Discover 17 creative ways to make your daily commute to work more enjoyable and productive, transforming mundane travel into a delightful experience.
Commuting can be a drag. But there are ways you may be able to make it more enjoyable and potentially turn it into some leisure time. Below are a few different ways to occupy your commute to make it either more fun or productive.
Suitable for public transport…
Read a book
A lot of us don’t get time to read a book at home. A bus or train journey could be the perfect time to do some reading. This could be a physical book or an ebook. You don’t need an internet connection to read a book, which can make it ideal for forms of public transport that may have shaky (or no) wi-fi.
Experiment with hot drinks
Bringing a coffee with you in a flask could make your commute more enjoyable. Rather than having the same coffee every day, consider experimenting with different beans and blends or adding different flavorings. Of course, you don’t have to have coffee; you could put some tea in a flask or even some hot chocolate. Herbal teas may even help you to destress before work (but may also make you feel more drowsy if it’s early in the morning).
Catch up on TV series
By downloading apps for streaming services like Netflix and Hulu on your phone, you can catch up on all your favorite TV shows and movies as you commute. This is ideal for long commutes. Some streaming services allow you to download TV shows and movies to watch offline, which can be useful for public transport with poor wi-fi.
Solve puzzles
Your commute could be an opportunity to test your brain with sudokus, crosswords, word searches, and other paper puzzles. Alternatively, you can solve puzzles on your phone via apps and websites. Many digital puzzle games have levels and may challenge you to beat your time, helping to create a sense of progress.
Take quizzes
You’ll find all kinds of quizzes online to test your knowledge. Consider spending your commute completing such quizzes. You could look up general knowledge quizzes or niche quizzes on specific subjects.
Learn new card games
You can play all kinds of card games online, ranging from spider solitaire to spades. Sites and apps allow you to play against other players or against a computer. While you may want to stick to familiar games, your commute could be an opportunity to learn new card games. On top of looking up instructions, you can test out these games and decide if they’re worth playing in the future.
Watch educational YouTube videos
YouTube is full of educational videos on all kinds of niche subjects. If you’ve got wi-fi, why not delve into a few of these videos on your commute and learn some new things? Plug in your headphones, or put the subtitles on.
Create AI art
There are many fun platforms online that can allow you to make your own digital art by entering AI prompts. Some of these platforms allow you to like and comment on other people’s creations, as well as share your own. This can give you an incentive to create cooler and better creations.
Write blog posts
Do you own a blog? Your commute could be the perfect time to draft out some blog posts. If you don’t like typing on your phone, consider bringing a laptop. Alternatively, use a Bluetooth keyboard.
Plan out your day
The morning commute could be the perfect time to plan out your day. This could include scheduling work tasks or planning what you’re going to do after work. You could even create a plan in your notes so you don’t forget.
Make plans with friends
Your commute could also be the perfect time to connect with friends. Consider answering any messages you haven’t replied to, and then consider future social plans you’d like to make with your friends.
Organize photos/emails/apps
You could also spend your commute doing some much-needed digital decluttering. This could include deleting excess photos, catching up on unread emails, or reordering your apps so that your most used apps are on the homepage. Similarly, if you’ve got your laptop, you could use your commute to sort through files.
Suitable for the car…
Learn a new language
When driving a car, you can only really use your ears as your hands and eyes are occupied. However, you can still explore different ways to occupy yourself. One productive option could be to listen to audio language learning lessons. From these lessons, you can gradually pick up new vocabulary and phrases as you commute.
Put on an audiobook
You can’t read a book while driving, but you can listen to audiobooks. Consider novels and non-fiction titles you’ve been meaning to read and see if there is an audiobook version available. You can download audiobooks online from various online stores. Some can even be streamed.
Listen to podcasts
Podcasts are a chance to listen to other people talk about educational, motivational, or entertaining topics. You’ll find podcasts available to stream online on almost every subject you can think of, from ghost stories to sports debates. Consider scheduling some podcasts for your journey as you drive to work.
Discover new music
Many of us listen to music on our commute, but it tends to be familiar music. Instead, why not use this time to discover new music? This could include listening to new albums from different artists or playlists of different styles of music, helping you to expand your music tastes.
Take your bike instead
Only have to drive a short distance to work? Why not cycle to work instead? If you often have to deal with heavy morning traffic, cycling may not be much slower. You’ll also get a morning workout, and you’ll save money on fuel (plus, you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint). Get your bike out and give it a go one morning. Even cycling one day per week to work could have benefits and could vary your commute a little.
In conclusion
There are countless ways to add excitement and productivity to your daily commute. Whether you choose to immerse yourself in a captivating book, listen to inspiring podcasts, or practice mindfulness exercises, seizing these moments can turn your commute into a valuable part of your day. Experiment with different strategies and find what works best for you to make the most of this time spent on the go.
