5 ways to shake up your commute to work
Summer vacation is over, the kids have headed back to school and we’re starting to fall back into our old routines. While you may be stuck in gridlock or riding a packed subway, there is no reason why you can’t spend your commute doing something productive instead of being stressed out. To help keep your routine from getting stale we’ve put together a list of some things you can try to shake up your commute and learn something in the process.
1. Learn something you didn’t know
You can access free, world‑class education from anywhere with apps like Khan Academy. They offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. Brush up on math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more.
Get Khan Academy iPhone | Android
2. Master a new language
Planning a vacation or want to learn a few conversational basics? Make your breaks and commutes more productive by learning a new language. Duolingo is one of the highest rated free apps to learn. Each lesson includes a variety of speaking, listening, translation, and multiple choice challenges. The app works similar to a game wherein users receive experience points for every correct answer.
3. Listen to an audiobook
If you are driving in to the office or riding on a packed subway, reading a book is not possible. With apps like Audible, you can listen to books anytime, anywhere. Being an Amazon company, they are the largest provider of expertly performed audiobooks and have more than 180,000 titles. You can enjoy books for business: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, or pleasure: The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer
Get Audiobooks by Audible iPhone | Android
4. Relax with meditation
Practicing mindfulness can help you be clear-headed and prepared for the day ahead instead of starting off frazzled from the stress of your commute. Calm is an excellent free app for beginner meditation. It starts you out with a seven-day program and you can choose different lengths based on your commute. You can also choose sounds and scenes from nature to help you visually focus while you meditate.
5. Get caught up on episodes of a podcast
We’re crazy about podcasts here at commonsku, that’s no secret. We’ve shared posts on business podcast you can learn from, podcast that challenge, educate, and entertain, and we even publish our own podcast called skucast that explores the who, what, why and how of the promotional products industry.