Like it or not, we spend an enormous amount of time in our daily commute. Some experts say that we spend over a year of our lives commuting. So that’s a lot of hours we use up just riding on a train or in express van services.
Rather than let the time fly by without doing anything productive, we should do something while we wait for our stop. So without further ado, here are some activities you should do while you’re commuting:
Learn a language
Do you know that learning a language can slow down the development of Alzheimer’s? It’s true. Scientists discovered that learning a language develops new neuron pathways in our brains that can help curb the growth of Alzheimer’s disease.
But some people say that they don’t have enough time to learn a new language. However, they can do it when they’re riding a bus or train to work. So instead of wondering what cologne the person sitting next to you is wearing, get the DuoLingo app and start learning a new language.
Learning a new language will not only open your mind to new things; it can also help you rise in the corporate ladder because companies value employees who speak more than one language. So the next time you commute, put your earphones on and start learning German, Spanish, or Japanese.
Meditate
So maybe your daily commute is too stressful for you to learn a new language. That’s okay because you can use this time to learn how to counter that stress. You should practice meditation while you’re commuting. It can be hard at first, but somehow you’ll be able to calm your soul even when you’re amongst a hundred other commuters.
What you can do is try to focus on one image on your commute. Maybe the train you took has a picture of a beach or the cab you’re in has a picture of a forest. Whatever the image is, focus on it.
Tune out your surroundings and practice your deep breathing exercises. Eventually, you’ll be able to practice meditating even when your environment is chaotic.
Set your daily goals
If you want your work at the office to go faster, you can start working while you’re commuting. Instead of staring outside the train, take this time to set your daily goals so that when you arrive at the office, you’ll hit the ground running.
What you can do is bring your journal with you every morning and jot down the tasks you need to take care of for the day. Once you’re done with those, you can check some of the tasks and see if they can be accomplished while you’re still on the road.
If you’ve taken care of some of your tasks for the day, you’ll be able to finish earlier in the office. Or you can make more time for your more important tasks.
Listen to a podcast
Aside from learning another language, you can also use your commute time to learn something new. The digital age has made it possible for anyone to learn anything anywhere. Just listen to a podcast, and you’ll be able to learn more about subjects you’ve wanted to know more about.
If you’ve wanted to understand the Theory of Relativity, then use your commute time to learn about Albert Einstein’s hypothesis. If you want to learn more about the culture of ancient tribes in Papua New Guinea, then look for a podcast that can teach you that. Just imagine how much you can learn if you use your commute time for this activity.
Commuting can be dull, annoying, and even exhausting sometimes, but it’s really up to you on how you want this activity to affect you. You can choose to do nothing or do something and make your commute more meaningful.