It’s part of the day that can sometimes feel like a waste of time: Commuting to and from work.
Whether it’s 20 minutes by car or an hour by train, your commute time is a solid chunk of your week in which you’re not able to do a whole lot.
But that doesn’t mean it can’t be useful! Here are four ways in which you can make your commute — dare we say it — almost enjoyable.
Catch up on your (audio) reading.
How often do you think about how you’d like to read more? Do you feel left out when everyone’s talking about the latest bestseller and you just nod along but can’t contribute because you haven’t even picked it up yet? Your commute is a perfect opportunity to fix that! Audiobooks are the ideal commute companion: Whether you’re in your car or on mass transit, just open up the title on a book service and enjoy the story. Most people loved being read to as a child; there’s no reason why we can’t enjoy this as adults too.
Listen to your favorite songs.
This is an obvious but important one: Music connects us to our lives and our memories in a way almost nothing else can. It’s a great stress reliever at the end of the day and can get you pumped up and ready to go before the workday starts. If you don’t have a lot of time to yourself at home and can’t use music as a background while at work, your drive to and from the office can be your own personal concert in which your favorite musicians play nothing but hits. It’s a little pleasure in life, but it can make all the difference.
Make lists.
Most smartphones come with some kind of notes application in which you can make lists and write reminders, among other things. If you’re using mass transit to get to work, open the app and make a list of what you want to get done at work that day or remind yourself of things that need to get done at home this week. If you’re driving, open the app before you leave home and turn on your voice-to-text function and start talking. It might all come out as one long list, but you can break that up later. This is a positive and productive use of your time that can help you keep your ongoing mental reminder list a real thing, something you can reference when you feel like you have to do something but can’t quite remember what it is. Plus, the satisfaction of crossing something off is a little gift you can give yourself.
Give yourself time to think.
Are you happy in your life? Is there a big problem you’re trying to work out but don’t have the time to do so at home? Is there something you’re looking forward to but don’t have a chance to get really excited about it? Here’s your chance! If you’re driving by yourself, you have the freedom and opportunity to talk out loud, to yourself, and work through whatever’s on your mind. Think about what makes you happy, what you’re grateful for, something that’s bothering you, anything that’s on your mind. If you’re on mass transit, just stare out the window or take out some paper and jot down your thoughts. Take a thread of a thought and see where it goes. By the time you arrive at your destination, you might have figured it all out!
Tired of a long commute? Sterling Personnel can help you make a change.
All this time to think might make you realize it’s time to find a new job, maybe one closer to home. If that’s the case, Sterling Personnel can help! We work with great companies that are looking for someone with your skills and experience — maybe even a company located closer to where you live, which can help improve your work-life balance.
