Loads of us have to travel a fair old distance to get to work, there’s simply no getting away from that. What we can get away from however is the feeling that we’re somehow locked into a cycle of wasting half an hour, or more, of our time twice a day. This will not only make you resent work as whole, but it will even make you dread the prospect of setting off on your way home if you let things get to that stage. Let’s dive right into our locker of productivity and positivity tools and find a few ways you can change your outlook on things.

Use it as Work Time

This one depends very much on whether you’re travelling by car or not. Clearly if you’re driving then you need both eyes on the road at all times, so we’ve added some car-specific ideas for the motorists amongst you a little later on.

If you travel by train or bus however you can use some of the commuting time to get a head start on things at the office. Don’t think of this as working for free when no one is looking. Think of it as a chance to spread the load slightly so that you day is that little bit calmer. Checking and replying to overnight emails is arguably something that can wait because you’ll be bombarded by new ones all day anyway. What we suggest instead is that you take a look at a single piece of lengthy work, such as that quarterly report you keep putting off, and make a start on that when you’re free of distractions and requests for help from the person sitting next to you.

Use it as a Chance to Learn

This is particularly good for people who drive to work so read on…

Listening to a few songs on the radio is a great way to relax, plus you also get the added benefit of a timely serving of the latest news. What you could do instead however is use those ears of yours to start learning a new skill. Audio books will teach you anything from history to a second language, and where better to listen to them than in the car?

By listening twice a day for a year you’ll be able to get hundreds of hours of practice or knowledge under your belt that you wouldn’t have managed otherwise. By the end of the year your casual little habit on your way to and from work will have resulted in a huge net gain. Ideal if you want to be able to start a new hobby without having to make any extra time for it in your already jam-packed day!

Don’t Forget to Relax

Working and learning are great ways to feel more positive about the world, but you’re only human after all so you’ll want to stay rested and relaxed too. How about on Friday evenings you let your hair down and play that new album you’ve been meaning to listen to full blast?