Ideas worth spreading

Playlist

The most popular TED Originals of 2021

TED Original Series dive deep into fascinating topics -- from the future of work and how to achieve a more secure financial future to the secrets of sleep and how your body really works. Here, the ten most-watched Originals episodes published in 2021.

Ashley Whillans

3 rules for better work-life balance

Have you answered a work email during an important family event? Or taken a call from your boss while on vacation? According to behavioral scientist and Harvard Business School professor Ashley Whillans, "always-on" work culture is not only ruining our personal well-being -- but our work, as well. She shares which bad habits are stopping us from getting what we need out of our free time and three practical steps for setting boundaries that stick.

A cleanse won't detox your body -- but here's what will

Put down the cayenne-lemon water and step away from the herbal tea. Cleanses and detox products like these don't remove toxins, says Dr. Jen Gunter, and some of them may even be hurting your health. Learn how your body rids itself of harmful substances and what you can do to keep this system running smoothly. Want to hear more from Dr. Gunter? Check out her podcast Body Stuff, from the TED Audio Collective.

Are naps actually good for us?

Afternoon naps are refreshing -- but could they be messing up our sleep cycles? Sleep scientist Matt Walker reveals the pros and cons of napping, plus tips on how to get the most out of your next short snooze.

What we miss when we focus on the average

It's tempting to focus on averages when we think about data, but the world is a lot messier than those numbers can make it out to be. So what could we gain if we shifted our attention to the outliers in the data, or as data journalist Mona Chalabi likes to call them, the lost birds? Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.

Wendy De La Rosa

10 steps to boost your financial health -- that you can do in a day

You take vacation days, sick days and mental health days; now it's time to add a financial health day to that list! What to do on it? Behavioral psychologist Wendy De La Rosa shares 10 simple steps you can take to spend less, save more -- and stress less.

Want to truly succeed? Lift others up while you climb

It's up to all of us to create a more inclusive and diverse workplace. No matter where you are in your career journey, it's essential that you help others grow, even as you are growing yourself, says ACLU Chief Equity Officer Amber Hikes. She lays out three ways we can help each other succeed -- and empower and advance those who historically have been left behind.

5 skin health myths to stop believing now

Your skin is your body's largest organ ... but it might be the most misunderstood, says Dr. Jen Gunter. From sunscreen to cancer and even chocolate, she tackles five misleading myths about skin and shares what you can do to protect it. Want to hear more from Dr. Gunter? Check out her podcast Body Stuff, from the TED Audio Collective.

Why better sleep means a better sex life

Want a healthier love life? Get better sleep, says sleep scientist Matt Walker. In this episode, he explains how getting more quality shut-eye can boost fertility and vitality -- plus how sex can even improve your sleep.

How did we get fertility so wrong?

When it comes to making a baby, we know it takes two to tango. So why do the pressures of fertility often fall on only one half of the equation? In this video, data journalist Mona Chalabi examines some of the big misconceptions around fertility, shares significant blind spots in the data, and reveals why we need more research on sperm. Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.

Wendy De La Rosa

The money talk that every couple needs to have

When it comes to talking about money with your significant other, most of us ... just don't. But the fact is, if you share a life, you need to discuss your finances now, says behavioral scientist Wendy De La Rosa. She explains why and shares 3 tips to get you started.