Improve your commute to work

Commuting can be expensive, tedious and stressful. Sometimes your train gets delayed, the bus doesn’t show up or your sleep in. Sitting on public transport can feel like wasted time – especially if your commute is over a couple of hours.

There are simple ways you can make your commute more valuable and productive. Use the time to develop a new hobby, catch up with friends or relax. Endless opportunities are waiting for you on your morning and evening commute. You could even talk with your boss about switching your working hours so that you can miss the peak rush hour traffic from 7.30 am to 8.30 am.

Make your commute more enjoyable and make the most out of this time with these simple tips.

Listen to podcasts

There is a wide variety of podcasts out there, each with its own niche, cast and topics. Listen to your favourite talk show, true crime or horror story to wake you up in the morning. Podcasts are a gentle way to inject some fun into your morning without being bombarded with too much information and screen time.

Get yourself a Bluetooth headset so you can listen while walking, jumping on trains and running to the office. No one wants to untangle wires early in the morning.

Work

Sometimes the best way to spend a commute is to get ahead on your work for the day. If you have a busy day ahead, use your commute to catch up on emails and get a head start on a presentation. Set yourself up for a productive day before you even step foot in the office. Genius!

Just make sure to book your train tickets in the quiet carriage, so you work without noise distractions.

Meditate

If you have a particularly stressful and busy commute, meditation might just be the remedy for you. Headspace, a mindfulness app, has a section on guided meditation for commuters to help you navigate travel anxiety. Sit back, relax and spend some time looking after you.

Learn something new

Ask your co-workers how they spend their commute and see if you can try out some of their favourite activities. Perhaps they spend their commute learning a new language through a language app or listening to audiobooks to expand their reading list. You could start a book club at work, listen to audiobooks on your commute and discuss on your lunch break.

Get active

For shorter commutes, it might be better to cycle or walk to work instead of getting the tube. Foldable bikes are available if you need to jump on a train for part of your commute and cycle the rest. The fresh air will wake you up, and the exercise endorphins will set you up for a positive day.