Except for a few CEOs, no one is looking forward to a forced return to office (RTO). Data suggests that expected benefits and actual impact are likely to be very different. Whether you are drinking the Kool-Aid or just going along until you find something better, you are going to be once again giving up a significant portion of your day. Here are a few ideas to get the most out of your commute time.
Car Time
It’s really easy to get on the highway and turn on the radio to and from the office. It is mindless enjoyment, and unless you are working on your singing abilities, there’s no real benefit to your commute time. Making the most of your commute time can make the return to commuting a bit more bearable.
Instead of music, listen to Audiobooks or Podcasts. You can use this time to absorb new knowledge, whether it’s through self-development audiobooks, educational podcasts, or fiction for relaxation.
You can also learn a new skill or language. Language learning apps like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone are perfect for short, consistent practice. You can also use apps like Udemy, Coursera, or Skillshare to take short courses on various topics. I wouldn’t use any of the ones with visuals while you are driving, but there’s plenty of audio content out there for learning. There’s a great library of free courses from Stanford University and most TED talks don’t need visuals to appreciate.
Public Transportation
You have more options on what you can do with public transportation, but there are also some limitations.
You can use your time on public transportation to plan your day or week. Use your commute to mentally organize your tasks, create to-do lists, or review goals. Apps like Trello or Google Keep help manage tasks efficiently.
Perhaps a little meditation or mindfulness exercises would help. Depending on your choice of public transportation, this could be a good time to use guided meditation apps like Calm or Headspace that can help you reduce stress and relax during your commute.
You can also catch up on personal projects and read e-books, articles, or news on your phone or tablet. Use apps like Pocket or Flipboard to save and read articles offline. With most trains having power outlets, you have a few more options in terms of what devices you may want to use.
Thinking Outside of the Box
Walking to work, or biking to work are great ways to exercise if the distances are reasonable. You might even save on a gym membership.
Recording videos while you drive is not something I would recommend, but some people are pretty comfortable with it. As long as you aren’t using a handheld camera, it’s probably legal in your state. Whether it’s long-form or short-form content, some people can do these videos quite well. It clicks the authentic box, and as long as you can focus on the road, I guess it’s ok.
Before Covid, I got tired of just listening to podcasts and decided to dictate articles while driving. I originally used an app called Temi which worked pretty well, but when they raised the per-minute price I started looking for something different and found otter.ai. They target business users so personal users get a free allotment of minutes. I’ve been using it ever since and eventually got the crazy idea of dictating a science fiction book. I did the whole thing in about 2 weeks’ worth of commuting. Editing took much longer.
Even though I haven’t commuted regularly for several years, I had fun writing that book and did some more. The second in the series is almost ready for publication so if you are reading this on Oct 21, 2024, the first in the series is free today on Kindle. Just click the link to download The Test. I did the whole thing in about 2 weeks worth of commuting. Editing took much longer.
Even though I haven’t commuted regularly for several years, I had fun writing that book, and did some more. The second in the series is almost ready for publication so if you are reading this on Oct 21, 2024, the first in the series is free today on Kindle. Just click the link to download The Test.
No matter what you do, if you have to commute, make the most of it.
