How to make the most of your time on the way to work
03 December 2015
How much time is wasted commuting to work... surely? There are many useful things you can do on your way to the office! We suggest 10 things to do to make the most of your time on the way to work.
Did you know that we spend, on average, 57 minutes to get to work? If we do the maths, that's almost 5 hours a week, which is a lot of time to spend.
Why not invest it in things that add value?
1. Meditate
It may sound a bit mystical, but it is one of the recommendations of business gurus. It's about, for a moment, taking a deep breath, and visualising how the day is going to go, especially if you do it on the way out, or how the day has worked and how to plan the next day, if you prefer to exercise it on the way back.
2. Cultivate your mind
Vibrant best sellers or thoughtful essays, you choose the book. And if audiovisuals are your thing, there's nothing better than catching up on that new series that's just been released and everyone's talking about it over coffee.
3. Take care of social relations
Are your loved ones a bit neglected? Surely, from time to time, you make a resolution to make amends and consider talking more with your family or with that friend you haven't seen for so long. A quick phone call on the way to work, and that's all there is to it. If you're accompanied and you can chat live, all the better.
4. Get the house ready
With so much stress, we lack the minutes to get the housework done. Of course, you're not going to put the washing machine on the road (unless you have one of those smart houses), but you can make a shopping list so you can get to the supermarket as soon as you get off at your stop. Or a list of what's left to do at home.
Related: 10 transport habits of employees in Spain
5. Get in shape
As a curious TV character once said: the street can be your gym. And so can public transport. Because nothing is healthier for raising your heart rate than walking up the stairs instead of taking the escalator or getting off one stop earlier and completing the rest of the journey on foot.
6. Write
Your memories, your ideas, your worries, on your blog... Always have somewhere to write (whether it's paper and pen, your mobile or a laptop) as it's a very therapeutic way to release the tensions inside you. Writing can help you to come up with creative ideas.
7. Take up a hobby
For example, knitting. Don't worry, you won't be the first or the only one to do arts and crafts on the metro or bus.
8. Learn a language
Never again will you be able to say: “I dropped out of English because I didn't have time to do my homework”. On public transport you can brush up on your grammar, practise your writing, read foreign newspapers, listen to podcasts and, with a bit of luck, try to catch the words of the locals on the fly.
9. Empty your mind
Sometimes, we are so busy that we don't even have a second of quiet time to be in silence with ourselves. This could be your moment. Don't do or think anything. Look at the scenery or your fellow travellers and just enjoy the journey.
10. Save money!
Yes, purchasing public transport tickets with Ticket Transport provides an average saving of 20-25% thanks to its personal income tax exemption.
