Most large metropolitan cities are famous for constant traffic jams. One of the challenges residents of these cities have to face daily is rising early to hit the road hoping to beat the traffic after getting home late the previous night.
The heavy traffic, coupled with long commutes, can drain energy and kill productivity. However, rather than sit uncomfortably in traffic if you’re not using one of the bike-hailing services, here are some of the productive things you can do even when you’re driving.
Listen to podcasts/audiobooks/ radio programs:
While waiting for the traffic to ease off, you might choose to listen to informative/entertaining podcasts, audiobooks or radio programs. All you need do is plug in your earphones or let it play through the speakers. Staying informed is essential as one cannot afford to be ignorant of global occurrences.
Learn something new:
In this Information age where at the tap of a button, the Internet gives us access to everything, learning has become easier. You might want to learn a new language, take online courses, learn culinary skills from platforms such as YouTube, Udemy, and Coursera, to name a few. Be careful with how you fiddle with your phone when driving.
Declutter your inbox:
Clearing up your inbox is another thing you can do while in traffic especially if you’re not driving. Having a zero inbox helps you to filter through a heap of unimportant and unread messages when looking for an important one. Spend time archiving, deleting, and unsubscribing from emails/newsletters you don’t find useful anymore is surely productive.
Listen to music:
Sometimes there’s nothing better than starting the day with some good music. It could help you enjoy yourself and relax. Sing along when your favourite songs play. This good mood will follow you to the office.
Have a productive conversation:
If you are having a passenger in your car, you can start having a conversation. You can learn something new that way as well as get to know the person better.
Pause and self-reflect:
In this age where some people find it difficult to maintain work-life balance it’s important to remember that no matter how brilliant your ideas or how dynamic your work, you as an individual are the driver for every project you push forward. Thus, it’s important that everyone takes the time to align themselves and evaluate their own state – commute time can be for reflection.
Jot/record your thoughts:
Looking to become an author someday? Well, your commute time provides a chance for you to move closer to your goal. If you’re been driven you can jot down your thoughts. If you’re holding the steering, you can record into your phone. When you do this regularly, you’ll find out that your draft is filling up fast.
Call that long-time family member, friend or acquaintance:
Have you been procrastinating making a call to a family member, friend or someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time, well being stuck in traffic provides a chance to get that done. If you’re driving, remember to use hands-free or connect your phone to the car stereo.
Your commuting time doesn’t have to be wasted. Whatever means of transportation you use to your office, there are plenty of ways to maximize your morning and evening trips and boost your productivity.
What productive exercise do you engage in while commuting? Please share with us in the comment section.
