Top 10 Tips for Your Daily Commute

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November 24th 2021

With many people now returning to the office or work after the pandemic, the daily commute is now back in full force. Whether you walk, travel by car, or take the train, there’s no doubt you’ve wondered what you can do to make the journey a little less mundane. We’re going to run you through some of the best ways to make the most out of your travel time, from learning new skills to tuning out completely through meditation. Travelling to and from work doesn’t have to be boring anymore!

 

1. Plan Your Day Ahead

The first, and most obvious thing, is to plan what you are going to do or accomplish during your day. Travelling is a great time to set out goals for the day, as it not only doesn’t cut into your working time, but it also means you don’t have to do this as soon as you roll out of bed. Pull together a checklist of things that you know you can get done by the end of the day, and even plan out a timetable for rest of the week if you wish too!

 

2. Life Admin – Catch Up on Calls, Texts or Emails

It’s not easy to be connected 24 hours a day in today’s society. Forgetting to call a loved one back, missing a few texts here and there, or completely forgetting about that email you should’ve responded to last week. Well, you can use your commute to catch up on all of these things at the same time! This admin time on the morning or evening commute will mean that you’re caught up on all social affairs for the day and can focus on getting your work completed and getting home to finally relax.

 

3. Take Your Mind Off the Day, Entertain Yourself

If you’re not one for getting into work mode too early, why not use your travel time to play a few games, watch a film or TV show, or listen to some of your favourite music before you get to work. This will lighten your mood, and most likely put you in great spirits for the rest of the day. Who said your daily commute had to be grey and lifeless like in the movies? Have a bit of fun before you start work instead, your boss will never find out!

 

4. Podcasts and Audio Books Can Help to Get You in Work Mode

Another great way to get set up for the day, is to listen to your industry-related podcasts or audiobooks. These can help to motivate you for your job, with a plethora of material out there on just about any subject you can imagine! You can even use podcasts as a daily activity for your commute, listening to a single episode each day on the way to work, and following along as new episodes are released. Similar to podcasts, you can listen to a single chapter of an audiobook each day until you’ve completed it. Then, move onto another one!

 

5. Never Underestimate the Power of Meditation

If you prefer not to have any audio or visual interruptions on your way to work, you can try meditation. Meditation is proven to help reduce stress and control anxiety, so if you work in a physically or emotionally demanding job, it really can be a godsend to help you centre yourself and redirect your thoughts to more a more positive mindset. If you’ve never tried meditation, there’s never a better time to start than on your daily commute to work.

 

6. Get Your Head into a Good Book

Escapism is a very healthy thing and wanting to take your mind off the day’s events is completely normal. Why not get into that classic book that’s been sitting on your bookshelf for years, as you promised yourself you’d ‘get around to it’. Use your morning or evening travel time to get through it bit by bit, and you’ll be so glad that you did, and yet another thing ticked off your to-do list. Contrary to this, you could also read a book about your industry to learn more about how what you do affects the world. Books can be endless founts of knowledge!

 

7. For Those Longer Commutes – Take a Nap!

Now, we strongly recommend against this if you drive to work, obviously. But, if you’re one of the millions of people that have long train commutes every single day, then there’s no harm in catching up on a few Z’s, especially on the days where you can feel like you didn’t get enough sleep during the night. Tiredness is an innovation killer, so make sure you’re alert and ready to face the day, even if that means cheating a few more precious minutes during your journey to work.

 

8. Learn a New Skill!

If you’re one of those people who is always seeking new things to do or learn, then you can use your daily commute for just that! Learning new skills is invaluable in this day and age, as many workplaces demand more and more of their employees. Use your travel time to learn new skills pertaining to your current role, or skills outside of your comfort zone. This will make you attractive to any future employers or impress your current employer with how proactive you are about your work. That promotion could be a single skill away.

 

9. Prep Your Dinner – Or Meal Ideas for the Week

There’s no better time to plan what you’re going to eat than when you’re sitting doing nothing. You can use your commute time to look up recipes to try out for the first time, or if you know what’s in the cupboards you can plan your evening meal as you travel. You can also use this time to plan a trip to the supermarket to pick-up those last few bits that you missed (and maybe a few treats too, it’s been a long day after all). Create meal ideas for the week, or just for the day, the choice is yours while you have the time!

 

10. Plan Your Next Day So You Can Relax When You Get Home

And finally, if you’re on your way back home and can’t wait to put on that boxset and get your feet up, now is the best time to plan for tomorrow. Put together a list of things you want to get accomplished at work the next day and revisit it on your morning commute if you know you won’t have time when you wake up. Your commute back home is the best time to get to grips with exactly what tomorrow may bring, so planning ahead will save you a lot of stress in the morning!

 

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With working from home coming to an end, and many people returning to the office full-time, there’s never been a better time to make the most of your daily commutes to and from work.

If you’re a business owner looking for office space, and want your employees to have a shorter and more manageable journey into work, why not consider moving offices? We have a huge selection of serviced offices and managed offices available in many areas, so take a browse today using our free office search tool!

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