Welcome back, bloggers! Today, we’re going to dive into a topic that is near and dear to my heart – commuting to work! If you’re like me, and driving to work takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, this article is for you! Even if you take the train, ride a bus, or are on foot… finding ways to fill a commute with little hobbies can help you bring joy to an otherwise (and sometimes unenjoyable) mindless activity. So, keep reading below to find out some of my favorite forms of media to fill the time!

Filling your Commute with Fun!

• Podcasts: Potentially the most glaring of all… podcasts! Not only can podcasts be mindless, but they can also be full of fun new topics and motivation. Whether you’re looking for a comedy focus, self-help, documentary, news, or other form of content… we guarantee you that you can find what you’re looking for on the podcast apps! We highly recommend tuning into a podcast anytime your music is feeling bland or ‘stale’ and instead learning about a new concept or topic that you haven’t heard before. Especially relating to your role, keeping up with industry trends by tuning into a few stories in the morning is a fantastic way to differentiate yourself as a super-strong employee!
• New Music and Playlists: When you’re itching back to Apple Music or Spotify, we also encourage you to try out a new type of music or playlist you haven’t heard before. Especially while commuting on the same path each day, it’s all too easy to fall into a pattern of the same playlist, same routes, and same routine.. which can undoubtedly get stale! However, there are endless playlists, artists, and songs at your fingertips to dive into. If you’re not sure where to start, check out a top 100 songs or ‘current hits’ playlist in a new category.
• Reading a Book (if you’re NOT driving!): There’s no better time to dive into a new book than during your morning commute (if you’re not behind the wheel!). For our bus and train riders, we nudge you to explore reading as a new hobby and activity to look forward to on your commute. That way, you won’t simply think of each new day bringing a morning ride to work, but instead a new opportunity to get further into a new read.
• Listening to an Audio Book: For those of us who aren’t ‘handless’ commuters, that’s what audiobooks are for! Especially on the same tune as podcasts, this is a perfect (and consistent) time of day during which you can learn about new topics and expand your skill set. However, if you’re like me, and love a thriller or fantasy novel, this is also a perfect time to fit in a few chapters ahead of sitting down at your desk for the day.
• Scheduling a Morning or Nighttime Chat with a Friend: While some of us don’t feel our energy peak until closer to lunchtime, many are morning people! If that’s the case, spending time in a vehicle en route to an office might be the perfect time to schedule a catch-up call with a long-distance friend, partner, or family member. It’s all too easy to fall into work routines and let relationships slip as a result. So, make sure to be mindful of and aware of your free pockets of time during each day… and put them to use in a meaningful way!
• Morning Mindfulness and Meditation! Finally, we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to once again remind you of an optimized activity for your commute. While this would likely fit best for those of us commuting in private (and not on public transportation), mindfulness and meditation practices can be seamlessly baked into a morning routine. As we’ve said in the past, meditation can be as short as a few moments of breath work and mindfulness could look as simple as listing a few things you’re grateful for in the morning. Whatever it looks like for you, we are confident that engaging in this activity will put you on a fast track toward success, by getting your day started in a positive and intentional manner.

We hope that after reading this, you’re all geared up to try at least one new activity during your commute next week!

Searching for a new position? Read through our open jobs list!