now joined by millions of listeners each week! It’s awkward, sometimes anatomically incorrect…. it’s hilarious!You’ll want to start from Episode 1

I think a good podcast can serve as an incentive to do something that you need a little motivation for…  It’s like a treat that makes getting up out of bed, or going for a walk, even doing the dishes… a little more interesting.

Do you listen to podcasts? Let me know what’s on your radar!