Time traveling to work can feel like hours wasted every week, but if you don’t have the luxury of working from home, the commute is a part of life you can’t escape. However, just because you are tied into travel doesn’t mean you can’t use your time productively. Here are five ways you can use your work commute to better yourself or get ahead of the game.

Learn a Language

If you’re one of the many people who wish they could speak another language, why not use your commute to learn? If you travel by train, plane or bus, free apps such as Duolingo are a great place to start as they teach you not only how to speak another language but also how to read and write it. If you drive or walk, look for talking apps where you repeat key words and phrases. You’ll surprise yourself with how quickly you learn!

Improve Your Fitness

By adding more movement into your day you will feel fitter, healthier and more alert. If you live within walking or cycling distance of your workplace, using these methods to reach the office can set you up for the day ahead. If you need to travel by car, train or bus, consider whether you can get park further from work or get off the bus or train a stop earlier than normal to add some extra steps into your day. If this isn’t possible, there’s no excuse for not working your pelvic floor muscles – these simple exercises aren’t just for after giving birth and can benefit everyone, reducing the chance of incontinence, prolapse, and even strengthening orgasms.

Get a Head start on Your Working Day

We all love ticking a job off our to-do list so use your commute to get a head start on your day. This could mean making calls as you drive, updating spreadsheets on your train journey into the city or answering emails on your bus ride. If you regularly travel by train or plane or work on the go, investing in a product from the Lenovo Travelling Notebooks range can help you maximize your productivity on the move.

Complete Your Life Admin

Everyone has life admin to fit into their day, whether it’s booking onto a spin class, paying bills or calling your niece to wish her a happy birthday. Use your commute to keep on top of your life admin – not only is it productive but it frees up time at evenings and weekends that would otherwise be spent doing these necessary tasks.

Read

Whether you’re reading a physical book or an eBook or listening to an audiobook, using your commute to read is a great way to multitask and relax. Choose the latest fiction bestsellers to escape from the pressures of the day or popular non-fiction for self-improvement.

Doubling up your commute with a task feels like a life hack, so get creative and see how you can maximize your time and productivity.