Clever Commuting Hacks

Time Destination Platform 08:15 CLEVER DELAYED COMMUTER HACKS MAKING YOUR JOURNEY TO WORK MORE PRODUCTIVE THE AVERAGE COMMUTE In the UK we spend on average 58 minutes a day commuting to and from work. In the U.S., commutes tend to be slightly shorter, at an average of 48 minutes a day. Based on 233 working days a year that's around 225 hours (in the UK) and 186 hours (in the U.S.) lost to commuting, per person. But we don't have to let this time go to waste – modern technology means it's easier than ever to be productive on your way to and from work. Here's a few ideas: IN THE CAR... Listen to educational PodCasts, or audiobooks (try Audible) Use a tool like @Voice ", Aloud Reader, which reads web articles (and other content) out loud to you Brainstorm ideas, using a tool like Dragon Dictation to take notes, or use it to plan out your day Or, start car-pooling and let someone else do the reading ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT... Educate yourself by. reading! Save articles to read on the go with Pocket or Instafetch. Or, go retro and read a book Keep up-to-date with your favourite online papers, magazines and blogs with Feedly Learn a new language (try Duolingo) Watch an educational video Brainstorm ideas, using a tool like Evernote to jot them down Or use Evernote to plan your day (Wunderlist and ToDolst are pretty awesome for this too) Set goals or track your achievements (try coach.me for support) Reply to emails, and leave more time at the office for 'real work' (according to the McKinsey Global Institute the average worker spends a quarter of their day replying to emails) If that's not possible, at least clear out your inbox TM Prevent distractions later in the day by scheduling updates to your favourite social media sites using Buffer or Hootsuite Catch up on some work - tools like Google Drive and Dropbox make working remotely a breeze Hold an early morning conference call with UberConference or Voxeet (make sure you're not going to annoy anyone with the noise first) Play a game - though swap mindless games for a game that's good for the brain, such as Elevate or Lumosity Alternatively, there's nothing wrong with winding down, but get the most from your 'down time' by doing some breathing exercises, or using an app designed to aid relaxation such as Smiling Mind or Headspace BUT... however you're commuting, and whatever you're doing.. don't look at the time! Worrying about being late won't make you get to work any faster, but it will stress you out and ensure a bad start to your day. SOURCES gov.uk io9.com mckinsey.com blog.hubspot.com lifehacker.com Brought to you by SmB SwitchmyBusiness.com OUR EXPERTS SORT, YOUR BUSINESS SAVES In. lilili