Things to do while you Commute
If you are commuting to work there are ways to use this time effectively. First and foremost, if your commute involves you driving then concentrate on that. No cell phones, no going over the notes for a meeting, and no shaving (yes I have witnessed this on my own morning commute). That is a hit on male drivers, but to be fair, women tend to do personal grooming more often. Putting on make up in the mirror while operating a vehicle is not acceptable. It puts both you and other drivers at risk. The fact that most commutes happen during "rush hour" only makes such activities all the more dangerous.
Another option that is being used more and more (especially thanks to the higher prices of fuel) is the carpool. The idea of a car pool has many benefits. In larger cities there is often a lane that is especially designated as a carpool lane. This can cut down on your commute time as well as save money spent on gas. Putting less cars on the road will also help the environment as well as overall traffic congestion. If you are participating in the carpool, then you will have days when you are not the driver. In this case the above mentioned activities are perfectly acceptable. If you are in the back seat, by all means do your personal grooming. Shave and apply make up to your hearts content. This is also a great time to catch up on reading or go over the reports that need to be turned in that day. With todays technology (laptops and Blackberry's) you can actually get a head start on your work day. Another option is doing things that you would usually have to do after work on "your time". Things like paying bills or dealing with your bank. Many of us do most of our business on-line these days, so why not use the "dead time" during your commute for these activities.
The same principles apply if you take public transportation. You can accomplish all the above mentioned tasks just as easily on the bus or train. There is no need to limit ourselves to things that would be considered work. We can pretend that we all leave our houses bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to start the work day. Do we really want to start it even earlier than we have to? If you are using your cell phone, Blackberry, or laptop, then why not use it for something you enjoy? If you happen to be like many of us and write for websites like Helium, this would be an excellent time to rate a few articles or maybe get the chance to write the story that you had a dream about. In this way you can get it down before it is gone into the subconscious levels of our brain. Maybe you are in love with Facebook or Myspace. Is there a better time to update your profiles? What about Twitter? There are many people out there that may be interested in the way that your commute is working out for you.
When it is all said and done, as long as you are not the one that is driving, do whatever you need to get done. Whether it involves work, paying bills, or playing World of Warcraft to relax before your day starts, do your thing. Sitting there like a zombie for the entire ride doesn't accomplish anything, it makes it dead time. Use it in what ever way you choose, but use it to do something. If nothing else, it may free up some of your time after work so that you can truly relax at home.
