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Environmental benefits aside, your morning bus, train or ferry ride is awesome because you can use it to achieve things you just can't do if you're driving. I'm all for catching up on the news or reading a novel while commuting, but there are lots of other things you can do that will have you feeling productive before you even arrive at work or school for the day.
- Listen to a podcast or audio CD of foreign language lessons. Give it a few months and you'll have a new skill.
- If you're a last minute person, the morning commute is a valuable opportunity to finish off anything you have due that morning.
- If you're more of an organised person, use the time to plan out your day.
- Get your brain going by doing a sudoku or cryptic crossword.
- If you're a bit useless at keeping in touch (like me), you could use the time to call a friend or family member for a catch-up. It was probably never a good idea to do that while driving, and now it's illegal (in New Zealand at least).
- Let your creative side loose. Start writing the novel/autobiography/bad poetry/journal/screenplay/love letter you've always wanted to write.
- Review your goals to motivate you for the day ahead. If you haven't set any goals yet this year, set some.
- Ladies: do your pelvic floor muscle exercises!
- Write a submission or letter to the editor on the latest issue you feel strongly about.
- If you had a late night and are dreading the day ahead, the most productive thing to do might be to have a wee snooze. Beware, this option is not so productive if you miss your stop!
How do you make your public transport commute awesome?
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Love this list! If I come acros an interesting article online I quite often print it out (double-sided of course!) and read it on my bus ride home, so I don't get too distracted from my work - or get sore eyes from reading a mammoth NYT article on-screen. I save really boring things that I have to read for work for the morning bus, as I'm so docile in the mornings I'll just read whatever words are in front of my face (cereal packets, etc).
ReplyDeleteI'm also in a dance group, so I listen to our routine's music and do the moves in my head! (Sometimes also with my feet!)
I like reading novels, but barely have time day to day because I feel I could be more productive with my time. So I read when I'm on the bus.
ReplyDeleteAnnabel: I can relate to the tendency to read anything that is in front of me first thing in the morning. Great that you have found a way to use that to your advantage. The thought of sneaky bus dancing makes me smile - I'm going to try that out!
ReplyDeleteClint: I reckon that if you're being productive for the rest of the day, relaxing with a novel on your commute is the perfect thing to do!