How to maximise your time while commuting to and from work

Commuting to work can be a real time suck, but I have found some great ways to maximise this time that I thought I would share with you. I have been travelling to work on a bus for 6 months now and while I am getting up a bit earlier, I have found some great benefits to maximising the time it takes to commute to work. My round-trip bus route takes a little under 3 hours to do – so I really want to make use of this time. I try to be mindful of this time and really try and make the most of it. Travelling on a bus is slow, but there are benefits to travelling on a bus. For one thing, I don’t get any road rage whilst stuck in traffic – and at least I don’t have to concentrate while on the bus (confession: I have been known to snooze on the bus, which is very unlike me since I usually battle to sleep while travelling).

Here are a few things that I do while I am commuting to and from work every day:

• Social Media: Ok so it is not the most productive thing I could be doing, but I use the time sitting on the bus to catch up on social media, I do my posts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. I join in conversations and chat with other bloggers and my friends. I try use this time so that when I am home, I am not continuously swiping through my phone but rather interacting with my hubby, and spending quality time with him and Jack.
• Blogging: thanks to the notes app as well as the WordPress app, I spend some of my time coming up with ideas and re-arranging my blog ideas. Travelling on the bus is a novel thing for me still, since I come from a country where I didn’t use public transport, so I find travelling on the bus often brings up other ideas that I have experienced that are new as an expat living in a foreign country.
• Reading: I have a husband who often sends me interesting articles via WhatsApp, so I like to read and catch up on these while I commute. I also subscribe to other blogs, so I like to read the updates and catch up on the news. I have thought about reading a book, but I can’t seem to read for too long while moving in a car, as I get motion sickness – so I can’t read for long periods, just short articles or news seem to be ok.
• Podcasts: Podcasts are a great way to pass the time, especially on days where I feel tired, and not in the mood to read or concentrate too heavily. I can switch on a podcast, and they usually take about as long as my bus trip which is great, because I am still a little cautious of walking while listening. I just worry that if I am listening too intently on the podcast, while I am crossing the road – perhaps I might not be concentrating on traffic and cyclists. So I do prefer to listen to podcasts while I am sitting safely on the bus. There are a few podcasts I like to listen to: Estee Lalonde’s The Heart of It; Serial; Russell Brand’s Under the Skin are just a few I really enjoy.
• Connecting with friends and family: Commuting to work means I walk a far bit, before I get onto the bus – so it is a great time to leave a voice note, or make a few phone calls. I also use the time sitting on the bus to return WhatsApp’s. I must admit, I am not very good at making phone calls and WhatsApp’s – but I am trying to get better. The hardest part about living so far away from friends and family is that is it does require more effort to keep in touch. So I use the time I have while travelling on the bus to catch up with friends and family. It is amazing how great technology is. Although, I prefer to not be talking on the bus, just because I feel like everyone is listening in on the conversation – that and I don’t like it when I can hear other people talking on the phone on the bus!
• Emails: Part of this blog gives people insight into how I moved overseas, and how we live in Ireland, which means that I often get emails asking me questions about moving to Ireland and how they can do the same. So I use the time to reply to my emails, and clear my inbox.

DO YOU COMMUTE TO WORK? HOW DO YOU PASS THE TIME?

Live Simply & Travel Slow,

~Meg~

p.s. If social media is your thing (snap! It’s my fave too!), you should totally follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or join my exclusive Facebook Group. And because I seriously am an open book, if you ever want to bounce ideas off me, or just chat and connect send me an email (I really love chatting!)..

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