Make The Most Out Of Your Commute

On average Londoners spend fifty-five minutes getting into work (according to a Guardian article). That is just under ten hours a week sitting on the tube, bus or in a car…

In other words most people spend at least 40 hours per month commuting. Think what you could do with 40 extra hours. You could write a short story, read a book, knit a scarf, the list goes on. However, depending on your mode of transport it is not always easy to be productive in these ways. There are still things you can do with your journey to maximize the time and make it slightly less painful.

Download an audio book:

With two hours of listening everyday imagine what you could learn or enjoy. It is possible to download, lectures, podcasts or even films when you have Wi-Fi and then listen to them when no connection is available. This is great for when on the tube or in the car. TED talks have a range of lectures with varying lengths.  They are great for both long and short commutes.

Read a book:

Alternatively you can get your nose stuck in a great book. If you need some motivation on a Monday morning, invest in an inspirational read – the Dali Lama or a book of poems. The more engrossed you get in a book the less likely you are to get annoyed at people pushing around you on the tube.

Write:

Buy a little pocket notebook and write to your heart’s desire. You could write a diary on your way home, reflecting how your day went or you could plan out your weekend, better yet get that shopping list down before you resort to getting a take-out instead.

Learn a new language:

There are lots of ways to do this. You could buy a basic book to read or listen to some audio lessons – Rosetta Stone is a recommended one. Watch a movie or episode in your new language.

Be creative:

Not only is it rewarding making something new, but it is also therapeutic. You could take up knitting and make a scarf. Forty hours is definitely enough time for this. Gift your new scarf to someone for a personal, thoughtful present.

It is what you make of it. Yes – having people pressed up against you on a sweaty tube isn’t exactly pleasant. However, if we can use the time beneficially it seems much more bearable.

What do you do on your commute to work?