With an average commute time of 54 minutes, and many city workers facing even longer journeys, UK residents have more time on their hands than they think.
Regardless of the amount of time you spend getting to and from work, there are loads of things you can do to make your commute time a more productive part of your day.
In the car
Driving to work; you either love it or hate it. Whether you’re in the car for 10 minutes or 2 hours, you don’t have to listen to the same radio show every morning. Here are a few ways to mix up your morning drive:
- Offer to lift-share – you’ll be helping the environment and getting to know your co-workers a little bit better. You never know, spending more social time with colleagues might even lead to some professional wins.
- Listen to an audio book. One of the biggest frustrations faced by driving commuters is that they have to focus on driving and can’t dedicate the time to relaxing. Pick an enjoyable, educational or professionally relevant audio book and nourish your mind.
On the train…
…bus, or tube. Public transport is one of the most common ways of getting to work – it can be uncomfortable and stressful at best, so here are some ideas to brighten up your daily commute:
- Books, newspapers and magazines galore. Perk yourself up with some reliable reading material!
- Netflix – your new best friend, letting you catch up on any TV shows or movies you may have missed during the week. By relaxing on your commute you should go into work feeling refreshed and motivated.
- Be even more productive and tackle work – make a start on the leftovers on your to-do list. Make sure you have your laptop, tablet or phone and a reliable data/internet connection.
- If you’re still trying to catch up on sleep, why not try and get a few minutes of shut-eye. A power nap can work wonders for your mental and physical well-being, but don’t forget to set your alarm, you don’t want to miss your stop!
While you’re walking
Lugging your laptop, lunch and a pair of shoes isn’t the easiest of tasks, but walking to work is a great way to feel energised and get the blood pumping, as well as being a cheaper alternative to driving or public transport. Your hands may already be full, but if you’re looking to do more with your commute, consider these options:
- Go ahead and return those voicemails. Whether it’s personal or business, using your walk to catch up on phone calls is a great way to spend the time. It also gives you a great excuse to get off the phone when a conversation runs a bit longer than you’d like!
- Catch up on your ‘reading’ list – pop in your headphones and listen to an audio book – however, note that it’s not advisable to actually read while walking!
- You could also make the most of that fancy smartphone and use the voice commands to make your to-do list for the day; a perfect way to set yourself up to be as productive as possible when you make it into the office.
Many also opt to cycle, jog or scoot into work – you could probably listen to an audio book on your journey, but we think you’re already making the most of your commute time; now you can skip the gym!
Article contributed by: CV Library
