I have a bit of an obsession with podcasts, and I’m not alone. According to Edison Research, 46 million Americans listen to podcasts each month. Over the past two years, podcast popularity has exploded and it is easy to find a show that suits about anyone’s listening pleasure. However, podcasts aren’t new, they have been around for over a decade. Heck, I helped produce and even served as an occasional co-host on one way back before it was cool. Shout out to you, Dr. Tony Weaver and Rick Phillips on Health Matters Radio for being the first cool kids on the podcast block.

Here are my top 5 go-to podcasts to stay informed, be inspired and give my brain a break while hustling each week. I should add, paring my list down to my top 5 was quite a job. My full list  is in the neighbor of 30, and it continues to grow.

Being Boss – To say that Being Boss easily tops the list is a huge understatement. I look forward to getting ready for work every Tuesday, because I get to listen to a new show. That’s right, every Tuesday I hop out of bed like a kid on Christmas morning to listen to a PODCAST about creative entrepreneurship. (BTW, I love, love, love what I do) Co-hosts Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson, who each own individual thriving businesses share bits of knowledge and experience. The guests on the show are a-mazing and the community around this podcast is even better. I finish every episode ready to kick some creative ass. If you are a creative who is new to the business, burnt out in the business or just love all things related to creative entrepreneurship give it a listen.

The Get Paid Podcast – Now Being Boss may be the first podcast I listen to every Tuesday, but as soon as I get to the office I turn on The Get Paid Podcast. This show goes behind the scenes of running online businesses. While other podcasts and their guests just talk gross revenue, Get Paid discusses the whole picture. They talk gross revenue, net revenue, expenses, how teams are grown, fumbles along the way and so much more. Host Claire Pelletreau is a bonafide Facebook ad guru and sprinkles in tons of knowledge on the subject. Plus, Val Geisler joined the show this season as co-host. Val is a master of all things systems related and again shares more knowledge than I remember without taking notes. To make sure I soak in all the knowledge they have to share, I follow both of their blogs.

Serial – I am late to the party on this podcast, but oh my gawd I am hooked. Each season show host, Sarah Koenig, tells one, true-story one week at a time. Sarah unfolds each story through surprises and twists that have you constantly shifting your theory about how the story will end. Each episode makes me feel like I am sitting in third grade again listening to story time (and I REALLY loved story time in the third grade. Thanks, Mrs. Aronhalt!) The thing about discovering a podcast late is the ability to binge listen to a whole season Netflix style. And that is exactly what I did with the entire first season of Serial. Season one takes us on the journey with Sarah as she investigates the very complicated story of a Baltimore teen convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. If you need a break from information overload, and you love twist-filled plots give this one a listen.

MacPower Users – Mac Powers Users is definitely for those of us that consider ourselves a bit more on the tech geek side. Co-hosts David Sparks and Katie Floyd, who are both lawyers by day, share how they use Apple products and apps to make working in a digital world a bit more efficient. They test drive apps, gear and hardware and share their favorite solutions for everyday headaches like email clients, security and workflows. Plus, as Apple releases new products or system upgrades they give detailed overviews; outlining beneficial and not so beneficial features. I learn at least one cool hack or new app to make life a little easier during each episode. These podcasts are long, clocking in between and hour and an hour and a half. To be honest, I don’t normally even listen to a whole show at once. However, if you are a bit of a geek like me, check it out.

The Freelancer – Paul Jarvis, one of the official podcast boyfriends of the Being Boss girls (hey, they said that not me), hosts a short weekly podcast for creative freelancers. By short, I mean really short – normally 10 minutes or less. His podcasts are to the point, tackling one specific topic each week. As a (mostly) self-trained freelancer with a very successful career spanning almost 20 years, Paul shares wise, actionable advice learned not from books, but from learning in the trenches. Oh, and as any good boyfriend would, he joined Being Boss to talk about his career path and goal setting.

Are you already a podcast fan? I hope the shows on my list add some fun, new perspectives and inspiration to your work week. If you haven’t jumped on the podcast craze just yet, no worries. Start by exploring the shows on this list and you will soon find countless shows that you love.