The average commuter spends 42 hours a year sitting in traffic. This equates to a week of work for full-timers, the only contrast being that no one is being paid. Commuting can be a boring experience if you allow it to be. That being said, there are numerous ways to avoid the doldrum of sitting in your car or on a train, staring off into space.
Boredom isn’t the only downside of a long commute, however. Those who spend a greater amount of time commuting to work are reportedly at higher risk for obesity and depression, meaning that there are both mental and physical risks involved in your journey to work each day.
Listen to Music
Considering the vast amount of entertainment available online and in the world in general, you have little excuse for your boredom on the way to work. Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music enable you to access millions of songs and playlists at a moment’s notice. Curated playlists tailored to your tastes in musical genres and artists means you can constantly discover new artists and songs on a daily basis. And if you’d rather not spend data on live streaming music, many streaming services give you the ability to save playlists and songs directly to your device. This enables you to listen to your favorite tunes while your device is in offline mode, saving you money while keeping your brain on the music, and off the fact that you’re commuting.
Podcasts and Other Media
Podcasts are also on the rise, with 150,000 being launched in 2019 alone. Many are available through streaming services, or self-made content sites like YouTube. Whether you like true crime, entertainment, storytelling, or virtually any genre, there are numerous choices. Radio also isn’t quite dead, meaning you can access news, music, and top-40 hits you might not otherwise be exposed to, all while making your commute.
If you engage in public transport and don’t have to manually control the vehicle, you can also entertain yourself through means such as newspapers, magazines, online articles, and even video streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu. By turning your commute into a moving movie theatre, you can easily distract yourself from the fact you’re traveling to or from work.
Prepare Yourself
Whether by brewing yourself a beverage for the road with coffee machines (see a few here) or a kettle, one can both up to their caffeine consumption and make their commute seem faster. A warm beverage can also keep your hands warm while waiting for your car to warm up in the winter, or help stimulate your body’s homeostasis to regulate your body temperature in the summertime. Also, you can try Vivarin Gum, caffeine gums.
Move
Do you hate your commute, and have a permanent position? If you can afford it, consider moving closer to your job. The time you save in commuting equates to sleeping in and earlier dinner preparation times, meaning a happier and more productive mindset overall. By shortening your commute, you could be potentially lengthening your lifespan.
The following video may help shed some light on the subject:
Nicola Holder 