If you’re a Londoner then I’m sure the word ‘commute’ alone is probably enough to make you wince and shudder. Those many mornings when your body longs to still be in your warm bed, embraced by your large comfy duvet but instead your body is probably pressed up against a sweaty old guy with his underarm unpleasantly positioned next to your face. Despite that rather awful image I have now placed into your head commuting is not all bad, so I say why not make the most of those precious few minutes every morning to get ahead of yourself and get your day off to a good start, rather than just falling asleep with your head pressed up against the window, something we are all guilty of doing I’m sure.
#1 Read a book
If your anything like me you absolutely love reading and given half the chance you could easily devour a book cover to cover in less than a day, but of course duty calls and it’s near impossible to find any spare time to actually enjoy a book without your mind wandering elsewhere. I love reading on the train, provided I have a seat, I can pop in my earphones to block out those annoying sounds and transform myself from a busy hot train carriage to a whole other world.
#2 Ditch The Public Transport
Understandably if you live a good few miles from work then this may not be an option but if you live just a hop, skip and a jump away then why not just swap busy buses and trains for a bike or invest in a good pair of trainers and walk instead. Not only will you feel the benefits, walking is often the best way to clear the mind and give yourself some time to relax before you get to work. Plus it will keep you warm!
#3 Create a To-Do List
If you find yourself with plenty of spare time on your morning commute then try your hand at writing a To-Do list, bullet point everything that you aim to achieve in the day so that when you do get into work you feel motivated and focused on the tasks ahead. Planning out your day is the best way to leave yourself, feel on top of things and under control which ultimately leads to less stress and more achieving.
#4 Catch up with Friends and Family
Spend some time in the morning or on the way home catching up with those you love but just don’t get enough time to talk to. A quick spontaneous phone call or a message can really brighten up someones day and let them know that although you may be busy you still think about them.
#5 Train your brain
Crosswords and Sudoku may seem a thing of the past now that we all have Kindles and Ipads but they are such a good way of waking up your brain and setting yourself up for a busy day in the office. They are also a very enjoyable way of passing the time on a busy commute, sure beats staring out of the window!
What do you do when you’re on your freezing cold commute besides think about how miserable and cold you are?