According to the Ministry for Transport, the average commute time in the UK is around twenty-seven minutes. Multiply this over a working week, and you might be looking at something approaching ten hours of dead time. If your commute is longer than average, the waste might be greater still.
Of course, it isn’t necessarily the case that the time you spend travelling is entirely wasted. There are a number of ways you might make good use of the time – let’s consider a few of them.
Podcasts
There’s no shortage of content on the modern internet, and podcasts are among the most popular formats. Around two-fifths of us listen to them on a daily basis – and that number is steadily growing. Whatever niche topic you’re interested in, the chances are that a podcast has been set up to cater to it. The more popular podcasts in the UK, like The Rest is History, The Rest is Politics, and Diary of a CEO, attract millions of listeners and they offer considerable insight and value.
Read a Book
Of course, the best form of content is arguably the one that’s been around for the longest. A cheap paperback can be read on the train, and expose you to deeper kinds of fictional worlds and ideas than an hour-long podcast can touch. You can think of a non-fiction audiobook as a little bit like a podcast that lasts for ten or more hours. Given this time, the average commuter in the UK might get through around fifty books each year.
Play Games
Mobile phones aren’t just a means of playing audio content. They can also provide other forms of distraction. Pick the right game, and you can stimulate yourself during an otherwise boring commute with the help of an escape into a fantasy world, a fiendishly tricky puzzle, or even a collection of classic slots games.
Some specific kinds of games can even come with an educational component, making them great for picking up a new skill. If you’ve always struggled with basic arithmetic, then you might treat your commute as a chance to correct that particular weakness in your skillset with a few maths-related games.
Listen to Music
Music can be a powerful source of inspiration. It might even be therapeutic. Whether you’re looking to burn off some work-related stress with an intense metal album or to find a moment of peace with a baroque string quartet, the right playlist can make it happen. You might even look at curated playlists that other people have put together for you!
