Make the Most of Your Commute: Using Commuting Time Efficiently

Using commuting time efficiently, by multitasking, can make you more relaxed, productive, and energized.

I wish I had the luxury of being able to just drive home.  I wish I didn’t have to be thinking about what I’m going to do when I get home or about finding other ways to make the most of my time.  But this isn’t Never-Never Land and I have a 3-year old to pick up from preschool and a 10-year old who will be waiting on me when I get home.  I have to help with homework, cook dinner, provide transportation to sporting events, and work on this blog that I’m trying to grow.  So, I’ve had to come up with some very creative ways to use my commuting time, as it takes up 40 minutes in the morning and 40 minutes in the evening, each day.  That’s 1 hour and 20 minutes.  It’s a necessary evil that I cannot avoid right now.  So, I can either complain about it (and feel helpless), or I can find a way to turn dead time into a brainstorming-, writing-, blogging-, learning- time.

Ways to Make Commuting Efficient

Pray

On the way to work, before my day has gone into full force, I take some time to show thanks for waking, my blessings, and ask for guidance through my day.

Jam

After prayer, I listen to music.  Lots of music.  R&B. Rock. Pop-Country. Rap. Classical. Pop.  You name it.  I have a very wide musical spectrum.  Depends on my mood.  And I dance.

My husband even bought me the best rockford fosgate subwoofer for my car, so I can enjoy the music as the artist intended. Rap sounds the best with these speakers!

Talk (or Listen)

If I have to leave the office at lunch, I make phone calls to friends, handle business, and make appointments.  Using the accessories I’ve listed below, I can hear phone calls through my car speakers (and talk using the speakerphone feature), use a BlueTooth headset, or earbuds.

Record

They say that you are reminded of things and have the best ideas at the most inopportune times.  So, I use the phone’s Video Recorder to capture my thoughts and record notes for blog posts {I actually recorded the rough draft of this post while driving to pick up my daughter 🙂 .}

Learn

I listen to podcasts and YouTube videos in the car, using my car’s speakers or my earbuds.  Sometimes I’ll listen to local news or use a news-radio station on my phone.

Relax

If I have had an especially challenging day, I will often ride in silence.  Although it sounds like I’m not getting anything done, it gives me the empty space I need to relax, refocus, and prepare to  interact with my family.  Trust me when I say silence now=not screaming later.

Equipment Required for an Efficient Commute

• auxiliary jack on your car stereo
• power source such as USB port in the stereo or car charger plugged into the cigarette lighter adapter
• auxiliary cord (that connects to phone)
• ear buds
• Bluetooth headset
• your smartphone of choice

Other Things You Need in Your Car

• trash bags
• project folders, to take things to the office or take things back home
• anything needed to run errands
• sticky notes
• pen
• small notepad
• large travel mug of coffee, with 2 tbsp flavored creamer and two Sweet N Low packets (doesn’t matter if it’s day or night, summer or winter)

Bonus Tip:  Whenever I drive, I like to have a 3 x 3 sticky note on my dashboard, with an ordered list of stops, for the drive home.  That way, I don’t have to backtrack if my stops include the pharmacy, grocery store, library, or bill payments.

There you have it.  Most any dead time can be converted into efficient time with a little creativity and a few techy tools.

Other Ways to Use Commuting Time Effectively:

Essentials in Every Mom’s Car

Using Commuting Time Effectively

Read other posts in the 31 Days to Make Being a Working Mom Easier series.