Getting into work can be a difficult thing – especially if you’re travelling through a busy city during rush hour. You’re stuck in traffic, having to constantly monitor what’s going on around you, and your fellow motorists might not be helping. Or, you’re crammed onto a train, constantly worrying about the prospect of a replacement bus service.
Get an Audiobook
If you’re reading something interesting, then the commute might actually be a time that you look forward to. If you’ve always wanted to read something heavy, like War and Peace or Crime and Punishment, then you can find the time to get through it on your journey. The average daily commute is around an hour in the UK, which means you can chew through millions of words in a single year.
Listen to Music
This one might sound pretty obvious. Your favorite songs are going to provide comfort during stressful times. Everyone’s different when it comes to taste: for some, a relaxing piano sonata is going to fit the bill nicely; for others, the catharsis of a heavy-metal anthem will be preferable.
Meditation
Mindfulness is a form of attention-honing practice whose benefits are difficult to seriously argue with. You might think that it’s impossible to meditate while you’re travelling – but the practice that you uphold at home will have benefits that percolate into the rest of your waking life – including the time that you spend travelling.
Learn a Language
If you’re sitting alone in a car, then it’s a great time to start learning a new language. You can shout out those new phrases as much as you’d like, without having to worry about the judgement of other people. When you get advanced, you can start listening to podcasts in foreign languages, too.
Keep a diary
If you’re maintaining a journal, then extended periods of travel can make for a great time to regularly add to it. You can use the time to plan your activities for the day ahead, or to reflect on your experiences of the one you’ve just been through.
Try Walking
If it’s at all possible, then injecting some exercise into your morning routine can confer stress-busting benefits. You might park a little bit further from your workplace, or get off a stop or two early. You’ll make the commute longer, but you’ll also make it a great deal more pleasant. For example, if you’re taking the train from Doncaster to Wakefield Kirkgate, then you might get off at Westgate instead.
