The first day back at work after a long weekend is a great time to brag to colleagues about all the awesome things you did.
Here's one idea: "I read an entire book and learned these super cool facts ..."
You won't be fibbing, either.
Below, Business Insider has rounded up seven books you can get through in a long weekend — both because they're relatively short and because they're so compelling that you won't be able to put them down.
Grab one (or more!) before you head out this Memorial Day weekend — we can guarantee you'll resurface as a more knowledgeable and interesting person.
SEE ALSO: 33 business books every professional should read before turning 30
'Payoff' by Dan Ariely
This TED book is just over 100 pages and it's jam-packed with creative lessons about what motivates people to do their best work.
Ariely is a behavioral economist and professor at Duke University, and he's published of a number of popular books, including "Predictably Irrational." In "Payoff," Ariely argues that human motivation is a lot more complex than we might believe. Most importantly, money isn't everything.
In fact, getting pizza and compliments can be more motivating than getting a financial bonus. And letting people take ownership of a project and giving them credit for it makes them more inclined to do it well.
Buy it here »
'Designing Your Life' by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
"Design thinking" is a process that's typically used to improve on an object or experience, like a lightbulb or online dating. But in this book, two Stanford professors explain how you can apply the same process to your career, relationships, and life in general.
"Designing Your Life," which is an extension of Burnett and Evans' Stanford course by the same name, includes plenty of helpful brainstorming exercises. One such exercise is "mind-mapping," in which you play a game of word association to help generate ideas about different types of careers you could pursue — or create.
Another one is "Odyssey Planning," in which you map out different ways your life could potentially unfold. So in one life, for example, you could be a lounge singer; in another, you could be an investment banker. The goal is to realize that you could do a lot of things — and many of them could make you happy and unfulfilled.
Buy it here »
'TED Talks' by Chris Anderson
If you've ever watched and enjoyed a TED Talk, you'll devour this recent book by TED curator Chris Anderson. Anderson demystifies the TED experience, breaking down the core components of a successful presentation.
Importantly, those core components remain the same whether you're speaking to an audience of thousands, or just a handful of people in a conference room. For example: Figure out the point you want to make and don't ramble. Tell a story. Break down big ideas into smaller chunks.
Throughout the book, Anderson sprinkles in anecdotes from past TED speakers, such as Monica Lewinsky, who told a (darkly) funny story right at the beginning of her talk. When the joke landed, and the audience laughed, she felt confident enough to continue with the presentation.
Buy it here »
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