If you’re like me, getting to work means a long, typically unpleasant, drive through traffic infested roads. On the best day, it takes me an hour to get to work in the morning and about an hour and a half to get home every night.
So, in order to avoid feeling like I was wasting 10 hours a week of my life sitting in my car, I needed to get creative. I won’t say which of these I’ve tried and which I haven’t, but they all come highly recommended.
1. Listen to your favorite jams, and then some try something new
Whether you have a two-hour commute or a half hour commute, this is the perfect time to listen to those albums or artists that you’ve always wanted to give a listen. Aside from being focused on the road and the other maniac drivers around you, there is nothing to distract you from truly listening to the music and taking it all in. This is also the perfect time to put together flawless playlists covering anything from “Cloudy Day Jams,” “Pump Me Up Monday Jams,” “TGIF,” to “Winding Down Blues.”
Forcing yourself to mix up your music style each day will keep you entertained and give your vocal cords variety because of course, you’re singing along. And don’t doubt the nostalgic power of pulling out those old high school favorites [note: the resulting daydreaming about your youthful non-working days is another great way to kill time], or the energizing rush you get from singing along to those cheesy boy band records that we all know you have. Hey, no shame here.
2. Download and listen to audiobooks
As long as you aren’t so distracted that you veer off the road, turn the road in front of you into Hogwarts’ halls or the forest of Narnia. No longer are you driving alongside other boxes of moving steel, but alongside horses riding into battle. It’s the perfect time to take advantage of the fabulous selections and offers that Audible provides.
I feel so much better about my commute when I think of those long hours on the road every week as an opportunity to read that thousand-page classic novel I’ve been meaning to read, except now I get to listen to a soothing voice read it to me. If you’re lucky, the narrator will even have an accent for you to swoon over. I just listened to The Handmaid’s Tale on Audible in a week and there were no regrets there.
3. Locate your favorite radio shows and plan your morning accordingly
In the morning, I flip back and forth between two stations to experience it all: trivia, awkward Tuesday phone calls, second date updates, things you ‘need to know,’ and life hacks. I know what time I need to be on what channel. After about a week or so on the road, you will know as well. Suddenly, you no longer find the voices on the radio in between the songs annoying because they offer a change from the same five songs that play on the radio.
4. (Attempt to) win money and concert tickets
You have nothing else better to do, so why not try to be caller number 25? You can totally beat that other caller at trivia! You knew that memorizing all those lyrics would pay off someday! Just make sure you’re using a hands-free device when calling in, and to keep your eyes on the road when you win that big prize.
5. Call an old friend or family member to catch up
For me, along with a lot of my fellow recently graduated commuters, most of my close friendships are now existing via long distance since I didn’t go to college near my hometown. So, it’s great to be able to use this time when I’m alone and bored to catch up (again, hands-free is key). It’s a little tricky to match schedules on some occasions, but when we can make it work, it makes the drive fly by. Plus, what’s better than having the guy in the car next to you eye you funny because you appear to be laughing hysterically to yourself? Priceless.
6. Explore as many ways to get to work as you can
I know we want to get to work by taking the fastest route possible in the shortest distance, but if you’re going to be doing this drive every weekday for who knows how long, you’re going to need some variety every once in a while. Currently, I know of four different routes to work. I usually take the one that offers the most interesting scenery. Don’t be afraid to get creative, maybe taking that one side street will save you time at stop lights, but you won’t know until you try!
7. Go wild. Make faces and sing in different accents.
Don’t be afraid to be silly. Driving the same route every day can get pretty monotonous, which leads to boredom, which leads to doing weird things especially when you’re alone. Embrace it!
Try seeing how long you can stare at the car next to you until the person inside turns to stare at you back. Dare to make a face? Dare to smile? Go for it! The odds of you seeing them again are pretty slim, and think of how funny it would be if you did! Tired of listening to the same songs on the radio, but don’t have another option? I suggest challenging yourself by singing to the songs with different accents or vocal pitches. I know I crack myself up. And what better way is there to start your workday that having laughed your way through your horribly long commute?
