How much time do you spend on your daily commute? Have you ever felt like it’s affecting your physical and mental health? Today I’ll give you 10 tips on how you can improve your commute.
Many of us have to travel to work, which can often negatively affect our mood and physical health. In reality, your commute doesn’t have to be dreadful. Let’s jump into my tips to embracing your daily travel.
1. Switch your mindset about commuting. It almost became a norm that people complain about traffic, wasted time, stressing themselves over getting to work, or coming home during rush hour. Why not flip that switch, and expect a great experience? Prepare for it and watch it happen.
2. Try to socialize! It’s known that friendships and networking can improve the quality of your life and your overall happiness. Also, it helps you to broaden your understanding of other people’s point of view, and develop better communication skills. Try carpooling or talking to people on public transportation.
3. Relax and recharge. Being always on the go and busy can be stressful. Use your commute to disconnect from work tasks and relax your mind. Re-discover the art of doing absolutely nothing for a while. You can also try meditation while you’re at it.
4. Improve a skill. Being productive during your commute can bring you great satisfaction, as well as help your personal and professional growth. Read or listen to audio books, lectures and podcasts on a chosen topic, like psychology, history, business, or sciences, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can do Sudoku and crosswords, but also learn another language, practice singing or public speaking if you are driving.
5. Exercise to get healthier. Try taking your bicycle to work, walk or run, for at least a part of your trip. It requires more time and effort, but pays off as you get in better shape.
6. Have fun! Read joke books, watch or listen to comedians, take a detour to play a scavenger hunt or to discover new routes for your commute.
7. Discover and research. Watch movie trailers, find new ideas, locations, music and books. This can save you time later on, and give you something to look forward to once your work day is over.
8. Plan and strategize your life. Organize your personal schedule and to-do lists, brainstorm how to improve your career, relationships and set up a personal development plan. Frequently check up on the progress of your goals. And once in a while, take a step back and take a look at a big picture of your life’s purpose and contribution to the community.
9. Use your commute for self-care. Try journaling, use it for positive affirmations, read or listen to material on happiness and self-help.
10. Be prepared for delays, traffic, detours due to construction or collisions, bad weather conditions and mechanical issues with your car. No need for panic, some events are simply outside of our control. You can minimize impact by leaving a little earlier, having emergency contact numbers ready, bringing healthy snacks, additional clothing, umbrella or sunscreen with you.
Bonus tip: Think creatively on how you could shorten or even eliminate your commute, if you still don’t enjoy it. If your job is relatively stable, you might consider moving closer to your workplace. Also: Why not try to negotiate with your employer for some teleworking options. Working from home can often be a benefit for the employer as well as employees.
Those were my tips for having great time during your commute. I hope you give it a try and set yourself up for more joy and success!
Elena INSPIRE HEALTH
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