Ways to Stay Busy During Travelling

Posted on 23 September 2021

Whether you’re travelling by car, by bus, or by plane, sometimes long journeys are inevitable. It may seem like all you can do is to buckle up and sit there for hours on end until you reach your destination. But the journey itself doesn’t have to be boring and unproductive. You can use this time effectively and manage to do quite a lot. This is especially true when you are travelling alone and you’re feeling a little bored. So, why not to fill this time with some work? And while it is true that you might get disturbed by the strangers from time to time, you will feel good about all the work you have managed to do on the road. After all, if your flight is at least three hours long, it’s better to have something to do rather than to stare aimlessly through the window.

Read a book

This is one of the easiest ways to entertain yourself while you’re travelling. Learning something new is always a good idea, and if you’re spending a long time on the bus, you might find it easier to just read. You’ll notice that this way the time passes way quicker than you might have expected, and on top of that, you might reach your reading goal for the day (if you have one; and if you don’t – what are you doing?). You might find it useful to read a self-help book, as this way you won’t waste any time you have in your reserve – you will be working on yourself and getting better without even putting too much effort in. So, next time you’re about to get on the train, or any other form of transportation, really, don’t forget about that book you left on the bedside table; just throw it in your backpack and you’re good to go.

Listen to a podcast

Find a fun, educational podcast that you like and listen to it wherever you are. It’s another great way to keep yourself busy during those long travelling hours. Grab a notebook, highlighter and a pen to take notes while you’re listening. Who knows, you might come across something very inspiring, or motivational, or just simply interesting, and you might want to write that down. If you’re not a fan of carrying a notebook, however, that’s not a problem. Surely, you have your phone with you (in fact, you’re probably using it to listen to that podcast!), so open that notes app and take some notes there. It’s very easy and most importantly, convenient. You’ll have that perfect quote anywhere you go.

"If you want to conquer fear, don’t sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."

- Dale Carnegie

Learn a new language

That’s right, you can actually learn so much on the road if you dedicate your time and effort to it. There are countless apps that could help you learn a new language and perfect your skills. You don’t even have to carry a textbook with you! That’s why it’s so convenient – you can learn Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Norwegian, or any other language for that matter just by using your phone to your advantage. Don’t let your time go to waste, make sure you’re being productive, that you’re staying busy while you’re travel. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with sleeping and getting some rest while you’re on a plane, but if you’re feeling energised and excited, why not use it? Now, you’re obviously not going to study for hours, it’s not an exam, but investing at least 20-30 minutes into learning a new language can be truly beneficial. Don’t forget, however, that the best results are seen when you do it every single day. So, maybe you’ll find some time even on your holiday?

Make some friends

Now, we know not everybody would be thrilled by this suggestion but sometimes that’s really one of best options you might have. Say, your phone is dying and you need to preserve the battery life (so conveniently, you left your power bank at home) and you didn’t bring a book with you, so what you might want to do, is simply to talk to somebody. If you’re extraverted, you might find it easier to interact with strangers but if you’re introverted, don’t worry, nobody is forcing you to try and step out of your comfort zone. All we are saying, is it might actually be nice to make some friends while you’re travelling. More often than not people want to share stories about their lives, so try talking to a passenger next to you. Ask them where they’re headed and what they’re going to be doing there. Even if it’s just small talk, you might make somebody’s day and your journey a little bit more engrossing.

Travelling doesn’t have to be boring, and we don’t have to dread it. Oftentimes, we don’t even realise how much we can do with our time while we’re on a plane or a bus. From being a little lazy and watching a movie to being productive and learning a new language, there is a variety of different activities we might find ourselves engaged in while on the road. The key to a successful time management, however, is staying productive and motivated. After all, only we can choose what to do with our time.  

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