If you have a long commute to work each day, you’re not alone. The average person spends almost 30 minutes commuting each way to work every day. Over a career, those hours can really add up. If there’s no way for you to shorten your commute, then you will need to make the most of the time you spend in your vehicle to get your day off to a good start. Here are some helpful tips to help you maximize your commute and make it more bearable.
Self-Improvement
With so much time spent commuting, working, and taking care of a family, it can be difficult to find the time for self-improvement. Luckily, thanks to the advent of podcasts and audiobooks, you can engage in self-improvement during your commute. If there’s a topic of interest that you’ve been meaning to explore, why not use the alone time in your car to learn more about it to expand your horizon and become better versed in something new? Podcasts have become so popular that people now follow them to keep their skills up to date and learn something new.
Increase Safety
When you’re spending long periods of time on the road, something is bound to happen at one point or another. Whether it’s as simple as a blown tire or something bigger such as fender bender, you want to be sure that you’re behind the wheel of a safe vehicle to protect you from whatever comes your way. Consider getting the car you need to give you a safe commute, so you can rest easy knowing you’re protected. Not only does having a safer vehicle offer better protection, but it could also lower your stress and worry during your commute and even lower your monthly insurance premiums.
Find New Tunes
Spending time in the car is a great time to check out and listen to new music and see if something sparks an interest. Streaming services now offer recommendations based on music you already like, so using that information you may be able to come across a favorite new artist or genre you never would have otherwise known you’d like if you didn’t have the time to explore.
Meditate
If you have a stressful job, you may need to use your time in your car to mentally prepare for each day. Meditation is a great way to get yourself in the right frame of mind to handle daily stress and prep for whatever may come along during the day. You can also use your commute home to decompress from a long, hard day and transition your brain from being in work mode to being present for your family and loved ones when you get home. Even a short meditative session can work wonders for your blood pressure and help you calm down and emerge from your vehicle feeling relaxed and empowered.
Socialize and Save the Environment
If you work at the same place as someone else who lives near you, offer to carpool with one another. Carpooling can do wonders for the environment by reducing the carbon footprint your vehicle creates by being on the road. It’s also a great opportunity to socialize with your coworkers and make connections and lasting friendships over shared interests. As an added bonus, if you live in an area where carpool lanes are common, you may find yourself missing out on heavy traffic by being able to drive in those coveted carpool lanes.
Your commute doesn’t have to be a daily stress. With these helpful tips, you can maximize your daily commute and make it more bearable during those long hours you spend in your car each week, which can make the idea of commuting seem like it isn’t so bad.