There is a lot to love about heading to work, especially if you are still working in an office. Not everyone loves the commute but that doesn’t mean it has to be all bad. If you love going into an office, the one downside might be commuting. It could be worse if you have to drive because being stuck in rush hour traffic is no fun for anyone but if you’re going in on public transport, the commute can become your new playground!
The commute can be super boring if you don’t have anything to do, so it’s up to you to make it as interesting as possible. If you’re spending between an hour and three hours of your day on public transport just getting to and from work, then you need a way to occupy your mind. There are some people who open their laptops and play Minesweeper, and there are others who simply watch shows, but you might want some new ideas. So, with this in mind, we’ve put together a list of things that you can do on your morning commute so that you don’t have to stare out of the window.
1. Learn something
Reading a book or listening to a podcast can really help you to get rid of the mindlessness of the commute and make you feel like you’re doing something useful. Sometimes a podcast can make you feel motivated, and if you’re studying and working, listening to podcasts can help you to get educated while you are on that commute time. Being able to say that you got an hour of studying in before you’ve even got to work can be quite the achievement. If your commute is a fairly short one, you can still commit to listening to podcasts or listening to an audio books, split across your weekly commute.
2. Listen to a podcast for fun
We just talked about using podcasts to help you to study, but if you’re not studying, then listening to a podcast for fun on your commute is a great way to spend your time. The only thing you have to worry about is bursting out laughing on a busy public train or on a bus. There are thousands and thousands of podcasts out there, so there is going to be something that’s going to keep you interested in your commute. Find podcasts that talk about your hobbies, your interests, or the industry that you work in so you have something to keep you in a good mood every time you go to work.
Photo by Charlotte May
3. Work on a new skill
On your commute, if you’re stuck on a train for an hour each way, you have valuable time to be able to work on something that can make you feel happy. Whether you’re learning how to sketch in a small sketchbook or you are learning how to knit, you can do that on the train. You could even do an online course, as long as you’ve got a decent Wi-Fi connection or an Internet dongle attached to the laptop. You have time to be able to work on yourself, and you just have to use it in a way that’s positive.
4. Learn a language
If you’re driving, you can listen to language podcasts, but you could also use apps like Duolingo if you’re on the train. If you can be hands free then you can listen to apps like Babbel or Memrise. There are also books for whatever level you are and you can spend some time on the commute reviewing flashcards. If you’re learning French, buy a few of your favorite novels in French so that you can read in the French language instead of the English while you are commuting.
5. Exercise
You can’t exactly exercise if you’re on a busy train, but if you can commute to work via bike, that’s a great way to exercise. If you live close enough to work that you’re only a few bus stops away, you could always jog. Cycling or running to work also can get the blood pumping. And if your building has a shower even better! If you commute by train, you could also try standing instead of sitting. Sometimes standing can do your body a world of good, particularly if you are going to spend the rest of the day sitting on a chair in front of a computer.
There is a lot to love about heading to work, especially if you are still working in an office. Not everyone loves the commute but that doesn’t mean it has to be all bad. If you love going into an office, the one downside might be commuting. It could be worse if you have to drive because being stuck in rush hour traffic is no fun for anyone but if you’re going in on public transport, the commute can become your new playground!
The commute can be super boring if you don’t have anything to do, so it’s up to you to make it as interesting as possible. If you’re spending between an hour and three hours of your day on public transport just getting to and from work, then you need a way to occupy your mind. There are some people who open their laptops and play Minesweeper, and there are others who simply watch shows, but you might want some new ideas. So, with this in mind, we’ve put together a list of things that you can do on your morning commute so that you don’t have to stare out of the window.
1. Learn something
Reading a book or listening to a podcast can really help you to get rid of the mindlessness of the commute and make you feel like you’re doing something useful. Sometimes a podcast can make you feel motivated, and if you’re studying and working, listening to podcasts can help you to get educated while you are on that commute time. Being able to say that you got an hour of studying in before you’ve even got to work can be quite the achievement. If your commute is a fairly short one, you can still commit to listening to podcasts or listening to an audio books, split across your weekly commute.
2. Listen to a podcast for fun
We just talked about using podcasts to help you to study, but if you’re not studying, then listening to a podcast for fun on your commute is a great way to spend your time. The only thing you have to worry about is bursting out laughing on a busy public train or on a bus. There are thousands and thousands of podcasts out there, so there is going to be something that’s going to keep you interested in your commute. Find podcasts that talk about your hobbies, your interests, or the industry that you work in so you have something to keep you in a good mood every time you go to work.
3. Work on a new skill
On your commute, if you’re stuck on a train for an hour each way, you have valuable time to be able to work on something that can make you feel happy. Whether you’re learning how to sketch in a small sketchbook or you are learning how to knit, you can do that on the train. You could even do an online course, as long as you’ve got a decent Wi-Fi connection or an Internet dongle attached to the laptop. You have time to be able to work on yourself, and you just have to use it in a way that’s positive.
4. Learn a language
If you’re driving, you can listen to language podcasts, but you could also use apps like Duolingo if you’re on the train. If you can be hands free then you can listen to apps like Babbel or Memrise. There are also books for whatever level you are and you can spend some time on the commute reviewing flashcards. If you’re learning French, buy a few of your favorite novels in French so that you can read in the French language instead of the English while you are commuting.
5. Exercise
You can’t exactly exercise if you’re on a busy train, but if you can commute to work via bike, that’s a great way to exercise. If you live close enough to work that you’re only a few bus stops away, you could always jog. Cycling or running to work also can get the blood pumping. And if your building has a shower even better! If you commute by train, you could also try standing instead of sitting. Sometimes standing can do your body a world of good, particularly if you are going to spend the rest of the day sitting on a chair in front of a computer.
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