How to Make the Most of Your Commute

My job is 53 miles away from my home. That means that I have a 106 mile round trip every day. Five days a week for 49 weeks has me commuting 26,000 miles every year. I have been making this commute for 15 years now. The 5 years previous to that I actually had an even longer commute. You do the math.

The majority of my commute is freeway driving. Now ‘freeway’ is an oxymoron. There is rarely anything ‘free’ about it. Most often it is ‘bumper to bumper’ or ‘slow and go’ traffic that prolongs my commute even more. Rarely is traffic moving ‘freely’.

Part of the frustration of a long commute is realizing just how much time you are wasting on the road. Facing the prospect of being driven slowly insane by southern California traffic, I set out to find ways to make my commute more bearable, if not actually useful.-Here are a few things that have helped me make use of the seemingly countless hours I've spent in traffic.

Learn a Foreign Language

I am a student of foreign languages having studied German, Russian and Spanish at various times in my life and never quite becoming fluent at any. Once I realized how much time I had on my hands I realized that I could put my commute time to good use studying languages. If you have a car equipped with a cassette tape or CD players you are in business. Many different companies provide language learning materials in audio format.

Among the best I found for commuters was the Plimseur program. Plimseur has programs available in at least 52 languages and their programs are used by the FBI, CIA and business people everywhere. The Plimseur approach worked well for me because it did not require additional texts (a little difficult to read when driving) or software (same deal) to learn. Also, the program takes a graduated approach that is similar to natural language learning.

Penton Overseas has their ‘Learn in Your Car’ series. (It seems Penton Overseas is rebuilding their website. Once they're done I will provide the new links). Each level typically has 3 hours of audio on 3 CDs though some language sets vary. The first name in language learning, Berlitz, also has CD based language learning programs as well. Of the three, however, I felt I learned the most using the Plimseur approach.

Books on Tape

I enjoy reading in my free time. Unfortunately, I typically spend 2 to 2 ½ hours on the road each day. That means that something has to go and usually it is reading time. That is, until I started to take some of my commute time to listen to Books on Tape or CD. Buying audio books can become a bit expensive but I found that many public libraries have audio books that you can check out for free. Also, some video rental stores rent audio books. You can purchase Books on Tape at most large bookstores like Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million or Borders, if you local library doesn’t have what you want. Of course, you can always purchase them online at retail outlets. Be sure to check ebay for great values.

The first thing I thought of was fiction books but don’t limit yourself to that. There are many great audio books out there on self-improvement, investing, how to be a better salesman, the list is endless.

I must admit that I had a hard time following some fiction books as I would find myself focused on my drive and having missed the last couple of minutes of the book. I guess that is what the rewind button is for! However, I did find my listening skills improved while still maintaining proper attention to my driving.

Make Calls

Commute time is a great time to catch up on all those phone calls that never seem to get made. They can be calls to friends, family or even business calls. Just make sure you do it safely. You must maintain your attention on the road. Many states now have laws restricting cell phone use while in motion. In California, we must use a hands-free device in order to talk on our cell phones when driving. Bluetooth headsets are great way to help keep your hands free to drive.

However, that is not enough. If you are driving 60 mph and look down for only 5 seconds while dialing, your car has moved 440 feet or 146 yards! That is almost a football field and a half. To be safer, you really need to invest in voice-dialing application, if you phone does not already have this feature.

Know Your Radio Options

If you live in a large metropolitan area, you know you have many radio options for your entertainment. You can no doubt find your taste in music easily. If you’re a sports fan, sports talk radio station abound. All news stations can keep you abreast of the latest happenings around your city, country and the world. My wife is constantly wondering how I am constantly up on the news. KNX 170 here in Los Angeles!

If you live in a smaller area with fewer stations, or if you just want more radio options, consider investing in a satellite radio. It is especially nice when I am driving mountain roads where reception fades or fails completely. I purchased a Sirius satellite radio subscription and wouldn’t be without it. It is relatively inexpensive, around $10 per month. You’ll pay between $35 and $250 for your receiver depending on the make and model you choose. I bought a budget model at WalMart for $35 that meets my needs fine.

Satellite radio offers a complete slate of programs from news, sports (including the NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and college sports), comedy (family and adult), talk shows and all types of music including international. Check out the Sirius website complete listings.

Podcasts

Along the same line as radio options and audio books are podcasts. Podcasts are available covering just about any topic you can think of. There are music podcasts, language podcasts, news, sports and more. Podcastdirectory.com is a great place to download podcasts of interest to your MP3 player or phone and listen at your convenience during your commute. NPR.com also has a comprehensive directory of their broadcasts in podcast format.

Pray

If you are a person of faith, then drive time can be a great prayer time. Turn off your radio or CD player and spend some time alone in prayer. You can pray for your family, friends, co-workers or whatever is on your heart. Prayer during your commute can be one of the most fruitful uses of your time of all!

Strategize

Sometimes, I will turn off the radio and simply think about impending issues or upcoming events in my life or work. Often, I worked through in advance what I want to say when about to deal with a difficult or uncomfortable situation. Having some extra time to go over my options and think about what is truly important in life great.

Carpooling/Vanpooling

Carpooling and vanpooling can be a great way to lighten the commute. Whenever I have company in my car during the commute the trip seems shorter and I am more relaxed when I arrive at my destination. You can simply enjoy a nice chat, play car games, watch videos, get some work done or even take a nap. Obviously, if you not the one doing the driving you can work on your computer or send and receive text messages.

You have several options for joining a carpool or vanpool. VPSI Inc. has vanpools serving around 60 major urban areas across the country. You can also just talk with your coworkers and see if any of them are interested in sharing the driving and gas costs!

Always Safety First!

Even though these may all be great ways to take advantage of your commute time, the bottom line is that you are driving and that must come first. If you find any of these activities are distracting you from driving, stop them immediately. Safety must be first and foremost in your mind. Remember, if you have an accident, there is a good chance you won’t be the only one affected.

You can minimize the distractions and resultant safety concerns with a little advance preparation. If you want to listen to an audio book, music CD or language series, make sure you load the tape or CD before you start driving. Driving down the road at 60 mph is not the time to try to find that CD, take it out of its case and load it in the player.

Make your radio or satellite radio channel selection before starting your trip. Minimally, program the presets on your radio so that the stations you listen to most commonly are one button push away. Distractions of only a couple of seconds can be disastrous.