Millions of Brits spend hours each day commuting to work. They file into cramped train carriages and start their day in a stressful environment. Commuting is expensive and time-consuming. You could spend those hours on the train with your family or relaxing at home. However, in the modern world, commuting provides us with countless career opportunities that often don’t exist outside the city.
The trick is to make the most out of your commuting time. Instead of spending hours on the train bored and stressed, you could do something beneficial. Here are a few ways to make your commute more productive.
Work
If you’re catching the train from Hartlepool to London, squeeze in an extra hour of work on your journey. Suppose you have Wi-Fi or data available; you can catch up on your emails before entering the office. Run over your notes for the morning meeting and write down your to-do list. Use the commute to organise your day and get your ducks in a row. You might not get a chance to do this in the office.
If you are in a blackout zone on the train, work offline. You could download a few reports to read over on the train or revise your notes for an upcoming presentation. You can concentrate on the task at hand – instead of getting side-tracked by emails, colleagues and urgent tasks.
Make goals
Think of your commute as time for you. You could sit down one morning and make some goals for the month ahead. They could be professional, personal or totally random. It’s good to check in with yourself from time to time and make sure you’re on track.
Get away from it all
Rush hour can make your anxiety spike before you’ve even boarded the train. Download a meditation session on your phone and use noise-cancelling headphones to listen. You can zone out from the loud voices, pushing bodies and screeching of the railway track. Ground yourself and take some deep breaths.
Listen
Rest and relax on the train. Use the commute to learn something new through a podcast or audiobook. Listen to your favourite trashy romance novel as you transfer trains, hop on the tube and walk to the office. Wireless headphones are perfect for the commute. You don’t need to bother with wires getting tangled, and you can listen to your book from door to door. Simple.
The commute will be your favourite time of day in no time at all.
